Addict II Athlete Board Members

Blu Robinson, SUDC, CMHC- Blu@addicttoathlete.org

Blu Robinson is a well-known Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CMHC) and a Substance Use Disorder Counselor (SUDC) and the founder of Addict to Athlete. Blu grew up in a dysfunctional home and struggled with substance abuse and other issues due to the trauma he suffered as a child. He has been clean and sober since 1996. Blu has turned his mess into a message and now helps others do the same.

Blu specializes in addiction treatment and is passionate about helping others. He has worked in the field of counseling and recovery since 2001, working with youth, adults, and families. Blu is widely known in the recovery community as a pioneer in the addiction recovery field, an inspirational speaker, and an innovator. Blu possesses the ability to motivate people to reach great heights of performance and success in life and recovery. With passion, purpose, a listening ear, and meaning he teaches others to erase negative behaviors and replace that void left behind with the talents of an inspirational athlete. He has raced multiple marathons, ultra-cycling events, triathlons, and ultra-marathons. Throughout each of these experiences, he has learned, that the human spirit is much stronger than we think.

Blu's role in team Addict II Athlete is the head coach. As a licensed clinician he is able to assist athletes on a larger scale from individual to group support with a clinical component. He is a mentor, teacher, counselor, and instructor to the athletes and their families, assisting them in moving to recovery and a healthy lifestyle by providing an action-oriented recovery-based program.

Blu stated, “In 2011, I thought of a way to kick start my career as I undertook a new job as a therapist working with people struggling with addiction and searching for a purpose in their lives. Having a history of addiction and being clean since 1996, I thought back on how I had done it. It was through support, mountain biking, and running, I recalled the relationships built and spirituality found on the trails of the Wasatch Mountains that resulted in erasing addiction and replacing it with a more excellent way of life. I knew that if a non-runner like myself could become such, so could they.”

“I started a free community group called Addict to Athlete, and it quickly gained momentum. As Head Coach of this remarkable team, I began to witness the inner strength these Athletes developed as we put in miles on the trails together. After one challenging race, I asked one of our Athletes how hard the climb to Windy Pass was toward the end of the Squaw Peak 50 Ultra. He replied, ‘It was hard, I wanted to quit, but then I thought about when I was sitting in the Utah State Prison for multiple DUIs and how trapped I felt, and now, here I was on top of the world, free from prison and addiction. Yea, it was hard, but not impossible.’” 

Addict II Athlete’s vision is to assist athletes in recovery from all addictions and get on the path of healing and achieving goals as well as assisting the family. From our first 5k to ultra-marathons and more, these former addicts leave that life behind and become so much more.

Schedule an in-person or virtual session with Coach Blu HERE.

Marissa Robinson, TRS, CTRS- marissa@addicttoathlete.org

Marissa Robinson has been a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) since 1998. She has worked with individuals with disabilities, at-risk youth as well as adults and families in the mental health populations. She has focused her work into individuals and families struggling with addiction and substance use disorders since 2011. Marissa currently serves on the Utah Opioid Task Force, Utah County Drug Prevention Coalition, Utah County Opioid Community Partners, and the Spanish Fork Active & Healthy Coalition. She has served as executive director of a residential rehab, outpatient program, and sober living as well as an addiction recovery consultant to other organizations. As the co-founder of Addict II Athlete she loves working along side her husband helping individuals and families realize they can heal from the painful grasp of addiction and mental health issues. 

Marissa was a competitive swimmer growing up and was involved in various types of recreation such as soccer, hiking, water skiing and rappelling. She loves being outdoors and trying new things. She gets plenty of time to utilize her recreation degree with their 4 children. She believes that through recreation we are able to find wellness and healing in all aspects of life.

Marissa serves as Addict II Athlete’s athletic director and CEO. Marissa specializes in therapeutic recreation by assisting the athletes in developing appropriate leisure skills and recreating healthily as they transition to athletics and life. She oversees all aspects of the AIIA program, including coaching, scheduling, budgets, promotion, social media, management, and program management. 

Jed Jensen-jed@addicttoathlete.org

Jedediah Jensen has worked as a union ironworker since 2004. He has been the Race Director for the AIIA 5k-10k since 2012 and has put in countless hours organizing and directing athletes and volunteers. Jed has an artistic talent that Team AIIA has utilized in several community service opportunities including Rally For Recovery, community parades, and the county recovery coalition.

Jed has a knack for leading and helping others. He knows the importance of sobriety as he puts his recovery first and foremost as well as his team. He always looks for ways to serve or solve a problem and immediately works at remedying it. Jed has been a team captain for Addict II Athlete and moved up to Assistant Coach in 2017. He continues to amaze us with his willingness to go above and beyond to organize activities or help a struggling athlete by talking them through their thinking errors and ways they can address them. He is an accomplished ultramarathon runner completing several road and trail marathons. Jed was also AIIA’s MVP for 2013.

