Scott Strode is the founder of The Phoenix, a national sober active community that has reached more than half a million people impacted by addiction, with the goal of reaching ten million people by 2030. Born in Pennsylvania to an emotionally abusive father who suffered from untreated mental illness and a distant, workaholic mother, Scott turned to alcohol and cocaine early on as an escape from his tumultuous upbringing. On April 8, 1997, Scott finally made the life-changing decision to get sober. His strength and resolve came in large part from adopting an active lifestyle that would carry him through his recovery. That lifestyle included boxing, cycling, mountain climbing, triathlons, and almost anything that got him outside. But it was the connections he formed with others as they bonded over new experiences and shared goals that kept him sober. And this gave him a powerful idea. Since Scott started The Phoenix in Colorado in 2006 as “just a guy with a bike,” this innovative network has expanded across America. It offers a safe, sober active community of peers who support and empower each other every day, fostering healing through all kinds of activities, including concerts, hiking, yoga, lunches, book clubs, meditation, and music jam sessions. As Scott puts it, “We believe in each other even before we believe in ourselves.” He lives in Boston with his wife and two children.
