2019 Employees of the Month

Mandisa Washington

Mandisa Washington—December

Mandisa Washington has been a Brooklyn College all-star since 2015 and serves as the mobile application developer in the Office of Information Technology Services. In just four years, Mandisa has created technological platforms that have made it easier for people to access information and communicate across campus.

Mandisa is recognized for her innovative contributions as the lead developer on the BC Navigator mobile application. She is responsible for the popular features built into the app, such as BC Digital ID, which allows staff and students to digitally access their campus ID, and BC Fix-it, a fast and easy-to-use platform to report facilities in need of repair. These are prime examples of her ability to identify ways to integrate technology and create tools for improving campus life. Mandisa prioritizes user support for the products she creates and ensures that ITS' tools accommodate the diverse groups of people on campus.

Joseph Lanza

Joseph Lanza—November

Joseph Lanza '09, better known as "Joe," has been a hardworking member of the Brooklyn College staff for the past 10 years. He began his career as a college assistant in the Office of the Bursar. In 2015, Joe was appointed to the full-time position of student payment advisor and shortly thereafter was promoted to assistant director of the Student Financial Services Call Center.

Joe makes it a point to share his wealth of knowledge with our students and staff. As an alumnus, Joe understands the importance of students having access to the most current information. He consistently seeks innovative ways to improve outreach to students. Just recently, he took the initiative and implemented a social media campaign for his department. Joe leads by example and is a truly dedicated member of our team.

Andre Fontenelle

Andre Fontenelle—October

Andre Fontenelle has been an outstanding employee for the past 14 years. While attending graduate school at Brooklyn College, he completed an internship at the Magner Career Center. This experience impacted his career trajectory. After completing a master's degree in industrial organizational psychology, Andre began working in the Magner Center, first as a career counselor during the evenings and on weekends, and most recently as the associate director for employer relations and internships.

Andre goes above and beyond the call of duty, consistently providing exceptional service to Brooklyn College students and alumni. He has increased employer relations for the Magner Center, successfully recruiting almost 150 employers to participate in the center's job fair this past March. Andre spends much of his day preparing students for employment interviews and follows up with post-interview discussions. Andre says, "Hearing the success stories of the students I assist keeps me energized and motivated each day."

Geraldine Wichy

Geraldine Wichy—September

Geraldine Wichy has been a Brooklyn College all-star for over 34 years. She began her career in 1985 as a college assistant in the Learning Center. In 1996, she was promoted to finance accounting assistant and has been in this role for more than 23 years.

Geraldine, better known as "Gerrie," is the heart and soul of the Learning Center. She is responsible for hiring more than 100 student tutors each semester. Her meticulous bookkeeping skills allow such a large office to operate efficiently. For many of the tutors, this is their first job. Gerrie mentors and coaches them on different aspects of professionalism, and many students credit her guidance and support in their professional development. Her colleagues feel fortunate to work with Gerrie who is seen as a friend, counselor, and confidant.

Suzanne Whiter

Suzanne Whiter—August

Suzanne Whiter has been a Brooklyn College all-star for over 21 years. She began her career in 1998 as a college assistant in the Department of Physics. After only one year of service, Suzanne advanced to a full-time position as CUNY office assistant, and in 2006 she was promoted to the position of CUNY administrative assistant. For the past four years, Suzanne has been employed as a CAA in the Department of Mathematics.

Suzanne is a true leader. With 20+ years of experience, she has acquired the necessary knowledge and skills to quickly identify complex issues. She solves problems with great ease, is highly organized and proactive, and does a fantastic job managing departmental workload systems. In addition to excelling at her work, Suzanne finds the time to plan fun and exciting events for her department. This past spring, she organized an inaugural and incredibly successful "Pi Day," which was well received by the students and faculty. Suzanne's commitment to excellence is an inspiration to everyone who has the pleasure of working with her.

