Meet the GTD Team
Izzy Alvarado
Founder | Executive Director
Over 20 years ago, Izzy made his home in Portland, Oregon where he found a passion for running. Izzy has completed 19 marathons with his ultimate goal being to qualify and compete in the Boston Marathon. As a member of the sober community, Izzy found that he was able to share his love and enthusiasm for running with this incredible group of people and help guide them on their quest for sobriety. “Together we will strive to meet our goals One day at a time, one run at a time!”
Gregg Griffin
Run Supervisor
Mr. Gregg GA Griffin received his B.S. degree in Education, focusing on curriculum Development from Southern Illinois University and a dual Master of Computer Information System/Finance from Webster University while serving in the United States Navy. Originally from Chicago IL, he moved to Oregon in 1998 to pursue a Systems Analyst position with Regions Blue Cross/BlueShield. Inspired by Portland's advocacy spirit, he has volunteered with several local organizations, including OPB/KMHD, Portland Street Medicine, Keep Oregon Well, Qcenter, Veteran advocacies/Services, and Trillium Family Services. Griffin works with a local Veteran organization that addresses systemic issues around the unhoused and those in the recovery community, for which he has served on different boards for the past 9 years. Against Portland's backdrop of diverse culture and natural beauty, he continually fosters his interests in social justice, physical fitness, community service, the study of music (vocals, guitar, and piano), dance, and supporting local jazz artists.
Connor Stephens
Program Coordinator
Connor moved to Portland in 2019 to seek treatment for a 16-year battle with addiction. While at Depaul inpatient treatment center, Connor was introduced to GTD, and it was love at first run. Thanks to GTD and the experience of recovery and community through fitness, Connor knew he found his way to recovery. Health and fitness have become more than a recovery pathway for Connor— he has turned his passion into a career!
Connor was born in Portland and moved to Medford with his family when he was 5. Growing up there, he played soccer and was an avid snowboarder. Connor has a 14-year-old son named Jackson, with whom he shares his love of fitness. Connor enjoys summer camping trips with his family, cycling, hiking, running, CrossFit and weightlifting. He is beyond excited to share with others the gifts of recovery!
Kris Corona
Operations Coordinator
Kris moved to Portland in 2017 from Erie, Pennsylvania to continue his music career. After many years of struggling with addiction, enough was enough and it was time to ask for help. With the love and support of his friend, he entered Crestview Recovery in Portland. There, physical fitness became the most important part of his recovery program. Kris said he always wanted a program like GTD in his early recovery; he just had no idea it was available! He is filled with gratitude and great appreciation for the opportunity to help the same community that has given him new life.
Aaron Simpson
President
“I’ve been a runner for over 25 years, and now more than ever I find myself wanting to run for more than just me...I want to run for my community and for our sport. Running has personally helped me overcome major obstacles in my life and I want to share that with my community by helping make the sport more accessible and inclusive. I think running can be a form of medicine, and I’ve seen it do amazing things for addiction and recovery!” - Aaron Simpson
Aaron has been a runner for 25+ years and has ran all over the world, including his first marathon in Helsinki, Finland. He’s also run the Boston Marathon, the Where's Waldo 100K (his first ultra), around Mt. Hood (twice) and Mt. St. Helen’s (twice), the Hood To Coast relay 14 or 15 times, oh and...1st place in the Bare Buns 5K (naked)...obviously, the last one is his crowning achievement! Just recently, Aaron ran 85 miles in a 24-hour event and helped raise awareness and funds for Go The Distance.
He is a personal trainer and running coach and has worn many hats in the running and fitness industry. He started at 24 Hour Fitness in 2008 before opening his own gym in 2013, which he still operates today. While working with Olympian Jeff Galloway and his run/walk/run program, Aaron helped establish running groups in Portland, Lake Oswego, Beaverton, Seattle, and Spokane. As Galloway’s Regional Program Director, he led large groups of both beginner and experienced runners with the focus of helping them reach their individual running goals.
He was also race director for the annual Dove Lewis 5k and helped oversee and coordinate the first timed dog-friendly 5k race in Portland, OR. He helped develop and manage the race's budget, course logistics, team and sponsorship development, food/beverage service, finish line entertainment, fundraising, and race promotion (and 94.7 Perfect Playlist Host for the day). He successfully put on four amazing annual running events that grew each year and raised over $80K for Dove Lewis.
All that said, he’ll tell you his favorite job is husband to his partner, Ashley, and dad to his two boys, Ben (8) and Max (6)…and their pup, Daisy Bingo.
Raelee Jones
Secretary
Raelee is a lifelong Oregon resident with an extreme passion for the commitment the local communities provide to their area residents. The value and benefits of fitness to general health are underestimated and GTD has the opportunity to support a diverse cross section of folks on their road to recovery. It was for this reason that it has been a joy for Raelee to support the cause in a variety of ways.
