Meet the Staff

Sara Crosby, Director

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

Alexis Pistone, Senior Academic Advisor

Advisement focus: Self-advocacy for each of my students

Education: John Jay College of Criminal Justice with an M.A. in Forensic Mental Health Counseling and a B.A. in Forensic Psychology

Hometown: Queens, New York

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Reading a good psych thriller

A quote that brightens my day: Serenity/Courage/Wisdom

Amorita Jones, Academic Advisor

Advisement focus: Holistic advisement to empowering students through self-advocacy, self-awareness and growth mindset to successfully navigating systemic barriers

Education: CUNY School of Professional Studies, pursuing an M.A. in Youth Studies, Lehman College with a B.A. in Social Work, and BMCC with an A.A. in Liberal Arts

Hometown: Manhattan, NY

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Taking walks with my dog Zeus, watching competitive cooking/baking shows, reading new studies on female health while listening to some Lo-Fi

A quote that brightens my day is: “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”

Brittany Jost-Sinodinos, Academic Advisor

Advisement focus: Student empowerment and career exploration

Education: Macaulay Honors College (home campus College of Staten Island) with a B.A. in English Writing and Gender Studies

Hometown: Staten Island, NY

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Dungeons and Dragons, Baking and cooking new recipes

A quote that brightens my day is: “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” – William Shakespeare

Christopher Rafinski, Senior Academic Advisor

Education: Queens College, with a Masters in Mental Health Counseling

Hometown: Commack, Long Island

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Growing things – give me some dirt and I’ll give you a garden.

A quote that brightens my day is: Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. ― Howard Thurman

Cindy Louissaint, Academic Advisor

Advisement focus: Removing barriers towards graduation by engaging students

Education: CUNY School for Professional Studies, pursuing an M.A. in Youth Studies and CUNY College of Staten Island with a B.A. in Art

Hometown: Brooklyn, New York

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Playing tennis and volleyball

A quote that brightens my day is: “Train your mind to see the good in everything. Positivity is a choice. The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.”

James Nadeau, Recruitment Specialist

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

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

Jordan Evans, Associate Director

Advisement focus: Persistence and completion

Education: Baruch College with an MSEd in Higher Education Administration and Bethel University with a B.A. in Elementary Education

Hometown: Nappanee, IN

Interests/What I’m usually up to: Usually at a museum or checking out a Broadway show

A quote that brightens my day is: To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. ― Ralph Waldo Emmerson

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, Academic Advisor

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.

Sean Persaud, Program Recruiter

Advisement focus: Holistic advisement and self-advocacy

Education: Baruch College, pursuing an MSeD in Higher Education Administration, City College of NY with a dual B.A. in Anthropology and History and Borough of Manhattan Community College with an A.A. in Liberal Arts

Hometown: Queens, NY

Interests/What I’m usually up to: watching a movie/tv show, reading, swimming

A quote that brightens my day is: “I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, “If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.” ― Kurt Vonnegut