Who we are | Blueprint 15

Meet our team

We’re proud of the coalition of people Blueprint 15 has brought together. Residents, community organizers, elected officials, business owners, and other local leaders all contribute to the important work our organization has undertaken.

Interim Executive Director

Sarah Walton LaFave

Phone: (315) 701-4061

Email: swlafave@blueprint15.org

Sarah (Walton) LaFave is the Executive Director at Blueprint 15, responsible for guiding the organization’s vision, strategic development, and implementation. In this role, Sarah advances resident-driven community development by connecting, strategizing, and facilitating thoughtful collaboration between residents, community partners, and local leaders. Sarah is a graduate of Syracuse University with a BA in Policy Studies and Geography. She has extensive experience in neighborhood revitalization, nonprofit leadership, and civic engagement. In her free time, Sarah enjoys reading, traveling, and trying new recipes.

Lead Neighborhood Navigator

Tara Harris

Email: tharris@blueprint15.org

A lifelong Syracuse resident, Tara Harris continues to serve her community in many ways. A proud graduate of Henninger High School and resident in Pioneer Homes, Tara serves as the Lead Neighborhood Navigator with Blueprint 15 and a Resident Health Advocate with the Healthy Neighborhood Partnership, Upstate Geriatric Department, and RADAR at Upstate University Hospital.

A 2021 graduate of the Citizens Academy through FOCUS Greater Syracuse, Tara serves on several neighborhood action committees including the City of Syracuse Urban Forestry Committee and serves as the Secretary and of the Pioneer Homes Tenant Association, as well as the Vice Chair of the Citywide (Family Units). Tara recently completed the Nourishing Tomorrow’s Leaders program.

Tara has served on the Blueprint 15 Children Rising Center program design team since the project’s inception and ensures that the needs of residents and their perspectives are included in all decision making. She works tirelessly to ensure the larger community is present at engagement and outreach meetings, as well as health and family resource fairs in the neighborhood.

As Lead Neighborhood Navigator with Blueprint 15, Tara helped to re-launch the much-loved and highly attended Women’s Empowerment Group and continues to design and manage the “Grandmas Read” grant programming and other intergenerational reading events to bring children and adults together to promote literacy. In 2024 she designed and implemented four community health and wellness events throughout the Blueprint 15 neighborhood.

Tara adds experience facilitating conversations and finding solutions as a problem solver. A passionate resident advocate, Tara advocates for positive change within her community and believes that change can come from within.

Program Coordinator

Marquita Hetherington

Phone: (315) 373-5903

Email: mhetherington@blueprint15.org

Marquita Hetherington is a dedicated Program Coordinator and former Neighborhood Navigator, recognized for her leadership in Blueprint 15 and commitment to the FAITH Program. She oversees community initiatives, fosters partnerships, and implements programs that promote economic vitality, health and wellness, mixed-income housing, and cradle-to-college education. Passionate about connecting residents with resources, she advocates for sustainable solutions that uplift communities.

Marquita is also a full-time student at Onondaga Community College (OCC), expanding her knowledge to enhance her impact. She proudly serves as an officer in both Zeta Amicae of Syracuse and Cayadetta Temple #113, reinforcing her dedication to service and leadership.

With a strong ability to build relationships and develop impactful programs, Marquita is a trusted advocate for neighborhood development. In her free time, she enjoys relaxing on the beach with her Kindle, finding peace in reading and recharging for her continued work in the community.

Neighborhood Navigator

Quwanka Ellerby

Email: qellerby@blueprint15.org

Quwanka Ellerby, a Blueprint 15 Neighborhood Navigator, is a lifetime resident of Syracuse, New York, and a Syracuse City School District graduate of Henninger High School. She currently works for the SCSD, serves as the Treasurer of the Pioneer Homes Tenant Association, and she is a Locally Consecrated Missionary of the Northwestern New York District. During her free time, she volunteers for different projects in and around the Blueprint 15 footprint. She goes the extra mile to make sure her neighbors get information on current events that are held by various community organizations. Quwanka has also been a devoted cheerleading coach over the last 30 years.