EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
On approach into JFK VOR Rwy 13L we crossed ASALT at 3000 feet. I began the descent to cross CRI at 1500 feet; but got distracted looking for the lead in lights. This was my first time on this approach and I was worried about missing the lights. The captain noticed that we would be high crossing CRI; I used the TCS (Touch Control Steering) function to take control of the aircraft and increase descent rate. We may have been about 100 feet high over CRI; but at no time was the approach unstable. Earlier in the approach we experienced moderate wake turbulence from a heavy aircraft ahead of us and the Captain said that at the time we were approaching CRI; he was attempting to regain visual contact with that aircraft so we could avoid their wake throughout the rest of the approach. The rest of the approach and landing were uneventful. Maintain hyper vigilance on complex approaches such as this one. Using FLCH to get down to 1500 feet instead of a FPA (Flight Path Angle) would also have avoided this occurrence.  Also; being able to use VNAV would greatly help on this approach.
We should have been more clear with each other who was looking outside and who was inside. Approval to use the RNP approach could help as well with a lightened workload.
ERJ-175 flight crew reported deviating from charted altitude on VOR Approach to JFK RWY 13L; citing wake turbulence and possible FMC mode selection errors as contributing factors.