Our Team
Meet the people who make Adventures in Recovery possible.
Jason Lyle
Co-founder and Lead Guide
Jason’s work has been helping people for the majority of his adult life. After going into Christian ministry in 2004 Jason started seminary and, more importantly, a search for his relationship to a Higher Power. Due to addiction issues, Jason stopped being a pastor in 2017. That was when Jason’s journey toward healing truly started. Just like any journey, this was one with a lot of bumps along the way. Through meditation, deep breathing, cold water exposure, and the 12 steps, Jason feels he has finally found a path that has helped him more than any other; his passion is to share that path with others. Jason lives with his wife of 30 years, and is the father of two wonderful adult children, along with their spouses.
Chuck Swinson
Co-founder
Chuck has spent much of his life seeking ways to experience The Creator, and ways to live out his relationship to that Creator. This has taken Chuck to bible college and seminary. After spending some time in Kenya, Africa Chuck realized his “calling” was not going somewhere else, but making a difference in his community. Chuck started a career with Chick-fil-A, which has led him to be an owner-operator. Chuck believes his physical, mental, and spiritual resources are not only his own but are to be shared with those who are in need. Chuck has been married to his wife Anne Marie for 26 years, and has 5 children; 4 boys and 1 girl.
Phil Houston
Lead Guide
Phil has been guiding and facilitating experiences in the outdoors for teens and adults over the past 10 years. During college, Phil began guiding backpacking trips in Southern/Central Colorado where he witnessed how relationships developed in such an authentic way during these times in the mountains. This drew him to pursue a career in the mental health field where he continued to guide backpacking trips while completing a graduate program for mental health counseling. Currently, Phil is a mental health therapist in Chattanooga and also runs a nature-based mentoring program for teens. He is passionate about finding and sharing the intersections between nature, spirituality, community, and healing. When not working, he spends his time kayaking, biking, practicing yoga/breathwork, and spending time with the people he loves.
Carson King
Co-guide
Carson King, a native of Newnan, Georgia is an outdoor enthusiast who loves to share his passion for God’s great outdoors with all he meets! When given a choice of the easy way, or a more circuitous route, he always picks the latter. Just ask him about his college career! Taking the high road is better for a couple of reasons, the view is best and there’s always less traffic! Naturally athletic, Carson has enjoyed sports all his life and loves being outside. He loves cooking over the campfire, setting up tents, sleeping under the stars and taking a dip in any cold water he can find.
Chad Nuce
Co-Guide
Chad’s journey to AIR came as a result of the tragic loss of his 16-year-old son in 2021. Chad, a Financial Analyst and Lawyer by trade, spent most of his life solving problems and helping others navigate difficult situations and life challenges. The loss of his son presented challenges that traditional problem solving and methods could not resolve. Through his involvement with AIR, Chad has learned tools, combined with his faith, to help him cope with the trauma and loss he has experienced. Chad coined the phrase “grief loop” to characterize his experience with grief and seeks to help other fathers break their “grief loop” through community, mentoring and the tools he has learned through AIR. Chad also established the Riley’s Light Scholarship Foundation in honor of his son to help and uplift young men and women who demonstrate excellent character qualities through the award of an annual scholarship to a deserving Pike County FFA student. Chad is married to his loving wife, Diane, and has one surviving son, Colby. He enjoys everything outdoors and seeks to live each day to the fullest in honor of Riley and consistent with Riley’s last written words to him “enjoy this day because you’ll not get all those years back but you make the best of all the years to come. Love Riley”
Drew Burke
Social Media Manager
Social media manager, bike mechanic. 24+ years of adventures with Jason. October 2018 Drew was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s Disease. Drew manages his condition through exercise at gym, mountain biking, rock climbing and bouldering. Yoga and ice baths. Help with the stress and much needed dopamine rush. Currently Drew is working on rowing one million meters. Drew and his incredible wife Jane have been married for going on 22 years. They have two daughters Leine and Hannah. Jason can tell you when Drew says ‘hey I got an idea!” It’s going to fun.