Mayor Scott Appoints Dr. Michelle Taylor as commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department

BALTIMORE, MD (Friday, May 30, 2025) – Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced the appointment of Dr. Michelle Taylor as Commissioner for the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD), starting August 4, 2025. Her leadership will play a crucial role in shaping the health policies and initiatives that will benefit all residents within the City of Baltimore. Together with BCHD’s existing team of public health providers, Dr. Taylor will work diligently to address health inequities and disparities, and promote wellness opportunities for residents citywide.

“Dr. Taylor is a world-class leader, and I’m grateful that she’s bringing her talents and experience to Baltimore,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “She shares my commitment to expanding affordable health  resources in every single neighborhood of our city. And in the coming months and years, she’ll oversee our historic efforts to tackle the opioid crisis, expand physical and mental health resources, and ensure all Baltimoreans have access to the quality care they deserve.”

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Taylor most recently served as the Shelby County Division Director for Health Services. In this role, Dr. Taylor led the operations of the Shelby County Health Department, which is responsible for the delivery of public health services, enforcement of applicable health codes and ordinances of Shelby County and applicable regulations of the Tennessee Department of Health.

In addition to her public health leadership at the county level, Dr. Taylor serves as Colonel, and Residency-Trained Flight Surgeon in the Tennessee Air National Guard. Dr. Taylor also served on Active Duty for Operational Support and Statutory tours as the Credentialing and Privileging Branch Chief and the Division Chief for Aerospace Medicine in the Office of the Air National Guard Surgeon General, from 2019 to 2021.

Dr. Taylor is a dedicated public servant who has utilized her expertise and experience to support the health and safety of each community she has served. As Baltimore City Health Commissioner, Dr. Taylor will continue to uphold the Baltimore City Health Department’s mission to protect health, eliminate disparities, and enhance the wellbeing of the residents of Baltimore City through education, coordination, advocacy, and direct service delivery. 

“I called Baltimore City home for the first two years of my graduate studies at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and today, I am delighted to announce my return home to serve the Baltimore City community and uphold the Baltimore City Health Department’s (BCHD) unwavering vision

for an equitable, just, and well Baltimore where everyone has the opportunity to be healthy and to thrive,” said Dr. Michelle Taylor. “I am excited to work with the BCHD team to expand public health services for all Baltimoreans through innovative programs, policies, and partnerships, all while aligning with Mayor Scott’s goals for a healthier Baltimore.”

Dr. Taylor will oversee a wide portfolio to ensure the City’s health, managing issues from the spread of controllable diseases, informing residents of chronic disease prevention and treatment, management of the City’s animal control services, and providing services to youth and seniors. Furthermore, Dr. Taylor will play a crucial role in the City’s response to the opioid overdose epidemic, implementing the Health Department’s aggressive strategy to prevent overdose deaths.

Dr. Taylor received her Doctorate in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health as a C. Sylvia and Eddie C. Brown Community Health Scholar. Dr. Taylor received her undergraduate degree from Howard University, her medical degree from East Tennessee State University, James H. Quillen College of Medicine, and completed her pediatric residency at East Tennessee State University/Johnson City Medical Center and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She holds a master’s degree in Epidemiology from the University of Tennessee, and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she was a Commonwealth Fund Mongan Fellow. 

Baltimore welcomes Dr. Taylor, her family, expertise, and talents to Charm City.

About the Baltimore City Health Department 

The Baltimore City Health Department is the local public health authority responsible for protecting health, reducing disparities, and improving community well-being through education, coordination, advocacy, and direct services. It also enforces City ordinances related to public health. The department’s responsibilities include managing acute communicable diseases, animal control, chronic disease prevention, emergency preparedness, HIV/STD care, maternal and child health, restaurant inspections, school health, senior services, and addressing youth violence. In partnership with other city agencies, healthcare providers, community organizations, and funders, the Health Department works to empower residents with the knowledge, resources, and environment needed to live healthy lives. 

SOURCE: Baltimore Mayor’s Office