Meet Ginger Spencer of City of Phoenix Public Works Department

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ginger Spencer.

Ginger, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m a native Phoenician! Growing up in South Phoenix, I always wanted to give back and somehow make an impact in my community. Being the first of my family to attend college, I was able to get an academic scholarship to attend ASU to study Spanish but I didn’t stop there. The summer of my junior year, I was selected to participate in a summer program at Carnegie Mellon University which opened my eyes to the world of public policy and international affairs. It was there that I discovered my passion for public service and desire to be a local government official. So, after completing grad school at Carnegie Mellon University, I started with the City of Phoenix as a Management Intern 20 years ago and the rest is history. Working for the City of Phoenix is truly rewarding and it’s been a fascinating ride where I’ve been able to contribute to the arts and culture, manage a one-stop-shop for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse, and create innovative programs on behalf of the City. Each day, I’m able to make a difference in my community.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
One of my favorite books is Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. In her book, Sheryl describes the plight that women take while climbing the career ladder, not necessarily as breaking the glass ceiling but as a jungle gym, and she’s right. I actually teach young women on navigating the glass labyrinth. I’ve learned through experience that it’s okay to take a lateral move to gain new experience to help you advance along the way, and sometimes you have to be bold and take risks and learn along the way. One of my bosses always taught me to fail forward – meaning to learn from your mistakes but not being afraid to take risks and to try again. Being the first is not always easy; however, with great mentors, you can achieve success. You have to find your tribe to help you navigate successfully. I’ve been fortunate to have some wonderful mentors throughout my career!

City of Phoenix Public Works Department – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’m glad you asked! I specialize in talking trash! No, seriously. I’m the Director of Public Works for the City of Phoenix, the fifth largest City in the nation. Public Works is responsible for overseeing solid waste, facilities, fleet and flood control on behalf of the City. We have 1,000 employees who maintain more than 600 buildings and 7,300 vehicles and equipment and provide garbage and recycling services to 400,000 households each and every week. We run a 24×7 operation and have both internal and external customers making sure we meet the needs of our Phoenix residents and customers. We’re doing some exciting things where we’re taking our waste and transforming it into new products – creating jobs, economic activity, innovation, and new technology! Who knew solid waste and economic development go hand in hand? One of the things that I’m most proud of is our team and City being recognized internationally by Bloomberg Philanthropies with the Cities4ZeroWaste Award (https://www.phoenix.gov/news/publicworks/1907) for our sustainability efforts. Recognition like that doesn’t come without taking risks. I go to work and it’s different each and every day.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Marian Wright Edelman once wrote “service is the rent we pay for being”, and Martin Luther King once said “if a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his (or her) job well’.” My 91-year old grandmother, Rhudenia Bealer instilled in me a deep dedication to service at a very young age. I remember going with her to the local food bank monthly and helping out. It was just a normal part of growing up.

Giving back and making my community better, no matter how big or small is how I define success. My personal motto since college has been “Shoot for the moon, and you’ll fall amongst the stars.” Set big goals, be true to yourself, and while you’re striving for success, be sure to give back and help others.

Contact Info:

• Address: Phoenix City Hall
  Public Works Department
  200 W. Washington, 7th Floor
  Phoenix, AZ 85003
• Website: phoenix.gov/publicworks
• Phone: (602) 495-7274
• Email: reimaginephoenix@phoenix.gov
• Instagram: @talkingtrashphx
• Facebook: @PHXPublicWorks
• Twitter: @TalkingTrashPHX
• Other: phoenix.gov/recycle

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.