Justin Ihne

CEO

Justin started as the CEO for the Plattsburgh YMCA in January 2017, but has been involved with the Y since the age of 9. Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, Justin got his first Y experience at YMCA Camp Becket in Massachusetts. Justin learned to swim over his years as a camper and grew up at Camp Becket becoming staff member in the late 80’s.

In 1991, he started working for the YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County. There, he grew his career running after school programs and day camps. Justin became the Associate Executive Director in Kingston and in 2010 became the CEO for the Northern Berkshire YMCA in North Adams, Massachusetts. There, with a great group of staff and volunteers, helped the YMCA grow and created strong partnerships. Most recently Justin was the Executive Director for the Metro of the Oranges YMCA.

Justin spends much if his off time with this wife Sophie, sons Ethan and Rowan, and daughter Marley and Ollie their dog.

Kris Tate

Chief Operations Officer (COO)

Kris joined the Plattsburgh YMCA in the fall of 2018 as the Sr. Director of Program Operations and is now the Chief Operations Officer since the start of 2022.  Kris grew up in rural Iowa and graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Philosophy and a focus in Ethics, Criminal Justice and Political Philosophy.  

In Kris’ free time, she enjoys fishing, watching baseball and college basketball and Lego building.  Kris has four children.  Their favorite family activities include going on adventures and family game nights.

Stephanie Purcell

Director of Member Engagement

Stephanie has been a member of our Plattsburgh YMCA team for 20 years!  During the last 3 years, she has been in the Y's Time program as the Child Care Director, helping to guide our programs during the pandemic.  Her support and positivity were crucial to the success of our program during such a challenging time.  Prior to that she was involved in our Y Wee Care Pre-School for 7 years as the Director and Teacher and has run our Summer Camps at the Oval and Camp Tapawingo. She attended Cazenovia College where she obtained her B.A. in Liberal Studies with a focus on Early Childhood Education.

She enjoys being a part of the Y and is excited to start her next journey with us as our Director of Member Engagement!  In her new role, she looks forward to sharing her love of building community by connecting with our members, inviting new faces to the Y (and our Y family) and ensuring that each member’s visit to the Y was better than the last!

Stephanie enjoys making her trademark guacamole and planning pranks on the rest of the Y team.  She loves "any outdoor adventure" but especially likes camping, hiking (even during the winter), kayaking, skiing and snowshoeing. Her proudest achievement though is her kids, Cole and Sophia, who join her for many of her adventures.

Krista Crippen

Oval Branch Director

Krista Crippen is the Assistant Fitness Director and a Personal Trainer here at the Plattsburgh YMCA. What she likes about working at the Y is all of the members; she says they are like family. Hobbies of Krista’s are walks with her family, watching her girls grow into beautiful young ladies, and talking to her cats. She believes a set of jumping jacks everyday does a body good!

Rick Almond-Goerlitz

Aquatics Director

Rick grew up in Plattsburgh, NY and graduated from Plattsburgh Senior High School.  He went on to SUNY Potsdam and attained a degree in Mathematics.  While at Potsdam he was a member of the Swimming & Diving team and was Captain his senior year.  He continued on at SUNY Potsdam as Assistant Coach before moving on to The College of Saint Rose, Gannon University, Eaglebrook Boarding School and Colby-Sawyer College. 

With over 20 years of Aquatics directing and coaching experience, he is thrilled to be able to share his experiences with the Plattsburgh YMCA community and to be moving closer to family.  

In his spare time, Rick likes to spend time with his husband, James and their 4 year old son, Koda.  He loves pretty much all aquatics activities and is an avid skier, loves hiking, camping, fishing and most outdoors activities.  

Krysten Conners

Youth Director

Krysten group up in the area and attended Saranac High School.  After graduation, she went on to Clinton Community College and attained an AS degree in Criminal Justice.  She then attended SUNY Plattsburgh and graduated with a BA in Criminal Justice and a minor in Psychology.  She futhered her studies once more at SUNY by completing here Master's in Fitness and Wellness Leadership where she focused on childhood obesitiy and overuse injuries.  

After college, she was the Youth Recreation Director for Clinton County for 3 years and then a Business Teacher at CV-Tec.  Krysten has passion for teaching others and enjoys learning new things.

I was the Youth Recreation Director for Clinton County for 3 years and then A business Teacher at CV-TEC.  I have a passion for teaching others and enjoy learning new things.

She is very excited to Plattsburgh YMCA and to work closely with her staff team to provide amazing programming.  In her free time she enjoys hiking with her two dogs and reading.

