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(Y) Connect

(Y) Connect

By: Allison Toller Zarinah Winston & Robert Wright
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 Welcome to The (Y) Connect Podcast. As the heartbeat of the community, the Y is a connector where people of all ages and walks of life come together to elevate their health, wellness, education, and essential life skills. Join hosts Allison, Zarinah and Robert as they have authentic conversations with individuals sharing personal connections and stories of what connects them to the Y. For 164 years, the YMCA of Metro Atlanta has built programs that foster community, address critical needs, and empower individuals to achieve their full potential. This work is only possible with our Y community. Together we champion communities where everyone belongs and would love for you to be part of it. Let's keep the conversation going about what the Y means to you and where you can find one near you. Please visit us at ymca atlanta dot org and subscribe to our Healthy Together newsletter. Biography: Robert Wright has 20 years of experience encouraging and motivating individuals in the human and social service industry, ranging from children to adults with mental health and substance abuse diagnoses as well as developmental disabilities. He utilized his experience of assisting others and has transferred his energy and focus to fitness and wellness. He is motivated to merge both arenas and give individuals with diagnoses and disabilities another avenue other than the traditional clinical and medicinal approach. Zarinah Winston began working for the Metro Atlanta YMCA in 1999. Zarinah has served the YMCA in multiple roles for the past 23 years. Currently, she serves as a Center Director of an Early Learning Center. Her role consists of supervising and leading staff, implementing program plans, overseeing daily activities, and managing the Center budget. Prior to becoming a Center Director for the Y, her YMCA experiences consisted of being a Summer Camp Counselor, After School Site Director, Assistant Teacher, Lead Teacher and Lead Instructional Support Coach. The YMCA honored Zarinah with the “Outstanding Performance Award” for the Covington YMCA. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Studies (Education) and a Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction with a minor in Early Childhood Education. By pursuing lifelong learning, she intends to be an example for the amazing team that she leads at her school. Zarinah is proud to be a mother of 3 wonderful children, Zamaria, Zachary, and Zavier. Her oldest daughter Zamaria and her middle son Zachary entered YMCA Early Learning at the tender age of 6 weeks. The YMCA exposed the children to a safe and caring learning environment, friendships, rich language & literacy skills, strong communication skills, and so much more. Zarinah’s family is her heart and inspiration for striving to be the best version of herself. The core values of the YMCA (Honesty, Caring, Respect, Responsibility) are characteristics that she strives to always live by. Zarinah enjoys owning her own candle business, journaling, traveling, exercising, listening to music and spending time with family and friends. Zarinah is influenced and mentored by her uncle who is the CEO/President of a YMCA.  Zarinah believes in enjoying life by being of service to others. She lives by the quote, “Feel the present, hold the vision, let go of resistance, enjoy the journey, trust the process and know that all is well.” Fredrick Talloen Allison Allison Toller is the Chief Social Impact Officer for the YMCA of Metro Atlanta. Charged with cultivating and stewarding the Y’s strategic corporate, civic, and community partnerships, she and the Social Impact team also drive the Association’s strategic plan, embedding it into the fabric of the organization. Additionally, she oversees the Y’s volunteerism and advocacy initiatives. Prior to coming to the Y, Allison was a corporate social responsibility leader with Cox Communications'. With a dual background in broadcasting and education, Allison was Chief of Staff and Communications Director for two of the largest school districts in Georgia. Through these experiences, she has a deep knowledge of the education system having led several high-profile campaigns on a variety of issues including taxes, teacher shortages, school zoning, and crisis situations. Developing strong relationships among local, state and national media, Allison was a registered lobbyist working within the Georgia state legislature to fully fund schools throughout the state. She built an innovative and award-winning brand widely recognized among independent schools. As Chief of External Affairs for Mount Vernon, she amplified marketing efforts to increase year-on-year enrollment. Early in her career Allison was a television news broadcaster; live television was the perfect training ground where she learned the art of storytelling. For several years she shared these skills on a national level, conducting leadership training sessions in the corporate, civic...2024 Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • Fan Favorite: Building Community through Fitness at the Y

    Fan Favorite: Building Community through Fitness at the Y
    Oct 15 2025

    When people join the YMCA, they have access to more than 3,000 group fitness classes. The Y offers everything from cycling to dance to yoga, flexibility, strength and more, all of which impact a person’s overall physical, mental and emotional health. As our guests explain, perhaps one of the best parts of these classes is the close-knit community that is formed as a result.

