I often get email inquiries from people interested in our PhD program, often with a CV or a writing sample attached and a request that I look at the file. The way our program does admissions, no one faculty member has power over who gets in. There is a detailed explanation of this on our department’s FAQ for prospective applicants.
If you think that your research is a close match to my interests (morphology and phonology), of course I will consider advising you if you get accepted–but writing to me instead of applying to the program is not going to help you get in. Instead, I recommend that you study the FAQ closely. When you submit your application, make sure to check my name as someone who influenced your decision to apply to NYU Linguistics, and I will read your file then. Good luck, and thank you for your interest in our program.
Maria