Board Member Q&A: Anna Spangler

You might not know Anna personally, but you most likely know her work. If you’ve seen a feature about us in the news or you’ve enjoyed some of the container murals at Gather GVL, you’ve been witness to some of her many talents.

As a native of Anderson, an alumna of Clemson University, and a Newspring church member, Anna knows the Upstate. Anna’s dream is to make Rebuild Upstate a household name. She’s well on her way to helping us accomplish that by sharing her time and talents as a board member. Her passion for our mission and media relations skill set enables her to create stories that reach far beyond just our own social media or email newsletters.

We’re so grateful for Anna. Our organization, and the homeowners we serve, are better thanks to Anna’s volunteerism.

How did you hear about Rebuild Upstate?

My boss, John Boyanoski, was on the board with Rebuild Upstate. Rebuild Upstate has been a client of ours that I got the chance to do PR work for back in 2018. I loved their mission so much; I knew I wanted to get more involved. John informed me that there was an advisory council and I joined in early 2019!

What made you decide to get more involved with Rebuild Upstate?

When I heard John was stepping down from the Board, I knew I still wanted to be involved with Rebuild Upstate and help get this organization’s press and media attention. I love helping create stories for Rebuild Upstate and pitching TV segments regarding the awesome work they’re doing in the community. I think being on the Board/being more involved with Rebuild Upstate will help me get a first hand look at the media stories we could create each month.

What is your goal as a board member?

I would love to help make Rebuild Upstate a household name. I want more people in the Upstate to know the mission of Rebuild Upstate and what they do for homeowners. I also would love to continue helping with the design and creation of the annual impact report!

What difference have you seen Rebuild Upstate make in the lives of others?

I remember back in 2019 I visited a build site, for a media story. I can’t remember the woman’s name, but I remember how she was so unbelievably grateful for Rebuild Upstate. She was very emotional at how much help the team had brought. I believe the repair was HVAC related; I don’t think she had air conditioning in her home. It was a hot day. I just remember she was so gracious; she shared some of her favorite Bible verses with us and was so kind.

What is it like being on a Rebuild Upstate build day?

When I first came to Complete PR, I remember one of the assignments John sent me out on was to take pictures at a build day for Rebuild Upstate. This was my first experience seeing what a build day looked like, and I remember being so energized by the sense of community that surrounded the build. Everyone at the site was so friendly and seemed to genuinely be enjoying themselves as they helped improve the home.

Tell us a little about you.

Originally from Anderson, graduate of Clemson University. I have a communications minor, and I currently work at Complete PR of Greenville. In my free time, I paint and play tennis with my family. I have the most perfect cat in the world, her name is Tyrone and I clearly thought she was a boy when she was a kitten.

What other community organizations or initiatives are you involved in?

When I was in college, I volunteered as a mission group leader for FCA every spring break that I was at Clemson. Currently, I am a member of Newspring church in Greenville. I have painted some public murals, haha! I painted two of the containers at Gather GVL (Sweet Sippin’ and Cocobowlz), and I’ve painted murals at two Greenville gyms (The Junkyard and the Booty Bar). I did participate in Opportunity GVL as well, in the fall of 2019.

What else do you want the Rebuild Upstate extended family to know about you?

Always open to getting coffee and getting to know people! ☺