Spencer Gross is the Programs Manager for the Los Angeles World Affairs Council & Town Hall. Before joining LAWACTH he was the lead Program Coordinator for the East-West Center in Washington's flagship Asia Matters for America/America Matters for Asia initiative and led the Center's Young Professional Program. During his time with the East-West Center in Washington, he oversaw the research and writing of multiple Asia Matters publications including those on Korea, Japan, Taiwan, ASEAN, The Philippines, Asia, and a groundbreaking publication on public and elite attitudes in the United States towards the Indo-Pacific. Spencer received his B.A. in Political Science with a minor in History from The George Washington University and studied abroad at King's College London and the University of Cape Town. He received his Master's from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC where he concentrated in International Political Economy with a minor in Korea Studies and a specialization in emerging markets. Before attending Johns Hopkins Spencer led the Customer Success team at El Segundo-based educational technology startup GoGuardian, and was an English teacher in South Korea. Spencer has traveled extensively visiting over twenty countries and self-governing territories including North and South Korea, South Africa, and Argentina.