Announcing our hosts for this year’s Inspiring Greatness Virtual Celebration: Angel Taitano and Lacie West

Angel was enrolled in Friends of the Children when she was five years old. During her 12+ years at Friends, she built and maintained strong connections with her professional mentors, even when she moved out of the Seattle area. With her mentor Doneka cheering her on, Angel reached her goal to graduate from high school and explore different career paths to find the perfect fit. She graduated from our program and Lake Stevens High School in 2017.

Angel is an entrepreneur and an up-and-coming leader. When the pandemic hit and impacted the job market, Angel left the industry upon which she had built her reputation and opened her own business. Her mission is to bring financial literacy to her community through an educational approach to finances. Her business helps educate clients of all backgrounds achieve their individual financial needs and goals.

She has proudly attended every Inspiring Greatness since kindergarten and has continued to support the event as an alumna, including delivering the keynote speech at Inspiring Greatness in 2018.

Lacie is a Seattle native with strong ties to South Seattle. As a woman of color, Lacie’s understanding of how systems of oppression persist in our communities has guided her career. Currently, Lacie is leading Friends-Seattle to develop a new comprehensive strategic plan that will prioritize safely re-opening in-person mentoring and our office space; becoming an organization grounded in equity; centering our program around the voices of our youth and families; promoting staff wellness; and ensuring the sustainability of the organization.

Lacie is passionate about the Friends-Seattle mission and has a strong belief in the power of mentorship. She continues to have several mentors in her life who have been instrumental in her personal and professional growth. To pay it forward, Lacie enjoys mentoring youth outside of work.

Lacie received her B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Washington Foster School of Business and a minor in Communications. She is also a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. 

This year, she is thrilled to co-host our Inspiring Greatness Virtual Celebration as an opportunity to amplify the voices of Friends–Seattle youth and community members.