Jed will continue to lead and direct by example and by voice as the Assistant Coach and Utah County Recovery Coach. He also trains and assists the other recovery coaches and captains in the program so that we can continue to support all our athletes no matter where they are.

TIM WHIPPLE-twhipple@firstpurpose.com

Tim serves on Addict II Athlete’s non profit board and as CFO. Tim is a genius when it comes to tax efficient investments, wealth transfer, estate and current income tax reduction strategies. His expertise in tax-related issues has led Tim to his passion in establishing and managing philanthropic foundations. Tim has been a Certified Financial Planner since 2001. He loves working with individuals and families to live a more abundant life and improve any and all aspects of their finances.

Tim has never backed down when challenged to play rugby, racketball or pickle ball. Tim is happily married to his wife and has 5 boys. You could always start off an interesting conversation with Tim by simply asking what book he has read recently. Tim also serves on the boards of International Aid Serving Kids (IASK) and the Cougar Rugby Foundation.

—Certified Recovery Coaches

Tara Butson is a wife and mom of 2 boys. She is a business owner and athlete. She has been working as a professional guide or instructor in the outdoor industry since 1999. She has worked primarily as a mountain guide as well as for different wilderness therapy programs. Tara’s expertise spans from climbing, skiing, hiking and teaching survival skills. Together with her husband she runs and operates a small adventure company based out of Telluride, Colorado.

Tara has been sober from drugs and alcohol since 2007. After going through acute pancreatitis and then later being diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis she decided she needed to make some changes. She began working with a drug and alcohol counselor while attending 12 step meetings. She met likeminded individuals and developed a community of support that she still relies on. Tara found exercising (running, cycling, climbing or skiing) helped her fight off anxiety and depression. Sharing those experiences with others that struggle with sobriety is one of her main goals as an AIIA recovery coach.

After getting sober, Tara broke her knee twice and had to find a way out of not using while having 4 orthopedic surgeries. Long distance running became a tool she used to build her leg back up as well as rebuild her mind. Self esteem, emotional strength and ability to endure physical challenges are all things she has gained by participating in endurance events. Tara hopes to help others gain these same tools. She recently has gone back to school to get her masters degree in counseling.

Kari Ure is a Utah State University Extension Assistant Professor and County Director in Sevier County, Utah. She graduated from Brigham Young University–Idaho with a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion and Lifetime Wellness and from Weber State University with a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction.  She enjoys serving the community and is gaining experience in mental wellbeing programming, recovery, and trauma. 

Kari is grateful that her Grandpa Art stopped generational substance addiction.  Grandpa Art’s mother sat him and his brother down as young men and talked with them about the addictions of their father and grandfather.  Their mother told her two sons she would give them each a gold pocket watch upon high school graduation if they would not touch substances.  Both sons kept away from substances and their gold watches are still in the family.  More important than the gold watch, is a family knowledge of inherited DNA addictive tendencies.  This knowledge has driven family members’ prescribed medication decisions and choices for pain management.  This has also led to a focus on mental wellbeing and physical health.  

Some of Kari’s favorite mental wellbeing activities include learning new skills and creating (music, woodworking, cooking). She and her husband love rural living, agriculture, skiing, and working together on projects.

Kenny Roseman is a husband and father of two amazing sons. He has worked as a glazer for Jones Paint and Glass since 2003. Kenny joined team Addict II Athlete in November 2019 when looking for support to overcome his addiction to Alcohol. He has been sober ever since. Kenny was named athlete of the month in July 2020 and Addict II Athlete MVP for 2022. With the support of Addict II Athlete and the erase and replace philosophy, Kenny has been able to maintain sobriety and live a healthier, happy life. 

Since joining the team he has developed a passion for running and hiking. He has helped organize running events for the team, helped run aid stations, and has run many races. Kenny also loves to go camping and fishing with his sons. He enjoys reading, especially development books, and biographies. He is a die-hard Utah Jazz, and BYU fan and has had a lifelong love for the game of baseball. Kenny grew up with a sibling who has Down’s syndrome and both his sons are on the autism spectrum. This has developed in him a strong desire to serve individuals with special needs. 

Kenny has come to understand the importance of recreation, community, and service in the recovery process. Team Addict II Athlete has provided this and so much more. As a certified recovery coach, his goal is to support the athletes of this team to achieve long-term recovery.

