Meet the Staff

Sara Crosby

Sara Crosby, Director

Email: scrosby@bmcc.cuny.edu
Call/Text: (212) 220-8328
Email Sara to make an appointment.

Advisement focus: I am interested in anything that helps BLA students learn, engage, connect, graduate, and then go on to take over the world.

Education: The New School with a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) and University of Iowa with a B.A. in English and a minor in Italian

Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Birdwatching, reading, hanging out with my dog Andy, running, riding my bike around NYC

A quote that brightens my day is: “Freedom was a community laboring for something lovely and rare.”
― Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad


Michelle Almanzar

Michelle Almanzar, Academic Advisor

Email: malmanzar@bmcc.cuny.edu
Call/Text: (212) 776-6570
Schedule an appointment with Michelle.

Advisement focus: Holistic Advising: I am passionate about enhancing students’ learning through focusing on building relationships with students and helping them achieve their academic and personal growth.

Education: The City College of New York with a B.A in Psychology and a minor in Business Administration. I am currently pursuing a MSEd in Higher Education Administration at Baruch College.

Hometown: East Harlem, New York

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Reading, painting, going to Broadway plays, riding a city bike and spending time with my cat named Paris.

A quote that brightens my day is: “Follow your passion. It will lead you to your purpose.” – Oprah Winfrey


Kamilah Bass

Kamilah Bass, Administrative Coordinator

Education: CUNY School of Professional Studies with an M.A. in Youth Studies and Syracuse University with a B.S. in Speech Communication and a minor of Child and Family Studies

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Listening to music (singing & humming along), eating/snacking, and doing 1000+ piece jigsaw puzzles

A quote that brightens my day is: “Spread Love, It’s the Brooklyn Way”
― The Notorious B.I.G.


Melanie Bonilla

Melanie Bonilla, Senior Academic Advisor

Email: mebonilla@bmcc.cuny.edu
Call/Text: (212) 346-8641
Schedule an appointment with Melanie.

Advisement focus: Appreciative Advising is my jam.

Education: LIU: Hudson with an M.S. in Bilingual School Counseling and SUNY Purchase College with a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology

Hometown: East Village, New York

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Playing basketball and reading to my pup, Jax

A quote that brightens my day is: Act as if what you do makes a difference because it does.


Nancy Cortes

Nancy Cortes, Academic Advisor

Advisement focus: Academic self-empowerment and self-advocacy

Education: Borough of Manhattan Community College with an Associates in Liberal Arts, and City College with a B.A. in Political Science.

Hometown: East Harlem, NY

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Watching movies, reading, hanging out with family and friends, strolling around my neighborhood, taking pictures, and trying new food around NYC!

A quote that brightens my day is: “Whatever you do in life will be insignificant, but it’s very important that you do it…”
― Ghandi


John Huie

John Huie, Early Alert Specialist

Education: Fordham University with a B.A. in Information Science

Hometown: Queens, New York

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Competitive Paintball, Photography, Technology


Tommy Leung

Tommy Leung, Academic Advisor

Email: tleung@bmcc.cuny.edu
Call/Text: (212) 346-8873

Advisement focus: Student centered

I am an Alumna of: Brooklyn College with a M.A. in Secondary Education

My hometown is: Brooklyn, NY

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Cars, cats, and video games

A quote that brightens my day is: “Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.” —Mark Twain


Jamie Nadeau

James Nadeau, Associate Director of Enrollment and Engagement

Email: jnadeau@bmcc.cuny.edu
Call/Text: (212) 776-6368
Schedule an appointment with Jamie.

Advisement focus: I believe each student is a unique individual, and I prefer to get to know my students and what makes them tick. I am particularly passionate about transfer guidance and career development, and love helping my students work toward a future that is fulfilling.

Education: Bowdoin College with a B.A. in Government and Legal Studies and Teachers College, Columbia with an M.A. in Higher and Postsecondary Education

Hometown: Leominster, MA

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Reading, running, hiking, kayaking

A quote that brightens my day is: “And into the forest I go to lose my mind and find my soul.” ― John Muir


Ashley Wright

Ashley Wright, Academic Advisor

Email: aswright@bmcc.cuny.edu
Call/Text: (212) 346-8558
Schedule an appointment with Ashley.

Advisement focus: Ensuring students reach/exceed their academic goals all whilst staying on the path to becoming a well-rounded individual.

Education: Brooklyn College with a B.A. in Communication

Hometown: Brooklyn, New York

Interests/What I’m usually up to: I enjoy binging a good show or watching movies, reading an interesting book and trying new foods.

A quote that brightens my day is: We don’t laugh because we’re happy, we’re happy because we laugh.” – William James


BMCC Learning Academy

70 Murray Street, Room M-1413
New York, NY 10007
Email: bmccla@bmcc.cuny.edu
Phone: (212) 346-8640

Office Hours:
Monday-Friday
9 a.m.–5 p.m.