Tammy Briant Spratling, 35

Tammy Briant Spratling’s former college roommate says she remembers Briant Spratling working third shifts at the Marriott during school, while somehow still finding time to volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

More than a decade later, it doesn’t seem like much has changed. 35-year-old Briant Spratling has been the director of student affairs for Stetson University College of Law for the last five years. Because the law school operates independent of other institutions, “I have a pretty big umbrella,” Briant Spratling says. Her department oversees 45 student organizations, the school’s health and wellness programs, student leadership development and outside classroom support. In addition to her department work, she’s also an adjunct professor at both Stetson and University of South Florida.

With a B.A. and B.S. from the University of Tampa and a J.D. from Stetson, Briant Spratling is right at home.

At Stetson, she works on a popular experiential learning course on law and the civil rights movement. The course includes a trip to meet with veterans of the civil rights movement to get the oral history firsthand. Briant Spratling’s mentor, Projessor Robert Bickel, asked her to take the course over, after working together on it over the last eight years.

At University of South Florida, Briant Spratling teaches a masters level course on law and student affairs. It goes without saying that she’s able to reference a lot of real life experiences while teaching the course.

Despite working in academia, Briant Spratling is a member of both the Florida Bar and the American Bar Association and serves on the board of directors for the Hillsborough County Barr Association Young Lawyers Division.

Even more impressive is Briant Spratling’s dedication to pro-bono work. For the last three years, she’s participated in Wills for Heroes, which helps prepare end-of-life documents for first responders. She also volunteers with Bay Area Legal Service’s Family Forms Clinic and Crossroads for Kids, where she serves as an attorney ad litem for a teen in foster care, according to her nomination.

Her biggest challenge is that every day is different, “As emergencies come up, priorities have to shift,” she says, “But that also keeps everything fresh.”

— Traci McMillan Beach

Q&A

Name: Tammy Briant Spratling

Age: 35      

City of residence: Tampa

Twitter handle: @TammyInTampa

Employer: Stetson University College of Law

Title: Director for Student Affairs, Deputy Title IX Coordinator, and Adjunct Professor

Birthplace: Oberlin, OH

Years on the Gulf Coast: 17

Marital status/children: Married

Alma mater: B.A., B.S. – University of Tampa; J.D. – Stetson University College of Law

Best place to network: Anywhere you can find people who return a smile.

Coolest business experience: Creating Constitution Hall at Pinellas County’s Finance Park. All seventh-graders who visit Finance Park play online games engaging them in learning about the U.S. Constitution and the three branches of government. 

Messy desk or clean workspace: Depends on the day. I always know where everything is though. 

Best business lesson ever learned: A friend who founded a local nonprofit taught me that new organizations always need new leadership to take the founder’s idea to that next level. I thought that was such selfless advice. 

A website that makes your job easier: Google. I Google everything because I am always engaging in learning and trying to get better at my job. 

Community group you’re most involved with: I serve on the board of directors for the Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF). I particularly enjoy bringing educational films to the community. Film is a powerful tool for learning. 

Favorite off-hours activity:  I love exploring new places while riding my bike with my husband, Kareem. I am a destination cyclist – finding joy in the journey while discovering new places along the way. 

Two people, dead or alive, you’d like to have dinner with: I am addicted to “Hamilton: An American Musical Soundtrack” right now so I must say Alexander Hamilton. I’d also pick Diane Nash. She was a college student who led the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee’s participation in the 1961 Freedom Rides.  Although I’ve met many of my civil rights movement heroes, I haven’t met her – and she is by far my favorite. 

What you would be doing if you could pick another career:  I love learning so I think academia is a great fit. Oh! But I could definitely work for Olivia Pope – I am a professional fixer, too! 

Top item on your bucket list: Travel around the world and live abroad for at least 6 months – extra check marks for getting noticed by a travel show producer or being profiled in a travel magazine. 

Skill you’d like to learn: I’d love to learn how to flamenco dance. I’ve taken lessons – so far it hasn’t taken. 

Who would play you in a movie about your life:  I’d hope Gina Rodriguez would take the role. I got to interview her when she came to GIFF for her movie Philly Brown. I think she is so fun!

If I had a magic wand I’d: I would wand away all invisible pain. So many people hurt without any outside indicators and I hate that. At least a wand that helps you know when someone is hurting so you can help.