Meet the Team

Fitness is a way of life for Matt, and he is dedicated to helping his clients of all fitness levels achieve their personal goals. As a CT personal trainer certified through American Fitness Professionals and Associates, he is committed to learning new techniques that will challenge his clients, and he is passionate about fitness and nutrition.

Matt grew up playing basketball and baseball, and he became active in fitness and weight training in college. Winning his first weight-lifting competition in college motivated Matt to start his career as a professional fitness trainer, and he enjoys helping people improve their own lives through exercise.

Outside the gym, he competes and has placed as a top finisher in 5Ks, relay races, triathlons and adventure races.

Darcy is a CT-certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor with a Bachelors Degree in Physical Education and Health. She has been teaching classes and personal training at mission FITNESS since its opening in 2009. She loves working with clients of all fitness levels to help them discover their full potential, while helping them identify what is holding them back. She has worked with a number of elite athletes at the collegiate and high school levels, including Gatorade All-Americans and Connecticut Basketball Players of the Year.

When not at mission FITNESS, Darcy is on the golf course, traveling in her camper with her husband and dog, or hiking or running in the woods. She is a competitive trail runner and endurance athlete who competes in adventure racing and ultra marathons. Her career highlights include placing 6th Female Overall at the 2014 50 Mile Trail Running National Championships, 1st at the Bimblers Bash 10k Trail Race, 1st at the Summer Solstice Trail Race and 1st at The Bitter P6ull 12 hour Adventure Race with Team Rev 3.

Lauren is an energetic certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor who loves what she does. Her passion for fitness is reflected in the thoughtful design and implementation of her workouts. At a young age, Lauren was drawn to physical activity and athletics. This brought her to the world of competitive gymnastics and springboard diving. Lauren was a member of the 2005 Wethersfield High School state championship gymnastics team and was inducted into the Wethersfield Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and is a certified Personal Trainer through the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA).  

Most recently, Lauren has taken her interest in nutrition and a healthy balance of diet and exercise a step further and received her Certified Nutritionist certification. Her passion for healthy living and properly fueling the body is illustrated in the product she delivers at the gym.

In her free time, Lauren loves running, cooking, and spending time with her husband Andrew and two little girls, Joy and Rosie. Lauren joined mission FITNESS in 2010 as a student member. Her love for the gym and specific style of workouts motivated her to get certified and start her fitness career. She has been training at mission FITNESS since 2013.

Matt is a life long health and fitness enthusiast. He grew up playing a variety of sports and at an early age and began experiencing how working out consistently in a gym can enhance your quality of life in countless ways.

Matt is a University of Connecticut alumni with a Masters in Education, a U.S Army Afghanistan war veteran, and a former 10 year veteran Police Officer. Since 2012 he has developed a passion for endurance sports and training tailored toward 'injury prevention', having completed long distance Obstacle Course Races, dozens of Triathlons (swim, bike, run) ranging from Sprint distance to double Ironman(that's 2 Ironman's back to back!), and numerous road and trail running races ranging in distance from 5K to 205 miles (Tahoe 200).

Some of Matt's more notable highlights are qualifying for and running in the 2017 Boston Marathon and placing 3rd Overall in an Ultra Distance Triathlon (281.2miles). In 2018 he was a Top 10 finisher in three separate 100 mile distance trail events, with a 19hr PR. Matt believes in taking a wholistic approach to training for sport or toward any endeavor in life (mental, emotional, physical), with an emphasis on evidence-based exercise, health and wellness practices.

Since his first time coaching High School athletes in 2002 Matt has worked with a wide range of athletes and ability levels, including Military personnel and First Responders seeking help with job specific physical challenges. Outside of the gym he enjoys relaxing with his wife and dog, hiking, reading, trail running, yoga, pilates, “natural” movement, and catching up with friends and family.

Mallon is a Certified Personal Trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine. Her long time love for fitness derived from her continuous pursuit to improve her overall performance during her adolescent and high school athletic career. Growing up in the small hills of Midwest Ohio, Mallon somehow found a strong passion for alpine skiing at the young age of 4.  Her parents did everything to feed that passion, finding the best training options available to them. Mallon went on to compete as a 2x Jr. Olympian in alpine ski racing and continued competing in the Mid-America Series until early adulthood. This journey led her to experience many diverse training programs, as well as elite competition across the country. She then became a member of her local coaching staff, specializing in young athletes through her college years.

After working in emergency medicine for several years, Mallon decided to make a career transition by obtaining her training certification in hopes of sharing her continued passion for health and fitness with others and has found nothing but fulfillment. She has worked as an adult group fitness instructor, as well as a sports performance coach for adolescent and high school athletes. Although she might not be competing, she still enjoys training to enhance her performance. Her main focus is on functional training as it correlates to maintaining and strengthening movement in one’s everyday life. That correlation is something she strives to share with as many people as possible.

Outside of the gym you can find Mallon outdoors, whether that be on the Rhode Island shores or up in the Vermont ski slopes, water is her favorite element. As an avid sports fan, you can also find her cheering on the Ohio State Buckeyes, taking her Ohio spirit with her wherever she goes. More than anything Mallon finds her true happiness exploring life with her husband and two children.

Ryan is a certified personal trainer and strength coach through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, as well as a certified corrective exercise specialist. He has his Bachelor’s degrees in Applied Exercise Science and Psychology from Springfield College. He took an interest in sport psychology while in high school, which has helped him approach coaching from a more holistic perspective. Ryan's favorite part of being a personal trainer is figuring out how to help each individual reach those “aha!” moments and achieve their goals. 

Ryan began competing in sports from an early age, starting with gymnastics. He enjoyed swimming, tennis, soccer and baseball, until at 9 years old, he found his love for running on the local track team. He has stuck with running ever since. Ryan ran for all four years at the high school and collegiate level. His favorite event to compete was the 3000m steeplechase. After graduating, he is now giving back to the sport by joining the Berlin High School coaching staff as a throws coach for their track and field team. 

Outside of the gym, Ryan likes to workout and experiment with new exercises, his favorite being the "Hang Clean". He enjoys listening to music, in fact the first band he ever saw in concert was Rushduring their Clockwork Angels Tour. He loves to cook and try new recipes - so let him know if you have any suggestions! And fun fact, Ryan played Danny Zuko in his college’s production of Grease! 

Nick is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), as well as a Certified Functional Strength Coach (CFSC) through Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning (MBSC). He earned his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania.

As a youth athlete, Nick participated in a variety of sports including basketball, baseball, CrossFit, and triathlons. He dedicated eight years to competitive rowing in high school and college, where he was trained by an Olympic Coach and competed at the highest level against Ivy League crews in national championship races. It is his experience as a college athlete where he learned first-hand the critical importance of strategic coaching and individualized training. Overcoming athletic injuries has fueled his commitment to helping others move well, prevent injuries, and perform at their best.

Outside the gym, you can usually find Nick staying active outdoors. In addition to being a rowing coach, he loves skiing in Vermont, cycling, and spending time with his dog Jackson at the lake.