Meet the Staff
Contact our main office at 952-988-3755 or btmpls@blakeschool.org.
Tricia Crossman, Executive Director
Office Phone: 952-988-3706
Email: tcrossman@blakeschool.org
Tricia Crossman (she/her/hers) became the Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake's Executive Director June 2020 following over 25 years of experience working with and on behalf of young people. Her career began in service to youth and their families in diverse settings such as schools, community based organizations and mental health facilities. In addition to direct service, Tricia’s experience includes developing and managing strategic initiatives, programs and operations for local and national non-profit organizations. She earned a Masters of Social Work degree from New York University. She is very excited that her role with Breakthrough Minneapolis at Blake allowed her to return to her home city of Minneapolis, along with her son Cruz.
Jame See Yang, Academic Services Director
Office Phone: 952-988-3755
Email: jyang@blakeschool.org
Jame See Yang (she/they) joined Breakthrough Minneapolis in April of 2024. Jame See started out as a teaching fellow in the summer of 2018 and is excited to be back with the Breakthrough community. She was a Fulbright English teaching assistant in South Korea in 2021 and came back to the U.S. to teach with Saint Paul Public Schools. She has experience in the classrooms and is passionate about creating a safe and brave space where people feel they belong. With that, Jame See hopes to bring her experience in community and creativity to the Breakthrough family.
Quashingm "Q" Smith-Pugh, Student Services Director
Office Phone: 952-988-3755
Email: qsmithpugh@blakeschool.org
Quashingm "Q" Smith-Pugh (he/him/his) joined Breakthrough Minneapolis in summer 2024. Prior to that, Q worked with St. Paul Public Schools in several roles including teaching assistant, classroom teacher and cultural intervention specialist. While teaching, Q earned a master's degree in education with an emphasis on cultural relative teaching. Q is passionate about working with youth and giving back to the community, which drives his community outreach work throughout St. Paul.
Patty Cichantek, AmeriCorps Promise Fellow
Office Phone: 952-988-3892
Email: pcichantek@blakeschool.org
Patty Cichantek (she/they) joined Breakthrough Minneapolis in September 2024 as the AmeriCorps Promise Fellow. In addition to being a student alum, Patty was a teaching fellow in the program from 2018-2020 and spent a year developing her college advising skills at Breakthrough Central Texas in Austin. Patty attended Winona State University to study journalism and is currently working towards a degree in education. An amazing addition to the Breakthrough team, Patty is passionate about working with middle school students and helping them develop the skills they need for both school and life.