Lynne Boyd

Bright Beginnings Child Care Director

Lynne has been a member of our Plattsburgh YMCA team for a very busy and very fast 7 years.  She first joined the YMCA team in the fall of 2015 as an On-Site Director for the Y’s Time After School program in Beekmantown.  After the school year completed, she ran the Bright Beginnings Summer Camp.  She was then hired as the Lead Teacher of the Preschool Classroom and went on to lead the room for 5 years.  Lynne was promoted to Assistant Director of the Bright Beginnings Center at the start of 2022 and has been the Interim Director for the last 4 months.  Lynne has been an exceptionally dedicated member of the staff team and has stepped into the leadership position with great direction and ease.  

Lynne has an Early Childhood Degree and although she’s been with us for just 7 years, she has over 20 years of experience in the field.  She especially loves working for the Y because of our commitment to strengthening the community.

In her spare time, she enjoys being at home with her daughter, spending time with her family, gardening and cooking.

Marianne Wilson

Director of Finance

Marianne joined the Y Team in late February 2023 as the new Director of Finance.  But, she is not new to the Y. In college, she worked as a part-time Lifeguard and Swim Instructor for the YMCA. After graduating from SUNY Plattsburgh, she married her college sweetheart and moved full time to the Adirondacks.

Her professional path has always been driven by a desire to help others and what she likes most about the YMCA is the warm and friendly atmosphere.

In Marianne's free time, she enjoys fishing, camping, and taking on Tough Mudder obstacle course events.

Chris Burdash

Youth Sports Director

Chris was born and raised in Malone, New York. He earned his Bachelors Degree from The State University of New York @ Suny Potsdam where he also played College Basketball for the Bears. Christopher has been Coaching Youth and the Youth Sports Coordinator at the YMCA for over 4 years. Currently, he teaches at Peru Central School District and is also the Assistant Boys Soccer Coach. Christopher has been involved in coaching High School, Middle School and Youth Sports for over 15 years. His goal at the YMCA is to keep growing the Youth Sports Program and continue to make it a fun, safe, learning environment for the youth in the North Country. In Christopher’s free time he likes to travel, watch sports, spend time with his family and his dogs. Christopher resides with his Girlfriend and her 15 year old son.

Sarah Munn

Development Coordinator & Executive Assistant

Sarah has spent the last 2 decades committed to being in the service of others. She worked 17 years working for Psychiatry Associated of Kansas City as assistant to Dr. Kevin Mays and physicians. Dedicated to ensuring the highest level of patient care, she was the point of contact for individuals in between appointments. In this high intensity environment, she efficiently managed clinical issues, insurance authorizations, and scheduling. After having moved back to the North Country, Sarah founded the non-profit Healing Grace: Center for Hope and Healing in 2020. As Executive Director, she worked in every aspect of the organization from grant writing, event planning, program development and management, and community outreach. In her free time, she enjoys being at Camp on Chazy Lake!  Sarah is eager to join the team at the YMCA and we're excited to have her join our Y family!

Kris Robideau

Interim Co-Director (Malone YMCA)

Kris is a Co-Director at the Malone YMCA.  She’s been a part of many different programs at the Y over the years.  She originally joined the Malone YMCA team in September of 2019 at our Welcome Center and in our Y’s Time Before & After School Program.  She left our Y for a bit when she moved to North Carolina but was a part of the New River YMCA there as a Site Supervisor for their Before & After School program.  She returned to the Malone YMCA in October of 2021 and his been with us ever since.  She’s been a part of our teams for the Welcome Center, the Teen Center and Y’s Time.

She loves that the Y allows her to be involved in her community and that the Y is an organization that strives to provide opportunities that benefit the people in the community.  In her free time, she likes to be outside and enjoys hiking, camping, kayaking and sailing.  She also loves to spend time with her family (her husband, Caleb and her son, Elias).

Brenna Hudson

Interim Co-Director (Malone YMCA)

Brenna is a Co-Director at the Malone YMCA.  She joined our team in 2021, starting out as a Child Car provider in our Y’s Time Before & After School program in both Malone and Saranac Lake.  In 2022, she took on a new role as Program Coordinator.  She is from Fredericksburg, Virginia and moved to Malone in 2005, graduating from Franklin Academy High School in 2017.  She attended Franklin Pierce University and obtained her B.S. degree in Health Sciences.

In her spare time, she loves to work out (at the Y, of course) and to spend time with he family and friends.  She also loves traveling and experiencing different cultures while becoming more open-minded about the world.