From challenging childhood to emerging leader, she’s out to change the world

June 30, 2020

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Natasha Smith, a Wells Fargo community relations consultant for South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska.

Name: Natasha Smith

Age: 32

Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

My family ended up here after a series of stays in women’s shelters throughout the central part of the United States when I was fairly young. We had brief stays in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas before ending up in Watertown, S.D. Then, we established ourselves here when I was in high school. The move to Sioux Falls made sense from an opportunity perspective for my mom, as she was able to leave the fast-food industry and obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

The community here is second to none. Having had a tumultuous childhood, I didn’t know what home felt like until we moved to Sioux Falls. Our first home here was the Children’s Inn, and I’ll never forget the care and warmth I felt there. It was vastly different from the environment I had felt in other states. I did move out to Colorado for a short time in adulthood, and while I loved the outdoor options, I missed the place I called home for the first time in my life.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

I love that I get to work hand in hand with local nonprofits, some of the very nonprofits I benefited from as an adolescent. I am able to think creatively and help provide funding for initiatives that make our community stronger and more equitable. I have a strong passion for racial equity and justice reform, and many of those passions get to come alive in my work.

Most recently, I got to work with South Dakota Voices for Peace and the South Dakota Dream Coalition to stand up a COVID relief fund for our immigrant and refugee population, which has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic here in South Dakota. I then was able to use the framework to bring that effort to the Nebraska market. Those relief funds currently stand at over $1 million and $4 million, respectively, reaching critical populations during economic times we have never seen before. Work like that keeps me engaged to push further and do more.

How did you get connected to your industry?

I came to Wells Fargo more than seven years ago because I wanted a bank that could get me an instant debit card. I was in my early 20s, and I kept losing mine. So I went online and was able to set up a bank account without even going into a branch, and I thought that was so cool — cool enough to check out the careers tab! I started off in the call center, moved into branch banking where I eventually became a branch manager and started in this role in early 2019. I grew up at Wells Fargo because of their deep commitment to leadership development and mentorship. The company’s investment in me has changed the trajectory of my life.

Describe Wells Fargo in three words.

Equitable, inclusive, progressive.

What’s your favorite way to give back to your community?

Mentoring, hands down. I wouldn’t be where I am today without a series of radical, dedicated mentors. I love to pay that forward and build relationships in our community.

What’s one business you’d like to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here now?

Penzeys Spices — their Arizona Dreamin’ spice is excellent in a Bloody Mary!

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hopefully, changing the world.

Tags:  

Want to stay in the know?

Get our free business news delivered to your inbox.



From challenging childhood to emerging leader, she’s out to change the world

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Natasha Smith, a Wells Fargo community relations consultant for South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska.

News Tip

Have a business news item to share with us?

Scroll to top