Full Biography

As a nationally ranked debater, Spencer witnessed firsthand the deep educational inequities and lack of access to co-curricular opportunities faced by rural and Title 1 students. At just 13 years old, he channeled these frustrations into action. What started as local fundraisers has now become the largest and most impactful youth-led debate accessibility nonprofit in the world: Eloquence Academy. Each year, the organization hosts four low-cost instructional programs for 3,000 students and curates an online library with bilingual public speaking resources for 16,084 students. Under Spencer’s leadership, Eloquence Academy has saved the debate community $4,243,780 in traditional program costs, hosted over 50,000 hours of live programming, formed partnerships with 116 schools and charities, won 37 international grant awards, mobilized 150 volunteers, launched 39 chapters, and reached all 50 states and 102 countries. Spencer continues to direct all strategy, budgeting, impact tracking, and management of the nonprofit.

Beyond Eloquence Academy, Spencer is an outspoken voice for educational equity and shares his social impact journey across 4 social media platforms, with 250 posts, 75,000 words, and 1,073,274 impressions. He has cultivated 60 young leaders in early-stage nonprofits, including four debate equity organizations. His mentorship has led to the donation of 30,000 items (hot meals, winter coats, and menstrual health products) and removal of 500 pounds of trash from the ocean, impacting over 15,000 individuals across all 6 inhabitable continents. His writing has been published by the Alliance of Young Artists & Writers, the United States Department of Veteran Affairs, and other academic journals.

Spencer has served on the Student Leadership Council of the National Speech & Debate Association, Student Advisory Council of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and collaborated with the United States federal government, the State of New Jersey, and the New York City Department of Education. A prolific public speaker, Spencer has travelled the nation to deliver keynotes at high schools, conferences, summits, and most recently, the National Youth Leadership Council’s Power of Young People Podcast. Spencer has held internships at a number of nonprofit organizations and cultural institutions, including the New-York Historical Society, New York City Council, New York State Supreme Court, and Civics Unplugged.

Spencer has been covered by the New York Times Upfront (upcoming), Scholastic (upcoming), New Jersey Monthly (upcoming), Channel Kindness (upcoming), Points of Light, the National Speech & Debate Association, TEACH Magazine, California Association of Student Councils, and Razom for Ukraine. He has been personally recognized by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, the Hershey Company, Youth Service America, Civics Unplugged, Ramapo College of New Jersey, and the Russell Berrie Foundation. Spencer believes that YOUth can, and should, change the world.