Our Team
Every Trainer Here Has Been Where You Are.
Who Trains Here?
This isn't a staff of certified trainers who read about recovery in a textbook. Every Ironwood trainer is a Certified Peer Support Worker — and every one of them has lived inside addiction or mental health struggle themselves. Some came through Cottonwood's program. Some found other roads out. But all of them showed up, did the work, and came out the other side with one clear desire: to help other people do the same.
"Healed people heal people. When they see that our trainers have pulled themselves out of the same darkness — that's when the connection starts. That's when they think: if he can do it, maybe I can too."
Leadership
Matt Gallegos
Gym Manager | CPSW | Personal Trainer
11 years sober from alcohol. 6 years from opiates. Personal trainer since 2015.
Matt lost his younger brother to cirrhosis at 33. That loss redirected everything — his sobriety, his career, and eventually his life's work. He was the first person to comment on Kim DuTremaine's Facebook post about a recovery gym. He's been here for over four and a half years and hasn't had a bad day yet.
Specialty: Fat loss, muscle building, strength training, and recovery-integrated coaching.
"Since I've been here, I've never had a day at work. This is my passion. I lost my brother — and I came here to save somebody else's."
— Matt Gallegos
April
CPSW | Trainer | Nutrition Coach
April brings a holistic approach to training - flexibility, mobility, weight lifting and nutritional support. She specializes in restorative movement to aid clients who need a gentler approach to their healing. As a certified nutrition coach, she integrates nutritional education and guidance to promote a healthy lifestyle.
Meet the Rest Of The Team
Five trainers in total — each a CPSW, each with their own recovery story, each here because they chose to be. Our team includes trainers who work specifically with juvenile clients, and some who came through Cottonwood themselves.
This isn't just a job for any of us. You'll feel that in the first session.
Our Mission
"Our mission is to show clients how fitness can be a powerful tool in helping them recover, stay sober, and with their mental health."