    IN THIS EPISODE:

    • 02:13 Jennifer describes what goes on in determining the variety of classes offered at the Y and how a participant determines which class they should take depending on their fitness level
    • 04:23 Maura explains what motivated her to become a group exercise instructor and what the best part of her job is
    • 07:44 Maura keeps the classes engaged and motivated by making class different each time, and Jennifer discusses continuously improving programming and the selection of music
    • 15:15 Jennifer discusses new fitness trends
    • 19:42 Discussion of the percentages of men versus women in classes

    KEY TAKEAWAYS:

    • Taking classes at the YMCA is affordable and a great way to build community and make new connections
    • YMCA staff are rewarded by seeing the progress made by the participants
    • Exercises can be modified so everyone can participate regardless of the member's fitness level

    RESOURCE LINKS:

    Facebook: YMCA Metro Atlanta

    Linkedin: YMCA Metro Atlanta

    Twitter: YMCA Metro Atlanta

    Website: YMCA Metro Atlanta

    BIOGRAPHY:

    Jennifer has been with the YMCA of Metro Atlanta for 18 years and says she loves her job and working with the uniqueness of our various YMCA communities. She is VP of Community Health and Wellness, supporting Y branches' health and wellness programming, community partnerships, and grants. Jennifer also leads the Y's two newest locations – the YMCA at Morehouse School of Medicine and our Y at Good Sam. She enjoys spending time with her husband in her free time, watching their son play baseball and football, working out, doing DIY projects and traveling.
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    25 mins
  • Beyond Weight Loss: Jim’s Transformation Through Coaching & Community

    Beyond Weight Loss: Jim’s Transformation Through Coaching & Community
    Oct 1 2025

    We have two inspiring guests today. Jim Snoddy, a member of the Robert D. Fowler Family Y, who has lost nearly 100 pounds through the YMCA’s supportive wellness programs, and Beth Girmay, the health & wellness instructor who has guided Jim every step of the way. Jim also serves on the Branch Community Engagement Board, which, as I understand it, plays pickleball almost every day.

    Today, we’re discussing transformation, body, mind, habits and the role of coaching, community, consistency, and mindset. We’ll delve into how the YMCA’s Coach Approach & Weight Loss For Life programs support members, what obstacles arose, how Beth worked with Jim, and how Jim persevered. Beth, Jim, thank you both so much for joining us.

    What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

    ✅ How weight loss coaching drives transformation through personalized support and community engagement at the YMCA

    ✅ The role of coaching and consistency in overcoming obstacles for a sustainable fitness journey

    ✅ Practical tools like MyFitnessPal that enhance wellness and support weight loss coaching goals

    ✅ The impact of community-driven fitness transformation on building lasting motivation and mindset shifts

    ✅ Non-scale victories that boost energy, mood, and confidence through a dedicated fitness journey

    Join the Y Connect podcast to discover inspiring stories of transformation and wellness. Tune in for practical tips and community-driven insights on fitness transformation. Subscribe now to elevate your fitness journey!

    TIMESTAMPS:

    00:00 Intro: Jim discusses weight loss coaching, community and wellness on his fitness journey as a result of the YMCA’s accountability partners

    07:44 Consistency in weight loss coaching helped Jim lose weight incrementally, using tools like MyFitnessPal to focus on quality nutrition

    11:19 How to overcome obstacles, making your fitness journey sustainable, with coaching and activities like pickleball, fostering transformation and connection

    17:40 Weight loss goals, tracking methods, and the importance of mindset

    24:23 Beth expresses pride in Jim’s consistency and community-driven fitness transformation, noting his role in inspiring others

    KEY TAKEAWAYS:

    💎 Weight loss coaching at the YMCA, with personalized coaching from Beth, enabled Jim’s transformation, resulting in nearly a 100-pound weight loss.

    💎 Community support, through activities like pickleball and group classes, fosters motivation and sustains a fitness journey.

    💎 Small, achievable steps and tools like MyFitnessPal enhance consistency and mindset for lasting wellness.

    💎 Non-scale victories, like improved energy and confidence, highlight the broader impact of a community-driven fitness transformation.

