A Lake Oswego native, Spencer learned to row at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, where he was team captain and twice voted most valuable oarsman. After Colby, he went to Philadelphia for the U23 Small Boat Selection camp and he also trained at Craftsbury's Small Boat Training Center in Vermont. Spencer continued to train in Philadelphia at Penn AC, where he won several sculling National Championships in 2010. Spencer has coached in Vermont and was the summer sculling Director for Sarasota Crew in Florida prior to returning home to Oregon.

Spencer has also completed his USRowing Level III Certification.