Bryan Cochran
Treasurer
Bryan is an innovative business operations leader with 15 years of progressive experience implementing processes, ensuring compliance, accelerating growth, identifying new revenue streams, and driving strategic business change. Trusted by Boards of Directors, clients, and leadership teams alike, Bryan’s strengths included transforming workplace cultures and turnaround business challenges. As a cross-functional leader skilled at managing, developing, and building effective teams with an eye toward the future, Bryan is recognized for excellent business and analytical acumen. Bryan combines his people skills with a sense of humor to passionately lead business operations, people operations, and organizational strategy.
In his free time, Bryan can be found traveling, hiking, or working out. As a career travel enthusiast, Bryan spends most of his time in tropical locations, enjoying the warm weather and the ocean water. Bryan was an early supporter of GTD and believes so strongly in the mission of positively impacting the recovery community through affirmations and activity.
Matthew Palmer
Board of Directors
Originally from Kansas City, Matt has lived in Portland for the last 10 years as a footwear designer and competitive track runner. He started volunteering for GTD in 2021 looking to help spread the positive impact of running on physical health, mindful purpose, and sense of community.
Michael Hovey
Board of Directors
As a man in long-term recovery, Mikey gets to use his lived experience to help uplift and empower others struggling to see the value they have in this world. His addiction caused him to suffer an internal death as he was broken, hopeless and numb to the world. With hard work, determination, and a lot of meditation, he was able to escape a life of ignorance. Cultivating love for self and others allowed him to unlock the hidden chambers of my heart. Having a purpose in a world filled with conflict and challenge is the difference between truly living and just existing. His journey has led him to be part of the leadership team at the largest alcohol & drug treatment facility in Oregon where he gets to be part of the healing of the world on a daily basis. Mikey considers himself an evidence-based walking miracle and proof for others that we DO have the potential to make the necessary changes to live the lives we deserve!
Bella Spearman
Board of Directors
Bella moved to Portland in 2021 to provide care for male-identifying teenagers with substance use disorders and mental health issues. As a young person with a lifetime of personal and professional exposure to the relationship between early life adversity and health outcomes, Bella has long been in pursuit of accessible recovery groups that offer holistic approaches for both her own health and the health of her community.
As a child trying to make sense of the world in low-income areas of Ohio, Bella noticed that the families around her were suffering from illnesses that went largely unacknowledged by the community. Fascinated by how these invisible illnesses seemingly haunted both her peers and their parents, Bella signed up to volunteer for a youth education program at a local domestic violence shelter at age 13. Bella moved to New York City to better understand how the health challenges of her small hometown manifested in urban areas. Bella worked as a data collector for a randomized control trial that aimed to provide alternatives to incarceration for court-involved teenage girls, and briefly served as a health affairs unit intern on Rikers Island. Bella graduated from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Public Health. Bella currently works as a substitute teacher for Portland Public Schools in Special Education classrooms while attending Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) as an accelerated nursing student. Running has been a positive force in every era of Bella’s life.
Bella is amazed by the welcoming environment that GTD offers for all people impacted by substance use, regardless of physical ability and income level. Bella appreciates how GTD provides every runner with the gear needed to run safely. Bella’s favorite part of GTD is how the runners are always encouraged to bring their families to events.
Mike Marshall
Board of Directors
Mike Marshall is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Oregon Recovers, a statewide advocacy campaign to end Oregon’s addiction crisis.
A graduate of the University of California, San Diego, Mike spent the early years of his career learning grassroots organizing within the ranks of the Democratic Party. He worked at the presidential, congressional and city council levels to elect progressive policy makers by marrying modern technology with grassroots organizing.
When the Berlin Wall came down, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) recruited Mike to travel to Romania to build a national civic participation organization, Pro-Democracy Association, that helped ensure that country’s first free and fair election. He has since traveled to more than 25 countries to assist in the creation of election monitoring, voter education and civic engagement organizations.
In 1999, Mike played a foundational role in the creation of the marriage equality movement in the United States, culminating in a national victory 15 years later. In subsequent years he led critical campaigns that fought to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, promote urban greening and demand environmental restoration. Upon moving to Oregon in 2013, Mike served as Campaign Manager for Oregon United for Marriage and then successfully stewarded Governor Kitzhaber’s 2014 reelection campaign. Prior to the launch of Oregon Recovers in 2017, Mike served as Executive Director of the City Club of Portland.
Today, Mike lives in northeast Portland with his husband Rob and their hounds, Ava and Russ. He is profoundly grateful for more than 15 years of continuous recovery from the disease of addiction.
