Carlos Plasencia, MD, MSPH, was just 6 years old when he and his family left their native Cuba in the 1960s in search of a new life in the United States.
“You don’t know much at that age, but I just remember getting on a plane with my mom and the next thing I know we’re in the United States,” he said. “We obviously were fleeing a newly established dictatorship in Cuba, and I ended up growing up in Miami in Little Havana.”
At that age, Plasencia could not have imagined that he would go on to build a remarkable career in medicine and public health – one marked by service to vulnerable communities, innovative leadership, and a lifelong commitment to compassion. His path would take him from Cuba north to rural Alaska and ultimately to Texas, with roles ranging from U.S. Coast Guard flight surgeon, to staff physician for several medical clinics, to working in policy development under the Assistant Secretary of Health, to his most recent role as regional medical director for the Texas Department of States Health Services (DSHS) Region 6/5 South.
Plasencia’s calling to public service began long before medical school. In 1981, he took his first, and little-known, professional role as a secondary school science and math teacher in a remote Native Alaskan village of just 500 people, accessible only by ferry or seaplane. The experience sparked a deep commitment to serving those in need and charted the course for his future in medicine and public health.
“That experience provided me more than just direct teaching experience,” Plasencia said. “It allowed me to experience life in an isolated rural community with limited healthcare services. It also gave me the opportunity to observe first-hand the impact of serious social problems on a native community. Though challenging, I consider this to be the most important, formative experience of my life.”
For his lifelong dedication to public service and achievements in public health, Plasencia was honored with the Friends of TEPHI Award during the 2025 Texas Public Health Summit, “Lone Star Outlook: Infectious Disease Preparedness for 2050” on Sept. 25 at the Houston Marriott Medical Center hosted by the Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI).
“We chose Dr. Plasencia as the recipient of the Friends of TEPHI Award because of his remarkable dedication to the health of Texans,” TEPHI Deputy Director Janelle Rios said. “With a gentle and collaborative leadership style, he has a natural ability to bring people together to creatively promote public health initiatives. His contributions to TEPHI’s success have been enormous and his efforts have undoubtedly saved lives.”
In 1988, Plasencia graduated with a dual MD and MSPH degree from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, following in the footsteps of his grandfather and several family members who were physicians. From the beginning, he focused on serving vulnerable populations – particularly those with little access to quality healthcare.
“I grew up as a refugee in an inner-city and never really had a family doctor. We just took care of illnesses with home remedies,” he said. “Later it became pretty clear to me that there are people who don’t get healthcare, and when they do, it’s not always the best healthcare. I was taught early on as a child to show empathy and compassion to all people. That was drilled into me, and it’s the fiber of my being.”
After joining DSHS in 2017, Plasencia served as regional medical director of region 6/5 south until his retirement on June 30, 2025. In that role, he oversaw 14 programs, more than 100 employees, and a $7 million annual budget. He spearheaded regional public health activities and programs, including efforts in community health, immunizations, disaster preparedness, and communicable disease control, as well as led DSHS COVID-19 response efforts across the region.
“I think the greatest impact you have (as regional medical director) is to set the culture, and that was an opportunity for me to really emphasize a culture of service and trust,” he said. “So whether we were serving people in rural areas or our peers at local health departments, we always tried to focus on serving their needs, making sure we understood what they needed and provided what they needed. I’m also happy to have worked with such an incredible team of 100 to 150 public health professionals.”
Over the span of more than 35 years, Plasencia made a far-reaching impact – improving the health and well-being of vulnerable communities while also serving others in public service. As a U.S. Public Health Service captain with the U.S. Coast Guard in Puerto Rico, he provided care for US Coast Guard pilots, military personnel, and their families. After retiring from uniformed service, he served veterans as a primary care physician at VA outpatient clinics in Katy and McAllen, Texas, and Jacksonville, Florida, then supported community health as a physician with Harris County Public Health.
During the summit, Plasencia joined the panel discussion on “Trust,” offering his reflections on how the sector can collaborate with communities to rebuild trust in public health. He believes that TEPHI fills a significant role in preparing Texas communities for future public health emergencies.
“We have a public health infrastructure in Texas, and TEPHI really helps strengthen that infrastructure,” he said. “TEPHI is working behind the scenes to make sure there's adequate training, and that information is being shared with partners, and they help bring different entities together to discuss vital issues. This public health summit is about what the first 25 years of this century were like, and what’s coming in the next 25 years as we have enormous challenges. I’m thankful that TEPHI is here to help provide that support that the infrastructure needs to face and overcome those challenges.”
When accepting the Friends of TEPHI Award, Plasencia also offered heartfelt words of encouragement to today’s public health professionals. He urged them not to give up in the face of adversity but to “stand strong,” reminding them that their work is vital even when progress feels slow or obstacles seem overwhelming.
His own career—spanning classrooms in Alaska, military bases in Puerto Rico, clinics across Texas, and leadership at the state level—serves as a beacon for the next generation of public health leaders. Plasencia’s story is a testament to the power of resilience, compassion, and unwavering service. As Texas looks toward the future of infectious disease preparedness and beyond, his example challenges others in the field to carry the torch forward, continuing the fight to protect and strengthen communities for decades to come.