Staff Directory
Zara Richards
Personal Trainer
Certified Personal Trainer with National Council on Sports Medicine (NASM)
Certified Nutrition Coach with NASM
CPR/AED/ First Aid Certified
Women on Weights Instructor
My Fitness journey all started with a picture. I didn't recognize the person I was seeing, and was shocked that it was me. Soon after I decided it was time to make a big change. That change was learning how to incorporate proper diet and exercise into my daily life; leading me to lose almost 100 lbs. Somewhere along the way, I found I had a passion for both nutrition and exercise and wanted to help people who were like me, who didn't know where or how to start a healthy lifestyle. I am now a NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) Certified Nutrition Coach and Personal Trainer. My goal is to help you be your healthiest self!
Rianne Pinke
Personal Trainer
Certified Personal Trainer with National Council on Sports Medicine (NASM)
CPR/AED/ First Aid Certified
I'm a NASM certified personal trainer and bodybuilder dedicated to helping clients achieve their fitness goals. I have a deep understanding of what it takes to build lean muscle mass, increase strength, and enhance overall physique. Whether you're a beginner looking to start your fitness journey or an experienced lifter seeking to take your physique to the next level, I will provide personalized coaching and support every step of the way!
Lauren Cygan
Executive Director
518.793.3878 Ext 624
A graduate of Rutgers University, Lauren started her career as a Middle School Special Education Teacher and Clinical Test Administrator. She deeply values the role of education in enriching and informing the future. She used her enthusiasm for teaching as a bridge uniting it with fitness, health, and wellness, becoming an ACE Certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer. During her tenure as an instructor and trainer, Lauren owned and operated a successful community-centric small business, while also working in corporate and commercial health and wellness companies. Before joining the team at the Y, Lauren held positions on the management team of a private commercial health club, where she had been an instructor since the health club first opened its doors in 2016. She has always found profound personal purpose in volunteering and service, and believes fervently in community and the impact of non-profits serving the region. Having chosen to move to Glens Falls with her family, Lauren feels a special connection to the people and organizations that make "Hometown USA" such an incredible place to live, work, and play. She enjoys giving back to the community, is a member of the Rotary Club of Glens Falls and serves on the Board of Directors of the Tri-County United Way. When not at the Y, Lauren is often in the company of her family, friends, and four-legged companions hiking, paddling, snowshoeing, or swimming.
Dennie Wilson
Aquatics and Facilities Director
518.793.3878 Ext 615
Dennie started following her brother to practices and inevitably she joined the “Jamestown Jets” YMCA Swim Team at age 6. She swam year-round in western NY until she started swimming for Jamestown High School. She earned a swimming scholarship at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in in Fine Arts and Crafts/Ceramics with a minor in Art Education.
She had been guest services manager the University of Albany Dippikill Wilderness Retreat Center for nine years. She expanded from working with clay to working with soil and became a registered Master Gardener; she was an Estate Gardener prior to becoming a swim coach at the YMCA. Not surprisingly, her three children all swim and one is now the Membership Director of the Glens Falls YMCA.
When she returned to competitive swimming, after being out of the pool for ten years, she became a competitive age-group swimmer again, but this time as an adult swimmer. Dennie has been a top finisher in many local races. She is a 5-time All-American champion in the 2-mile cable open water distance, and setting an Adirondack record in the 50, 500, and 1650 freestyle. She has earned national top ten times in Freestyle for the 1650 Free, 1,000 Free, 50 Backstroke, and 200 Backstroke (yards and meters).
Her coaching has attracted national attention too; she won the 2011 Kerry O’Brien award from US Masters Swimming for “building membership in communities across the country” and wrote an article for the American Swim Coaches Association Newsletter: “Motivating the New Masters Swimmer.”
In 2016 her relay team broke the record for swimming the length of Lake George in 13:07.07.
Dennie has had a lifelong passion for aesthetics and functionality, she thrives on transforming spaces into beautiful, efficient environments. Growing up alongside her father in the construction industry instilled a deep appreciation for craftsmanship and innovation in every project she undertakes.