About Us

Chad Dryden is co-owner and marketing director of The Record Exchange. He has worked for The Record Exchange since 2009 while exploring his passion for music through attending live shows, DJing and record collecting. In 2023, he was elected to the board of directors for the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), a national trade organization of 40 indie record stores of which The Record Exchange is a founding member. Chad is a cofounder of the Vinyl Preservation Society of Idaho, longtime Treefort Artist Committee member and former Radio Boise programmer, as well as a nonfiction writer whose blog and podcast The Suburban Abyss (2021-2024) explored his lifelong relationship with music in the context of a cross-country move to his native Northeast Ohio during COVID. Chad strongly believes in the power of community and collaboration to galvanize like-minded individuals and create culture around shared passions and creative pursuits. He lives in Hudson, Ohio, with his wife and fellow Record Exchange co-owner Erica Sparlin Dryden and their spawn Magnolia.

Tara Russell is a seasoned social entrepreneur, results-oriented visionary leader and strategist. 

Most recently, Tara co founded Photon Marine, a clean tech company based in Portland, Oregon intent on turning commercial marine boat fleets into electric vehicles. Photon builds high-powered outboard electric engines and fleet management intelligence software to allow these boats to become smarter, more efficient vehicles. 

Tara served as the founding President of Fathom and SVP, Global Impact for Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest travel and leisure company.  Fathom introduced a new category, Impact Travel, and led the industry to Cuba for the first time in more than 40 years.

Prior to creating Fathom, Tara was founder and CEO of Create Common Good (CCG), a food production social enterprise that provides job-training and employment to marginalized populations. She has co-founded several social enterprises, including NightLight in Bangkok, Thailand, which addresses the complex issues surrounding human trafficking, and Jitasa, a global for-profit B-corporation providing outsourced financial solutions to the social sector.  Tara serves in the affordable housing space as a board member of indieDwell, an innovative B-corporation offering healthy, durable and environmentally friendly housing.  

Russell has been recognized widely for her leadership including Fast Company magazine naming her one of its Most Creative People in Business. 

Tara has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech, and started her career in consumer products, including product development with Nike; technical sales and marketing at Intel; and manufacturing with General Motors in the US and in Shanghai. 

Alyson is a founding member of Dempsey Foster. She specializes in litigation, business transactions, and nonprofit law. Alyson has spent over twenty years developing expertise in helping businesses and professionals in litigation and disputes of all sizes. She provides assistance in federal and state court litigation, trials, contract negotiation, business formation and governance, employment, arbitration, and mediation. Alyson was recognized as a 2021 Leader in Law by the Idaho Business Review. She sits on the boards of several Idaho nonprofits, including Idaho Business for the Outdoors and City of Good. 

Alyson is dedicated to her pro bono practice, helping underserved members of the community. She has co-authored several amicus curiae briefs for the U.S. Supreme Court on constitutional law issues.

Alyson enjoys spending time in Idaho's beautiful outdoors with her family and friends.

Nathan Walker joined forces with Treefort Music Fest and its parent company Duck Club Entertainment in 2012 and currently serves as Director of Outreach and Education. As a part of this role Nathan runs Duck Club Touring, a boutique booking agency and oversees the nonprofit arm Treefort For Good. Nathan is also a co-founder and Executive Director of Music Idaho, leading the organization’s music advocacy and education efforts. Previously, he ran an all ages venue for 10 years, started an independent record label called Sunless Sea Records and played in a bunch of bands.

After growing up in Central Oregon, Nathan Walker has lived the last 20 years in the Boise area where he loves snowboarding, mountain biking, playing music and hanging with his family, their dog Bowie, and his record collection.