Kyle Roscoe: Empowering individuals in recovery

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 1, 2026

This is one of 12 finalists for The Herald Business Journal’s annual Emerging Leaders awards for 2026. The winner will be named at an event on April 7.

Kyle Roscoe, 35

Executive Director, Everett Recovery Cafe

At first, when the Everett Recovery Cafe board asked Kyle Roscoe to be their new executive director, he said no.

In Nov. 2023, Roscoe, a banker at the time and cafe board member, had a friend’s resume in his backpack when the president of the board called about the job. Roscoe was “completely blindsided.”

“That same night, my wife asked me a question. She said, ‘Well, what’s going to be on the gravestone? Kyle? Kyle Roscoe, career banker, or, you know, the guy that decided to walk through a door that is so obviously open specifically for him,’” Roscoe recalled.

Roscoe took over the position the following January. One aspect of the job is interacting with the approximately 300 members of the cafe, he said. The cafe hosts recovery circles every weekday, with approximately 900 circles occurring last year.

When he’s not interacting with visitors, he’s helping with the budget and managing the leadership team at the cafe. His leadership style is empowering individuals and helping steer the ship from the back end, he said.

As someone in long-term recovery, the work is meaningful for Roscoe.

“It’s very personal seeing people take the steps that I was able to take because of recovery and because of recovery resources,” He said.

In 2024, Roscoe achieved a childhood dream of his: becoming a professional wrestler.

“My favorite form of entertainment since I was a child has been professional wrestling,” he said. “… and recovery has quite literally saved and changed my entire life. So I feel wildly lucky to be able to get to do this for money.”

In December 2025, the company hosted a benefit show that raised $2,000 for Everett Recovery Cafe. During the show, Roscoe played the bad guy in the main event.

“I love, love the irony there,” he said.

In February, he became a quarter owner of the wrestling company Peak Sports Entertainment. In addition to putting on wrestling shows, the company runs a wrestling school called the DRGNxPLEX Dojo.

“Kyle is a genuinely great person who aims to make a difference in the life of everyone he interacts with,” a nominator wrote. “He’s supportive in not just words but actions with local businesses, his staff, and those who visit the cafe.”

Outside of work, you can find Roscoe watching a Sounders game or covered in hair from his two cats, Hypnos and Thana.

Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com. X: @JennaMillikan