Meet the team that will be guiding the Blue Door Neighborhood CenterSM! They are committed to transforming the health of our members, their families and communities.
Who We Are
Laron Taylor
Director of the Blue Door Neighborhood Center
Laron Taylor joined Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois in 2018 as Director of the Blue Door Neighborhood Center. He oversees the development of the Blue Door Neighborhood Center’s health and wellness programs.
Laron has more than 10 years of experience working in the non-profit sector. He has worked on permanent supportive housing, HIV prevention and behavioral health. Laron has worked with many advocacy organizations to ensure that all people have access to quality housing and health care.
Laron received a BA in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He earned his Master of Public Administration from DePaul University and his Master of Business Administration from Dominican University.
Kesha Hammond
Manager of Health Education of the Blue Door Neighborhood Center
Kesha Hammond joined BCBSIL in 2017 as a Behavioral Health Care Coordinator. In 2019 she joined the Blue Door Neighborhood Center staff as the Manager of Health Education. In her role, Kesha manages the center’s health and wellness programs.
Previously, she was the Director of the Olive-Harvey College Wellness Center.
Kesha earned her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Louisville in Physical Health Education. She received her Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and in Public Health from Chicago State University and Indiana University Bloomington.
Nicaya Rapier
Manager of Health Education of the Blue Door Neighborhood Center
Nicaya Rapier joined BCBSIL in 2019 as Health Educator and was recently promoted to Manager of Health Education. In her role, Nicaya manages the center’s health educators, partnerships with community-based organizations and health and wellness programs.
Before joining the Blue Door Neighborhood Center team, Nicaya had over 10 years of clinical research and program coordination experience.
Nicaya received her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Chicago in Biological Sciences. She received her Master’s degree in Community Health Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Sonia Donato
Office Manager of the Blue Door Neighborhood Center
Sonia Donato joined BCBSIL in December of 2020 as the Office Supervisor of the Blue Door Neighborhood Center located in the South Lawndale Community. Sonia managers the day-to-day operations of the Blue Door Neighborhood Center and helps to ensure the quality of the center’s programs and services.
Sonia has more than 20 years of experience working in the non-profit sector. She has worked for an Outpatient Behavioral Health Center where she gained customer service and office management experience.
Sonia has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Robert Morris University.