Vanessa Ullo

Vanessa Ullo—July

Vanessa Ullo has been a Brooklyn College all-star for the past five years. She began her career in 2014 as a CUNY office assistant in the Registrar's Office and quickly transitioned to the position of registrar coordinator. Vanessa currently serves as the assistant registrar in the Office of Transcripts and Scheduling.

Vanessa is known for her extraordinary work behind the scenes. She is a remarkable multi-tasker who handles numerous projects simultaneously, yet she always remains positive and poised. While Vanessa is busy overseeing complex room scheduling assignments and generating final exam schedules, she manages to find the time to provide personalized training sessions for the academic administrators who are responsible for submitting the schedule of classes for their departments. Vanessa has a warm and friendly smile, and her positive energy and great enthusiasm are truly welcomed by her colleagues.

Jay Jankelewicz

Jay Jankelewicz—June

Jay Jankelewicz has been a Brooklyn College all-star for the past seven years. In 2012, he began his career as a college assistant in the Department of Philosophy and then transitioned to a full-time position as a CUNY office assistant in the department.

Jay helps create a warm and collegial environment in his office. His good sense of humor and dedicated work are truly appreciated. He never misses an opportunity to foster a positive atmosphere, from making sure that there are plenty of snacks on hand, to sprucing up the department's bulletin board with photos and short bios of the faculty and staff. Jay's passion to enhance the student experience and promote enthusiasm is an inspiration for all who work with him.

Sandra Podhaisky

Sandra Podhaisky—May

Sandra Podhaisky has been a Brooklyn College all-star for the past 10 years. In 2009, she began her career as a college assistant in the Office of Student Affairs and then moved on to a full-time position as a CUNY office assistant in the Office of Judicial Affairs and Student Engagement.

Sandra, better known as "Sandy," is an excellent listener and possesses a calming demeanor. Her colleagues affirm "when anxious students enter her office, Sandy has a special way of working with them so that they leave with a smile." Sandy provides students with a positive customer service experience and always maintains a great attitude. Sandy is known to go above and beyond in her role; she takes the initiative to see projects through to the end.

George Benz

George Benz—April

George Benz has been a Brooklyn College all-star for the past 12 years. In 2007, he began his career as a college assistant in the Office of Budget and Planning. He then moved on to a full-time position as coordinator of the Enrollment Services Call Center, and is now the assistant director of the Enrollment Services Call Center.

George's unique role requires him to collaborate with several student service departments. He is an amazing resource to his team and an innovative thinker, and he is always willing to help colleagues. George excels at streamlining processes: He worked with ITS to develop the InfoCentral (an on-campus intranet tool), a system that helps to improve the accuracy of information delivered to our students. George also helped transform the Enrollment Services Call Center website into an interactive tool so that our staff members can easily navigate when assisting students.

Ms. Leticia Medina

Leticia Medina—March

Leticia Medina has been a Brooklyn College all-star for the past 11 years. In 2008, she began her career as a college assistant in the Office of Human Resource Services, moved on to a full-time position as a CUNY office assistant in HR, and then to the Office of the Registrar. She now calls the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology her home.

Leticia quickly transformed the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology into a welcoming environment for our students and faculty. It is said that "Leticia's patience could win marathons." She is best known for taking her time whether she is advising graduating students or instructing adjuncts on how to navigate DegreeWorks. Her dedication has been a vital asset to the success of her department. Her colleague comments that "they couldn't imagine the department without her."

Ms. Ana Valdez

Ana Valdez—February

Ana joined the Brooklyn College family as a custodial assistant in April 2014. She always takes the initiative to learn new skills and help wherever needed. She has mastered floor stripping, carpet cleaning, and other responsibilities, in addition to all that she does to keep our campus clean. Her work ethic is unparalleled, but her warm disposition is what makes her really stand out. Those who have had the privilege of working with Ana and benefiting from all that she does attest to her professionalism, her respect for those around her, and her commitment to making Brooklyn College a better place.