The Monthly Review spotlights a different URACer each month in a Q&A. This month it's Josh Spofford, URAC's Quality Manager.
TMR: When did you start at URAC and what brought you here?
Josh: My introduction to URAC was actually a temporary assignment to assist Accrediting & Client Services with a variety of administrative tasks in February 2011. I must have been doing good work, because new projects were identified and assigned to me, and eventually I was brought on as a full-time employee in November of that year. My first role was Client Services Analytics Manager, reporting to the Vice President of A&CS and responsible for administration of application and accreditation processes. What attracted me to the role was the variety of areas that I gained experience in, the fast pace, and the caliber of the minds that I worked alongside.
TMR: What were you doing before you came to URAC?
Josh: I was with a government contractor, supporting the Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) within the Department of Defense as a procurement analyst. The program was and still is responsible for the acquisition of assistive technology for persons with disabilities in the federal government and military. The team that I served on worked exclusively with wounded service members. While a good portion of my work was around receiving and processing orders, I was given the opportunity to travel to military installations around the country to perform needs assessments, demo emerging technologies, and train hospital staff on the proper use of different devices.
TMR: Describe yourself in three words.
Josh: Curious, industrious, and passionate.
TMR: How do you like to spend your leisure time?
Josh: I’d be remiss if I didn’t first mention that my beautiful wife, Sara, and I have been married for two and half years and have a whippet named Ziggy. Spending quality time with them is one of my greatest joys! Also, I come from a large family (one of four boys), and I talk to my parents and siblings regularly. My older brother lives in DC and we get together often. I grew up playing a variety of sports with my brothers and I continue to today. Soccer, rock climbing, and skiing are the three that I enjoy most at this point in life.
My parents are both dietitians, so I grew up in the kitchen. I enjoy cooking and stretching myself with new recipes. On a typical evening, once we’ve washed up after dinner and knocked out the daily chores, I can usually be found reading or listening to music.
TMR: What’s your favorite restaurant?
Josh: I’ve got two! The first is Maydan, an all-senses-engaged dining experience. Down an alley and through a nondescript entrance, you’re immediately met by the scent and warmth of a wood-burning hearth - the centerpiece of the establishment. All food, featuring bright and fresh, farm-to-table ingredients, is cooked over the hearth, so you get a bit of a show along with your delicious meal. The second is Pho 75, a cheap, no-frills option with one of the best bowls of soup I’ve ever had. At $9, you can fill your tummy and warm your soul!
TMR: What do you like to watch?
Josh: For television, the genres I tend towards are gritty dramas, mind-benders, and those based on literature (especially when there’s a fantastic flair). Here are a few of my favorites within each of these categories:
Gritty: “Deadwood”, “Luther”, and “Peaky Blinders”
Mind-Bending: “Watchmen”, “Dark”, and “Undone”
Literary: “Penny Dreadful” and “Sherlock”
My taste in movies is pretty eclectic. Two recent favorites are “Peanut Butter Falcon” and “The Joker”. My top five favorite movies of all time are:
1) “City of God”
2) “Children of Men”
3) “Life Aquatic”
4) “Good Will Hunting”
5) “Logan”
TMR: What kind of books do you like to read?
Josh: I predominantly read fiction, with a spattering of business books thrown in on topics that I’m interested in for professional growth. Within the wide genre of fiction, I particularly enjoy the classics, fantasy, and sci-fi. A few of my favorite authors are Ernest Hemingway, Kurt Vonnegut, Isaac Asimov, and N.K. Jemisin.
As far as recent reads that I’ve really enjoyed, there are two that stick out. I adored “The Color of Magic” by Terry Pratchett, which blends fantasy and satire in a playful yet poignant alternate universe. I’m currently reading “Recursion” by Blake Crouch, and it’s got me gripped. It’s an action-adventure that grows out of the question, “what would happen if your current consciousness could be sent back into your former self?”
TMR: What's your favorite vacation spot?
Josh: For the last few years, Sara and I have been taking an annual ski trip with a group of friends to Beaver Creek, CO. I love the quiet and solitude of the mountains, the magic of a fresh blanket of snow, the anticipation and excitement of waking early for a day on the slopes, the exhilaration as I rip down a trail, and the coziness of rich food and drink to end the day.
TMR: Are you a cat person or a dog person?
Josh: Definitely a dog person. As I mentioned earlier, Sara and I have a year-old whippet named Ziggy. He loves to play fetch and tug, but I think his favorite time is when he’s snuggled in our laps or under a heap of blankets.
TMR: Tell us something about yourself that most people at URAC would not know about you.
Josh: I’m a pretty avid music fan! When I was 25, I made a New Year’s resolution to see one live show a month. By the end of the year, I’d been to 35 concerts. I doubt I’ll match that feat in the future, but I still try to take in live music whenever the chance arises.
