John Jay College Of Criminal Justice | The City University of New York

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Center for Career & Professional Development is to assist students and alumni in finding success in the career of their choosing through career exploration, skill development, gaining practical experience, and building a professional network. We work to ensure that each student or alumni we serve approaches his or her professional life with confidence, a sense of purpose and public service, and the knowledge and experience that will propel him or her to success!

OUR TEAM

Will Simpkins, Director
wsimpkins@jjay.cuny.edu
Will Simpkins is the Director of the Center for Career & Professional Development at John Jay College of Criminal Justice with responsibility for overseeing career services for all undergraduate students and alumni. He has spent the last 10 years working in college student services with particular focuses in public service and internships. He has an M.Ed. in Higher Education from the University of Maryland and a BA in English from Virginia Tech.

Purnima Taylor, Deputy Director (Employer Relations)
ptaylor@jjay.cuny.edu
Purnima Taylor is the Deputy Director for Employer Relations in the Center for Career & Professional Development. In this role she serves as the primary liaison for all employers focused on on-campus recruitment of both undergraduate and graduate students. She is a seasoned professional with experience in Admissions and Career Services within Higher Education and private banking recruitment. She has also served as a High School Guidance Counselor in New York State. Purnima holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), Columbia University and a Bachelors of Arts from Barnard College, Columbia University.

Premwati Sukhan, Associate Director / Internships & Cooperative Education
psukhan@jjay.cuny.edu
Prem Sukhan has coordinated the College's internship and cooperative education programs since 1992. She has cultivated many relationships between John Jay College and employers from federal, city, state, non-profit and private organizations. She manages John Jay's partnership with the US Marshals Service. Ms. Sukhan received her BA in Criminal Justice Administration & Planning from John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Mary Ann Triest, Associate Director & MPA Career Advisor
mtriest@jjay.cuny.edu
Mary Ann Triest is the Associate Director & MPA Career Advisor and provides targeted career services to current graduate students in public administration and alumni of the program at John Jay College. Mary Ann's career program development experience includes working at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU and the Center for Career Education, Columbia University. She holds a MA in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a BA degree in Asian Studies and Child Development from Tufts University.

Chantelle Wright, Associate Director & HRA Liason
cwright@jjay.cuny.edu
Chantelle Wright is the Associate Director and HRA Liasion at the Center for Career and Professional Development.  She has worked in career development for the past six years, instructing and developing career courses and facilitating career counseling at Bronx Community College and LaGuardia Community College.  Her education includes a B.S. in Psychology from Morgan State University and an M.A. and Ed.M. from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Linda Mitchell, Graduate Career Advisor
ldmitchell@jjay.cuny.edu
Linda Mitchell has more than 19 years experience working in higher education as both a member of the faculty and as an administrator. Since 1993 she has worked in the Career Services field as a Director, Advisor and Coordinator. For the past 6 years, Linda has worked as the graduate career advisor where she provides career services to graduate students matriculated in the eight Masters Degree Programs at John Jay College. As the senior advisor she is responsible for supporting students with managing their career goals and aspirations through mentoring, coaching and counseling. She is pursuing a PhD in Business Administration with a specialization in Organization Leadership from Northcentral University, holds a MS in Organizational Leadership from Mercy College; MLS from St. John's University with a dual specialization in Database Management and Application & Children's and Young Adult Literature and a BA in Journalism from SUNY College at Brockport. She has also studied at Columbia University, Teachers College—Department of Instructional Technology, Purdue University and Arizona State University.

Barbara Young, Career Counselor
bayoung@jjay.cuny.edu
Barbara Young's previous career was with a federal agency, the Veterans Administration, where she served as Health Information Manager for the New York and Maryland Health Care Systems. This entailed participation in hiring panels which led to her appointment by Central Office as the VA Recruiter of allied health staff for the Northeast. In 2008 she joined CDS where she counsels students/alumni relative to their career paths/options, their employment application documents and graduate school planning. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Baruch College/CUNY.

Paul Maniaci, Career Counselor
pmaniaci@jjay.cuny.edu
Paul Maniaci serves as a Career Counselor at the Center for Career & Professional Development.
He previously worked at Hostos Community College’s Career Services Office assisting students with internships and job readiness. Paul created a website, www.thecareercookbook.com, to provide young professionals with information related to nontraditional careers. He has a Master in Public Administration from Baruch College and a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Syracuse University. 

Crystal Farmer, Office Manager
cfarmer@jjay.cuny.edu
Crystal Farmer serves as the Office Manager for the Center for Career & Professional Development. In this capacity, she handles all the logistics for event planning and management. Ms. Farmer has worked in the Office of Student Activities which has been renamed the "Office of Student Life" and in the Office of Graduate Admissions. She has been employed with CUNY since 1996.

Betsy Gonzalez, Receptionist/Careers Resources Coordinator
bgonzalez@jjay.cuny.edu
Betsy Gonzalez is the Receptionist/Career Resources Coordinator for the Center for Career & Professional Development. She manages the front desk and reception area and assists students with information. Betsy previously worked for the John Jay Department of Information Technology Helpdesk and has been employed at John Jay since 2007.

Aquaina Murrell, Graduate Assistant
amurrell@jjay.cuny.edu
Aquaina Murrell is the Graduate Assistant for MPA Career Services. She became a part of the John Jay community as an undergraduate student in 2008 and graduated in December 2010 with her Bachelor's Degree in Arts and Humanities. Enriched by the quality of education she received as an undergraduate student, Aquaina enrolled into graduate studies at the college in January 2011. Shifting her attention from Arts and Humanities, Aquaina enrolled in the Public Administration program focusing on Human Resources Management. Aquaina's interest in becoming a public servant arises from her involvement in student clubs and student activities as an undergraduate student.

Kristin Richards, Graduate Assistant
krichards@jjay.cuny.edu
Kristin Richards is the Graduate Assistant for Internships at the Center for Career and Professional Development. In this role she will provide professional development opportunities for student interns as well as see students for their general career questions. Kristin earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2010 and is currently attending New York University in order to attain her Master's degree in HIgher Education and Student Affairs. She is expected to graduate in the Spring of 2014.

Molly Higbie, Graduate Assistant
mhigbie@jjay.cuny.edu
Molly Higbie is the Graduate Assistant for Employer Relations at the Center for Career and Professional Development. Her responsibilities include providing professional development opportunities for John Jay Students as well as assisting students with any general career development questions they may have. Molly earned her Bachelor's degree from Western New England University in Springfield, MA in May 2012 and is currently attending New York University for a Master's degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs.