OUR COACHES AND TEAM
Our staff are all professionals with years of fitness experience. All of our coaches are CrossFit certified and have a variety of other certifications. Each brings their own fitness specialty and unique training style, but all are committed to ensuring safe and effective workouts. Let us match you to our WECF coaches that want to help you achieve your fitness dreams.
JEN WEST
Co-owner, coach
Once an athlete, always an athlete. Jen went to college on a scholarship to play volleyball and found CrossFit shortly after.
The scalability of CrossFit programming allows Jen to successfully and individually coach all her clients, from extreme fitness competitors to those wanting to simply feel better and live better.
Jen’s goal through coaching is to create a motivating and encouraging environment that inspires individuals to do things they once viewed as impossible. “I can’t” becomes “I’ll try!” within the walls of West End CrossFit.
She also believes in taking a comprehensive wellness approach to each member’s needs. Whether nutritional, physical, or stress-related, Jen always has the time to listen and offer support based on her training and expertise. She is also the proud owner of Chance, an 8-year old Pit Bull Terrier who is usually found lounging somewhere in the gym.
Jen holds Crossfit Certifications in:
Level 2 Trainer
CrossFit Olympic Weightlifting with Coach Burgener
CrossFit Basic Barbell with Mark Rippetoe
CrossFit Kids
CrossFit Movement and Mobility Certification with Kelly Starrett
TIM GRABHAM
Co-owner, coach
Tim has spent his childhood immersed in healthy, athletic environments like travel teams in soccer and gymnastics. Later on, he was a member and coach of the VCU Cheerleading Team, an athletic trainer for VCU’s field hockey, soccer, and baseball teams, and ran marathons. After working as CrossFit trainers, Jen and Tim realized their collective passion by opening West End CrossFit in May 2011. CrossFit is a national affiliation, which allows Jen and Tim to add their own creativity and personal style to WECF while still promoting the CrossFit experience. Tim holds a variety of CrossFit certifications (Level 1, Olympic Lifting, and Mobility), and has competed at the CrossFit Sectionals, Mid-Atlantic Hopper, Team SuperFit, and SuperFit. You can find him at WECF almost anytime during the day, either coaching, in the office, or working out. Tim strongly believes in "WECF's regularly scheduled group workouts incorporate mobility and strength activities tailored to each member, as well as a supportive and positive atmosphere designed to help everybody achieve their personal bests."
KIM KRESGE
Coach
Before CrossFit, Kim chased fitness using the traditional cardio and arm/leg day methods prescribed by most gyms at the time, but never felt like she was achieving what she wanted. While recovering from a running injury in 2008, she was invited to do a CrossFit workout with Tim and Jen in a friend’s backyard. After that first 15 minute WOD, she knew she would never go back to the other way of working out again.
In 2010, she completed her Level 1 certification and also holds a CrossFit Olympic lifting certification. She has competed at Sectionals, multiple SuperFit competitions, and Gangs of the Mid-Atlantic.
After so many years of seeing what CrossFit has done for her and many others, both in and out of the gym, Kim is grateful for the privilege and responsibility of helping people to make changes, reach goals, and become strong in ways they never imagined. She coaches our evening classes and leads rowing clinics throughout the year.
LESLEY RIGNEY
Coach
Lesley has been a proponent of CrossFit since 2011 after discovering the immense benefits of CrossFit and the value and joy of working out in a group/family atmosphere.
She joined West End CrossFit in 2018 and completed her Level 1 certification in 2021. She also holds a CrossFit Olympic weightlifting certification and is in the process of obtaining a Yoga training certification.
Lesley leads a monthly Yoga & Mobility course here at WECF. She has also competed in several local competitions including Festivus and Beauty & the Beast. Lesley’s enthusiasm for coaching stems from the belief that everyone is an athlete and helping others become healthy and strong is a major key to making every aspect of one’s life better. Her ultimate goal is to help athletes find their happy and joy in and out of the gym.
KAREN KANE
Coach
Karen first found CrossFit in 2008 when Jen (co-owner of West End CrossFit), who was her personal trainer, introduced her to it and has been an avid CrossFitter ever since.
She has been a member at West End CrossFit since its opening in 2011. With encouragement from Jen and Tim she got her Level 1 certification in 2021.
Karen really enjoys supporting and helping members to be successful and reach their fitness goals. Karen’s favorite coaching moment is seeing the look and reaction of a member when they do something they never imagined possible.
LAURA BARRETT
Membership Concierge
Laura grew up on Long Island, New York and was a 3-sport varsity athlete in tennis, basketball and softball. She fell out of an exercise routine for 20 years until she finally decided to try CrossFit in 2019 and hasn't looked back since. She loves CrossFit for the daily variety and that it pushes her out of her comfort zone quite frequently.
Laura absolutely loves the close knit, supportive community here at West End CrossFit and is so happy to be on board as our Membership Concierge. She takes care of most aspects of member communication, new member inquiries, etc. You'll find her in the gym pretty much every day of the week at the 9 am class, where she is known as the one who loves squats & deadlifts and hates running & burpees.