New MPH alum Taylor Downs leads community health outreach clinics in San Antonio

For alumna Taylor Downs, MPH ‘26, her journey to studying at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health began with her love of fitness, a parental connection to healthcare, and a new perspective on what it means to prioritize health.

Her interest in public health was sparked while completing her undergraduate studies in Colorado. Having grown up in San Antonio, Downs said she was both surprised and impressed with how seriously most Colorado residents seemed to take their own health, by eating well and regularly exercising outdoors.

“I don't think I was interested in public health until I moved to Colorado and realized there are young people who care about their health and well-being,” Downs said.

After finishing her bachelor’s, she enrolled in the MBA/MPH dual degree program through the School of Public Health’s partnership with UT San Antonio.

“The public health classes just interested me so much, because they are real issues, and everything we talked about I could apply to my everyday life,” Downs said.

Downs now serves as a program manager alongside a team of five others managing the SPIN Project in Bexar County, led by faculty member Jack Tsai, PhD, regional director and professor in San Antonio.

During her time as a student, the SPIN project evolved from offering free blood pressure readings, A1C diabetes screening and mental health evaluations in San Antonio, to a community service project funded by the Baptist Health Foundation that has now screened over 500 participants.

 The data collected from these efforts showed a disproportionately high rate of diabetes and other health complications among the laundromat users who were tested. The published findings concluded that laundromats were an effective place to serve populations who might not otherwise have regular access to healthcare.

After SPIN received new funding last year, Downs and the team will now be able to reach more residents through a location expansion that will serve 16 laundromats throughout Bexar County, as well as establishing a partnership with University Health to help navigate participants to health care.

Just a few months into working on the SPIN project, Downs has gained a lot of practical knowledge, and has been moved by the needs of the residents she’s interacted with.

“Many participants haven't been checked in so many years, or they have no means to get checked because they don't have insurance or a provider,” Downs said.

Although she’d like to continue her education with a PhD sometime, Downs will probably take a break from school for a few years.  Regardless of what her future holds, she plans to be a lifelong advocate for making health-conscious lifestyle choices in her own circle of family and friends.