Franco's LEadership Team
Alex Knudsen
GENERAL MANAGER | Franco’s Mandeville
Alex@MyFrancos.com
Alex is from Dallas, TX but relocated to Mandeville, LA in 2000. At Louisiana State University, he pursued a degree in Sports Administration with minors in Business Administration and Communications. Following graduation, he spent five seasons in Minor League Baseball where he worked as Director of Finance and Gameday Operations. In his free time you’ll find him watching sports, playing golf, and spending time with family and friends. He’s excited to bring his skills and experience to the fitness industry to create life changing experiences and memories.
Nichole Doyle
CLUB MANAGER | Franco’s Mandeville
Nichole@MyFrancos.com
With a strong passion for community, wellness, and personal development, she brings both vision and compassion into her leadership at Franco’s. Whether she is motivating others, building meaningful connections, or balancing the beautiful chaos of family life, Nichole leads with authenticity, purpose, and positivity. Her mission is to create an environment where every member feels supported, empowered, and truly at home.
Larry and Merryanne Welch
CLUB OWNERS
Since then, the club has grown and evolved into Cross Gates Family Fitness, helping people just like you live fit, live better. They expanded the brand by merging with Franco’s Health Club and Spa in Mandeville and New Orleans in 2026 becoming a multi-brand location across the metro area. No matter where you live or work, we are your hometown health club, right around the corner.
Nate & Sima Welch
PRESIDENT & OWNERS | Nate@CrossGatesClub.com
Nate and Sima Welch, a family deeply rooted in South Louisiana, pour their hearts into Franco’s Health Club & Cross Gates Family Fitness. With Nate’s 15 years of experience in the fitness industry and Sima’s background in education from LSU, they share a profound passion for creating a healthy and welcoming space for families. Together, with their four boys, they embody the mission of their clubs, striving to build a community where health and togetherness flourish.
Their dedication extends beyond business; it’s a personal commitment to the well-being of their community. They love sharing their passion and using their talents to grow the vision that began with Larry and Merryanne, ensuring that Franco’s & Cross Gates continues to be a place where families can connect, be healthy, and thrive for generations to come.
Zach Landry
FITNESS DIRECTOR | Zach@MyFrancos.com
After spending time managing fitness programs in Florida, including Don Schula’s gym, Zach returned back to his home state of Louisiana. His love of fitness started when he was in 8th grade and he knew he wanted to help people become better versions of themselves through coaching. He has a wide array of knowledge and perspectives from his education in kinesiology from Southeastern Louisiana University and his diverse experience working in Athletic Training, Physical Therapy, Education and Personal Training. As a personal trainer, Zach is able to help his clients find a program that works for them and is able to hold them accountable to their workouts and nutrition to help them get results.
Chantelle Lancaster
Fitness Manager | Chanetlle@MyFrancos.com
Chantelle is an ACE-certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and ACSM exercise physiologist with a decade of experience in the fitness industry. She’s passionate about helping clients of all fitness levels. Outside of work, she loves to stay active and spend quality time with her two kids and husband.
Tracy Smith
Group Exercise Manager | Tracy@MyFrancos.com
Tracy has been a powerhouse in the fitness industry since 1984, successfully riding the wave of every major fitness trend—from the high-impact aerobics and step crazes of the ’80s and ’90s to modern-day spinning and BodyPump. As a seasoned certified personal trainer and group exercise instructor, she delivers expert-level workouts designed to keep you safe, challenged, and delivering real results.
Above anything else, Tracy is FUN. She prides herself on keeping her classes modern, fresh, and highly engaging. A natural leader, she thrives on building genuine connections with her members. She believes in being completely real, often sharing her own life experiences and health journeys to inspire others.
As the proud mother of a special-needs adult child, Tracy understands firsthand the vital importance of staying strong, resilient, and moving every single day. Whether you are a fitness veteran or just starting out, Tracy will keep you laughing, sweating, and motivated to crush your goals.
Kristy Silbernagel
BUSINESS OFFICE MANAGER | Kristy@MyFrancos.com
Kristy was born and raised in Slidell and found her passion for fitness in 2014. What began as a personal journey quickly grew into a calling — leading her to become a Group Exercise Instructor. She’s an active part of the Cross Gates community and loves taking Bootcamp and Group Ex classes whenever she can.
Her journey at Cross Gates began in Group Exercise, then evolved into a role at the front desk, where she loved connecting with members. From there, she transitioned into the Business Office, where she is now the Business Office Manager. She supports all five Cross Gates & Franco’s locations behind the scenes, with the same dedication she brings to every workout.
Kristy is a proud mom of three amazing children and has a wonderful husband who supports her every step of the way. Together, they inspire her to stay strong, stay active, and keep moving forward.
Greg Johnson
PROGRAM DIRECTOR | Greg@CrossGatesClub.com
Greg has a Master’s Degree in English with a Concentration in Professional and Technical writing. As Program Director, he works with all of the departments to create and manage world class offerings in health, nutritional and recreation for CG Members. Greg is also a group fitness instructor at the club. He coaches Body Pump, Spinning, Yoga and Group Training programs. As the marketing director for Cross Gates Family fitness, he is responsible for creating all internal and external marketing and communication for the club. Greg started working with Cross Gates Family Fitness in 1997. His career began in the Youth Activity Center where he has developed many children’s programs including Slidell’s finest Summer Camp and is still actively involved in managing the club’s youth programs.
Katie Santangelo
O Spa Manager | Katie@MyFrancos.com
With a strong background in local clubs and spas, Katie brings a wealth of industry knowledge and a passion for wellness to Cross Gates Family Fitness. As a Spa & Retail Manager, she is committed to delivering a high-quality, relaxing experience for every member and guest–both through exceptional service and a thoughtfully curated retail selection. She is passionate about team development, customer care, and creating environments that promote health, beauty and well-being. She believes in leading with integrity, building strong relationships, and elevating the member/guest experience in every detail. Outside the club, Katie loves to read, be active, shop, travel, and she enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and golden retriever, Lola Mae.
Janelle Knudsen
Lifestyle Store Manager & Buyer | Janelle@MyFrancos.com
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