Award Winner and Founder of the Phoenix
2025 Clifford W. Beers Award Winner
Scott Strode is the 2025 recipient of the Clifford W. Beers Award. Scott Strode, 51, has been sober for 22 years. Raised by a mother, who was a Fortune 500 company CEO and U.S. Ambassador who spent the majority of her time at work, a mentally unstable father, and an alcoholic step-father, Scott’s childhood was tumultuous and primed him to be a victim of substance usage. For instance, Scott’s father lived in a home with only three walls due to an incomplete renovation project he started during a manic episode. Exposed to chaos and alcoholism early in life, Scott had his first beer at the age of 11 and did cocaine for the first time when he was 15. In his 20s, he began working at a shipyard in Boston as a carpenter and a counselor for at-risk youth enrolled in sailing programs. The turning point in Scott’s sobriety journey was when he realized that getting blackout drunk every night was profoundly impacting his ability to pursue both his fitness activities and his mentoring of young people. He realized he was living a double life. While working with at-risk youth in the sailing program, he discovered the healing power of the great outdoors. Scott began to drink less, and started mountain climbing and running marathons more. Climbing mountains and crossing finish lines helped heal his self-esteem, which made it possible for him to remain sober. It is also through sport that he found a new sober and supportive community. So, Scott set out to build a scalable way for more people to find their way to recovery through a sober active community, thus creating The Phoenix.
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Opening Session and Clifford W. Beers Awards Ceremony
Thursday, October 16, 2025
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM US EST