Spara was born in
Washington, Pennsylvania, the daughter of hair-salon owner Kevin and dental hygienist Kim Spara. She has an older sister, Taylor, and younger brother, Jesse. She began acting at the age of 12 when she joined Kids' Theater Works. She continued acting at Washington High School, where she graduated in 2008. She honed her craft at Pittsburgh Community Theater and Irondale Theater in New York City. Spara attended
Point Park University in Pittsburgh for two years, studying acting, before transferring to
Marymount Manhattan College, where she earned a degree in theater performance in 2012. Before landing any film or television roles, she was a guide for a
Gossip Girl bus tour in New York City and was filmed as a greeter. Her image was projected as a hologram welcoming visitors and travelers at
Washington Dulles International Airport in
Dulles, Virginia. After graduating from university, she moved to Los Angeles and spent three years auditioning before landing
Kevin from Work. ==Career==