    ABOUT THE GUESTS:

    Jim Snoddy is a member of the Robert D. Fowler Family Y, who has lost nearly 100 pounds through the YMCA’s supportive wellness programs. Jim also serves on the Robert D. Fowler Community Engagement Board and is an avid pickleball player.

    Betelhem Girmay is a wellness coach and group fitness instructor at the Robert D. Fowler Family YMCA. Using her education in exercise science as well as her passion for wellness, fitness and health, she helps members reach their wellness and fitness goals.

    RESOURCES MENTIONED:

    Website: YMCA Metro Atlanta

    Facebook: YMCA Metro Atlanta

    LinkedIn: YMCA Metro Atlanta

    YMCA Coach Approach

    QUOTES:

    "I encourage members to start small with doable steps." Betelhem Girmay

    “We start with small doable steps. When members see what they're able to do and they see their progress, they just add more success into it. And before they know it, they reach their goals.” Betelhem Girmay

    “The Y has pickleball, chair yoga, regular yoga, water aerobics, and adult strength classes. A lot of times you can't start off with regular yoga, you start off with chair yoga and you get a ton of friends there. But the Y has a variety of stuff and it is so great.” Jim Snoddy

    "Beth taught me about alternatives." Jim Snoddy
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    30 mins
  • Ep. 71 From YMCA to Team USA: Kari Knotts’ Volleyball Journey

    Ep. 71 From YMCA to Team USA: Kari Knotts’ Volleyball Journey
    Sep 17 2025

    On today’s episode of (Y) Connect, we’re joined by someone who’s already making waves on the national stage while still just beginning her high school journey. At only 14 years old, Kari Knotts has emerged as one of the brightest young talents in U.S. volleyball.

    Kari is a freshman at The Lovett School, a proud member of the Northeast Cobb Family YMCA, and a fierce competitor for A5 Volleyball Club. She recently became the youngest member of the U19 USA National Volleyball Team, where she was named both MVP and Best Spiker at the Pan-American Cup.

    From her start at the YMCA to winning MVP on the international stage, Kari Knotts joins us to share her inspiring volleyball journey.

    IN THIS EPISODE:

    • (00:00) Intro: Allsion and Robert welcome today’s guest
    • (02:21) Kari shares her first memories of playing volleyball at the YMCA and becoming the youngest member of Team USA U19
    • (04:19) The moment Kari was selected for Team USA and the demanding schedule required to balance her commitments
    • (06:34) Finding motivation through faith, family support, and joy for the sport
    • (07:22) Lessons from volleyball: discipline, teamwork, and communication
    • (08:17) Staying grounded in humility by being thankful to God for his blessing
    • (08:48) Kari shares future goals: the Olympics, pursuing college and maintaining a passion for sports
    • (10:50) Kari expresses gratitude to teammates and coaches, and she advises children interested in volleyball

    KEY TAKEAWAYS:

    • Starting at the YMCA, Kari built strong fundamentals in volleyball and showed how community support can spark lifelong inspiration.
    • Balancing training, high school, and national competition requires discipline, motivation, and support from family, teammates and coaches.
    • Staying grounded in humility while chasing big future goals—including dreams of the Olympics—keeps this young athlete focused and grateful.

    RESOURCE LINKS:

    Facebook: YMCA Metro Atlanta

    LinkedIn: YMCA Metro Atlanta

    Twitter: YMCA Metro Atlanta

    Website: YMCA Metro Atlanta

    BIOGRAPHY:

    Kari Knotts is a 14-year-old standout athlete and proud member of the Northeast Cobb Family YMCA. A freshman at The Lovett School (Class of 2029), Kari has already built an impressive volleyball résumé. Standing 6’3” with a 10’9” approach, she competes with A5 Volleyball Club on the elite 16-1 Gabe’s team as an outside hitter.

    Kari recently made history as the youngest member of the U19 USA National Volleyball Team, earning both MVP and Best Spiker honors at the 2025 U19 Pan-American Cup in Canada. She is also part of the National Training and Development Program, designed to prepare high-potential athletes for international competition.

    Her teams have captured multiple national titles—including two USAV National Championships, three AAU National Championships, and two Triple Crown titles—with Kari securing MVP honors at 12U, 13U, and 14U. Despite her many accomplishments, she remains grounded, crediting her YMCA beginnings for shaping her love of the game and community.
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    13 mins
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