Clere was raised in Floyd County, Indiana, and later established his home in New Albany. He is married to Amy, a teacher, and they have five children. His professional life before and alongside legislative service included work as a Realtor in southern Indiana.
Clere graduated from Floyd Central High School and attended Indiana University Southeast in New Albany, where he earned a bachelor's degree in sociology. His university education preceded his entry into Indiana public office and connected him to the southern Indiana community he later represented in the Statehouse.
Clere has worked as a Realtor and real-estate broker since 2001, earning the ABR, CRS, and GRI professional designations and serving on the board of the Southern Indiana Realtors Association. He was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives from District 72 in 2008 and has represented most of Floyd County, including New Albany, Georgetown, and Floyds Knobs. During his legislative career he served on the House Ways and Means, Education, Financial Institutions, Public Policy, Judiciary, and Public Health committees, and chaired the Health and Medicaid Subcommittee. He also served as a legislative appointee to the board of Indiana’s CHOICE program, the Indiana School for the Deaf, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites Corporation, and the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission. In 2023 he ran unsuccessfully for mayor of New Albany. In January 2026 he announced that he would leave the Republican Party, would not seek reelection to the Statehouse, and intended to run for New Albany mayor in 2027 as an independent.
Elected to the Indiana House of Representatives from District 72 in 2008 and subsequently retained the seat through successive elections.
Advocated for needle-exchange programs during the HIV outbreak in Scott County, Indiana, helping bring public attention to the public-health response.
Served as a legislative appointee to the boards of Indiana’s CHOICE program, the Indiana School for the Deaf, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites Corporation, and the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission.
He is Catholic.
Clere was a Republican for most of his legislative career before leaving the Republican Party in January 2026 and becoming an independent. He announced that he would not seek reelection to the Indiana House and planned to run for mayor of New Albany as an independent in 2027.
Clere has emphasized government accountability, institutional credibility, education, local-government reform, and health and human services. In explaining his departure from the Republican Party in 2026, he said that he sought to vote according to his conscience rather than party pressure.
Clere has been associated with Leadership Southern Indiana and the Southern Indiana Realtors Association, on whose board he served. His community participation has also included the YMCA of Southern Indiana, LifeSpan Resources, the New Albany-Floyd County Habitat for Humanity affiliate, the Cardinal Ritter Birthplace Foundation, and the Floyd County Community Corrections Advisory Board.
Served on the association's board.
Southern Indiana Realtors Association , United States
Graduate and member.
Leadership Southern Indiana , United States
Participated in community activities.
YMCA of Southern Indiana , United States
Served in an advisory capacity.
LifeSpan Resources Advisory Council , United States
Participated in the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate.
New Albany-Floyd County Habitat for Humanity affiliate , United States
Participated in the foundation's community activities.
Cardinal Ritter Birthplace Foundation , United States
Served on the advisory board.
Floyd County Community Corrections Advisory Board , United States
Clere has publicly described his legislative approach as guided by voting his conscience, including on occasions when his positions differed from other members of his party.
Quotes from others about the person
Colleagues and institutional profiles have described Clere as committed to government accountability, education, local-government reform, and improving health and human services. Indiana University Southeast has identified him as an engaged alumnus and legislator connected to the university and its students.
Clere's principal documented personal connection is with his wife, Amy, a teacher, and their five children. His professional and civic connections are centered on southern Indiana, especially New Albany and Floyd County, which he represented in the Indiana House.
