Episode #457 The Work Doesn't Wait, With Claude A. Jacob, DrPH, MPH
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
On This Episode Of The Public Health Epidemiology Conversations (PHEC) Podcast
What does it take to lead one of the largest local health departments in the country when funding is disappearing, misinformation is spreading, and measles outbreaks are making headlines? In this episode, Dr. Huntley sits down with Dr. Claude A. Jacob, Public Health Director of the City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, for a candid, energizing conversation about resilience, cross-sector collaboration, and what it truly means to protect 2.1 million residents in the middle of a storm.
When the Landscape Shifts, the Work Continues
Dr. Claude A. Jacob brings 30 years of public health experience across four states to his current role leading Metro Health in San Antonio, Texas. In this conversation, he shares what it looks like on the ground when federal funding disruptions, executive orders, and policy uncertainty collide with the daily work of a large urban health department. His message is clear: the needs of the community do not pause, and neither does the work.
Building Partnerships by Design, Not Default
One of the most compelling threads running through this episode is how intentional, multi-sector collaboration has become the backbone of Metro Health's strategy. Dr. Jacob talks about why partnerships with public safety, faith-based organizations, healthcare systems, and academic institutions are not optional add-ons but are built directly into the framework of how the department operates. As he puts it, cross-sector collaboration is required by design.
Telling the Public Health Story in Plain Language
Dr. Jacob and Dr. Huntley both share a deep commitment to communicating the value of public health in ways that resonate with everyday people. From understanding how zip codes shape life expectancy to explaining why kids need to be vaccinated, both agree that telling the public health story more effectively is one of the field's most urgent priorities right now.
Milestones Worth Celebrating
Even amid the pressures of the current funding environment, Metro Health achieved national reaccreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board in November 2025, a significant milestone Dr. Jacob describes with justifiable pride. He also shares details about SA Forward, the department's multi-year community health improvement plan launched in 2022, and the investments being made in community health workers, data infrastructure, and disease investigation capacity.
Looking Ahead to APHA 2025 in San Antonio
With the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting coming to San Antonio for the first time in over four decades, Dr. Jacob reflects on what this moment means for the field. The conference, themed "Together We Thrive: Health Across the Lifespan," arrives at a time when the public health community needs connection, advocacy, and inspiration more than ever.
About Our Guest
About Claude A. Jacob, DrPH, MPH
Dr. Claude A. Jacob has over two decades of administrative experience in public health. Since July 2021, he has served as the Public Health Director of the City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health), a department serving 2.1 million residents in Southwest Texas. In this role, Dr. Jacob directs more than 50 programs and initiatives across the department's programmatic and operational divisions.
In April 2022, he spearheaded the launch of SA Forward, a multi-year plan addressing priority areas and social conditions affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Departmental milestones under his leadership include the establishment of Metro Health's Office of Mental Health and Community Resilience and the Policy and Civic Engagement Office. In November 2025, Metro Health achieved national reaccreditation as recognized by the Public Health Accreditation Board.
Dr. Jacob's previous roles include Chief Public Health Officer for the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts; Deputy Director at the Illinois Department of Public Health; and Bureau Chief at the Baltimore City Health Department. He earned his Doctorate in Public Health from the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health and his Master of Public Health from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health.
Listen To This Episode Of The Public Health Epidemiology Conversations (PHEC) Podcast
Conversation Highlights
Cross-sector collaboration must be built by design, not by default.
Dr. Jacob emphasizes that meaningful partnerships across public safety, healthcare, faith communities, and academia are baked into Metro Health's operational strategy, not added on as an afterthought.
Local health departments are navigating unprecedented disruption.
Across nearly 3,000 local health departments in the United States, the rescission and instability of categorical funding is forcing leaders to reprioritize, reallocate resources, and depend more heavily on community partners.
Communicating public health value in plain language is one of the field's most urgent needs.
Both Dr. Jacob and Dr. Huntley agree that helping everyday people understand what public health does, and why it matters, is essential to building advocacy, political will, and long-term investment.
Achieving national reaccreditation in a turbulent environment is a meaningful signal of organizational strength.
Metro Health's November 2025 reaccreditation demonstrates that high performance standards can be maintained even under significant strain.
The legacy of structural inequity continues to shape health outcomes.
Dr. Jacob connects the persistent patterns of disease burden across zip codes to long histories of divestment and structural racism, reminding listeners that addressing these drivers requires sustained, intentional policy attention.
Community health workers are a critical and often underinvested asset.
Investing in trusted community voices is one of the most practical strategies Metro Health has used to expand reach and impact during a period of constrained resources.
APHA Annual Meeting 2026 in San Antonio is a rallying moment for the field.
With the theme "Together We Thrive: Health Across the Lifespan" and the conference returning to Texas for the first time in over 40 years, this gathering arrives at a pivotal time for public health advocacy and community.
"We've got to do a better job making the case and telling our story about what public health is and what public health does." - Dr. Claude Jacob
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DrCHHuntley LLC is a public health consulting firm that specializes in epidemiology consulting, supporting large nonprofit organizations in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida that serve Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). We also provide nationwide public health consulting and epidemiology consulting support to BIPOC organizations across the United States.
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