Spring Schmidt serves as the CEO and President of the Missouri Public Health Institute, guiding the organization in its mission to strengthen Missouri’s public health system. She leads efforts to build capacity, reinforce infrastructure, and foster meaningful collaboration among local, regional, and statewide partners.
A former local public health administrator and long-time practitioner, Spring has a strong commitment to systems-level improvement. She represents the Institute in cross-sector partnerships, advisory groups, and statewide initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes and advancing community-centered public health approaches. She is particularly dedicated to connecting public health agencies, academic institutions, health systems, and community organizations to support sustainable, people-focused change. She has a master’s in public health from Saint Louis University and is a Doctoral Candidate in Educational Psychology, Research and Evaluation Methods at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her primary research interests are focused on community-based participatory research and governance.
Spring is located in St. Louis and spends her time with her family (including her two rescue dogs Frank and Precious) cooking, baking, and painting.
Community Engagement Statement
Community engagement is the heart of why we do research, why we create programs, why and how we understand the world. If we intend to see real change, then it is morally and practically imperative that we engage with the communities to understand, reflect, and collaborate on the plan.