Latasha is the President of Phoenix Raceway, and is the first black woman to run a NASCAR track in the history of the organization. It is an interesting path that got her to where she is today, however, it should come as no surprise given her dynamic nature and driven personality.
“I attended Trevor Browne High School and while I was there, I signed up for everything I possibly could, so I could experience as much as possible.” Latasha stated. She is quick to point out that signing up for the Achieving a College Education (ACE) program at Glendale Community College (GCC) had perhaps the largest impact on her formative years. The ACE program teaches college-level classes to high school students, which is different from Dual Enrollment in that the ACE classes are taught on the GCC campus by college faculty. “I know that I would have gotten lost, been overwhelmed, and would have struggled my first year at ASU if it had not been for the ACE classes at GCC. It prepared me extremely well for the self-discipline that college-level classes require.” Acknowledge Latasha. She continued, “In my classes at GCC, I met lots of students who had my same mindset, who were eager to improve themselves and were driven to succeed. It was where I started to build my network of friends and acquaintances; they were people I could identify with.”
Latasha’s GCC ACE classes mainly focused on English and Math, which as her high school counselor pointed out, gave her an advantage at ASU by testing out of certain courses and thus saving tuition costs. It was not only what she learned in the classroom that had an impact, as Latasha explained. “GCC really opened my eyes to the greater world and all of the opportunities that could be had.”
Throughout her life, Latasha has kept her eyes open for opportunities. Starting at age 16, she had the opportunity to work for Charles Schwab – a job she held throughout high school and college. After graduating from ASU with a degree in Communications and a minor in Family Studies, she began working for USAA, where she became the Regional Site Director, a role that allowed her to interact with organizations throughout the valley, and the 5,500++ USAA employees. Keeping with the same mindset she developed while taking ACE classes at GCC, Latasha continued to network and, in so doing, made a connection at Phoenix Raceway. When she was approached with the opportunity to run the famed NASCAR track, she jumped on it, and is enjoying every moment. As Latasha commented, “It’s not really work when you love what you do.”