Jason Spencer
What are you doing now?
I currently serve on active duty in the U.S. Navy. Throughout the past decade, I have had the honor and privilege of leading intelligence teams globally and on numerous deployments overseas to produce insights for America’s warfighters and policymakers. In my present assignment, I serve on the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s Crisis Management Team where we work diligently to ensure U.S. defense interests are achieved in a world undergoing significant geopolitical change.
How has the Fellowship impacted your career?
The Fellowship offered me a front row seat to learn about the practice of statecraft across the U.S. Federal Government. The opportunity to hear from America’s leaders at all levels expanded my aperture regarding the national decision-making process, providing me insight into how policymakers in Washington perceive and address challenges facing the Nation.
This exposure occurred at a pivotal moment in my professional journey. The Fellowship gave me a nuanced understanding of the policy process and ability to contextualize policy decisions early in my career as a naval officer, whether I was stationed on an aircraft carrier in the Middle East, serving on a destroyer in the Mediterranean Sea, or advising senior leaders at the Pentagon.
What is your favorite memory of the Fellowship?
My favorite memory was getting the opportunity to observe and speak with Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) ahead of the Center awarding them the Publius Award at the Willard Hotel in 2013. I was struck by the mutual respect that each Senator had for the other. It was evident that this respect served as the foundation for a bipartisan relationship of consequence, leading to the advancement of numerous policy initiatives.
In general, the Fellowship gave me a glimpse into the world of politics that drives national decision-making. This particular experience showed me that leaders with diverse political views could leverage the highest principles of statesmanship to solve the Nation’s challenges.
If you could have any job in the world, what would you do?
After reflecting on this question, I suppose I have never chased a particular job. The Fellowship, among other impactful experiences in my life, instilled in me a steadfast commitment to public service. I hope to continue my trajectory in this space for the foreseeable future.