Earl Dyer is a father of two and a stepfather to two other children, plus a grandpa to one. He has been clean of his addiction to alcohol and other vices since 2019. He started by going to 12-step groups for about a year before finding Addict to Athlete. Since joining AIIA, he has found a new lease on life and it has helped make him a better father, husband, brother, son, and person.

Earl has run multiple 5k and 10k races with AIIA along with countless other races on his own. He has spent time pulling "all-nighters" to support such events as the Break-The-Cycle and Count-to-County races. When Earl is not working with AIIA or helping others, he enjoys movies and television, reading and writing books, and playing DnD and other games.

In the time since he has made the ever-important decision to move forward, Earl has found how to better deal with stress at work (he is a manager for a team at eBay) and in life. He has found that burying it does nothing but leaves it lying in wait, looking for a time to erupt. He decided to become a Recovery Coach to help others realize you don't have to look like an athlete to be an athlete, to help others learn from his mess, and to prove that anyone can be a champion.

Holly Davies is a wife and a mom of three amazing kids. She graduated from Utah Valley University with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and used to teach 5th grade. Now she stays home with her children.

Although Holly has not personally dealt with substance abuse, she was affected by addiction as a child of alcoholics. Holly decided at a young age to break the cycle of addiction in her life. Addict II Athlete has helped Holly find connection, friendship, and healing. Addict II Athlete has become a passion of hers to help those affected by addiction.

When not running or attending Addict II Athlete activities, Holly enjoys playing with her children, reading, knitting, crocheting, and baking. Since being on the team Holly has accomplished many goals such as running a half marathon. She also has earned the Heart of Champion award in May of 2022 which has been incredibly important to her. As a Recovery Coach, Holly's goals are to show the importance of connection, friendship, and service.

Ginger Carter has five girls, and four grandkids. Her drug of choice was Meth. She got clean when DCFS took her girls away. That was the last day she used, which was in August of 2007. She started attending Addict To Athlete at the inception of the group, when they didn’t even have an official name. AIIA, her family, and the desire to be a stronger person is what helps her stay clean.

In the nine years of being in Addict to Athlete Ginger started running again, which helped her accomplish goals she never thought were possible at her age. She has run multiple half marathons and countless 5k. What she enjoys the most is supporting the team, by driving the support vehicle and other service work, like volunteering at aid stations and at other Addict To Athletes events. When Ginger is not working or supporting Addict To Athlete you can find her camping, boating, and hiking with her family.

Throughout this process Ginger has learned how to better communicate with others, feel more confident in reaching out to help those struggling, and learn skills to better help others with addiction issues. She decided to become a Recovery Coach to improve her tool box, let others see there is a better way and that anything is possible.

Dee Lohse and her husband Ron farm in north central Montana. Dee has four children who are grown and have families of their own now. Two from her first marriage and two from her marriage with Ron. After helping Ron on the farm for several years, Dee transitioned to working with the Federal Crop Insurance program to help bring off-farm income in. She continues to work in that industry in a semi-retired status.

Generational addiction has been a major influencing factor in Dee’s family. She refers to herself as the Grandchild of addiction. Both her parents decided to remove substances in their own family. Despite this great decision, much emotional trauma was left to address generationally. She feels very fortunate to have experienced what she did, and not turn to substances as a way to cope. Dee has felt for a very long time that it was not just the substance that had to be removed, but that new patterns of learning and living are necessary in order to bring healing. Unfortunately, she did not understand this before marrying an addict at a very young age as an escape. After seven years of marriage, she knew that she must make a major course correction to heal herself and give her two children a chance at a better life.

Dee was introduced to AIIA by her oldest son, who struggled with emotional health, which led to addiction in his young teen years. When he connected her to the program, he was very enthusiastic about the program and was able to maintain sobriety for several years. She lost her son to suicide in 2021, and since then she has been looking for the best way to honor him and his life. In a letter sent to Dee while her son was in jail, he encouraged her to never be shy to share his story with others.

Dee feels real compassion for the family members who have a loved one that struggles with addiction. She also feels a real passion for understanding why we do what we do and how to change those things that are not in our best interest. She feels strongly that knowledge is power, and once we understand something, it grants us real power to change.

Dee, throughout her adulthood, has attended Adult Children of Alcoholics, Al-Anon programs, and has devoured every book and piece of information she could find to help her understand what happened to her in her family of origin and how it perpetuated being drawn to an addict in her first marriage. Her deepest desire is to make enough change in her life so that her children would have a step up in life. She finds the AIIA program refreshing and informative in a way that is very exciting. The information combined with physical health feels like the perfect combination.

Dee’s goal in becoming a coach is to share what she has learned in her journey. To offer support in the struggle for understanding and change that must happen within families who are affected by addiction.