Dr. Iris A.
Taylor
DPSCD Foundation
- Board of Directors, 2021 to 2026
- Board Chair, 2024 to 2026
- Elected Member, DPSCD Board of Education
- Central High School Alumna
Dear Detroit
It is with profound sadness that the DPSCD Foundation mourns the passing of our beloved Board Chair, Dr. Iris A. Taylor.
Since joining the Foundation’s Board of Directors in 2021 and serving as Board Chair since 2024, Dr. Taylor helped shape the Foundation through a period of unprecedented growth, partnership, and impact. She was not only a leader; she was a trusted advisor, a passionate advocate, and an unwavering believer in the limitless potential of Detroit’s students.
A proud graduate of Detroit’s Central High School, Dr. Taylor never forgot the community that helped shape her. As an elected member of the Detroit Public Schools Community District Board of Education and Chair of the DPSCD Foundation Board, she dedicated her leadership to ensuring future generations of students would have access to the same opportunities that transformed her own life.
Dr. Taylor believed education was the foundation upon which strong communities are built. She challenged us to think boldly, invest strategically, and remain steadfast in our commitment to students and families. Drawing upon her distinguished career in healthcare, she was a driving force behind the District and the Foundation’s Health Hubs initiative, helping shape the strategy, cultivate partnerships, and aided in securing investments that expanded access to essential health, wellness, and basic needs resources for students and families. She understood that addressing the social determinants of health and supporting the whole child were essential to student success.
Her impact extended far beyond any single initiative. Dr. Taylor brought wisdom, integrity, and an extraordinary sense of purpose to every conversation and every decision. She never allowed us to lose sight of who we were ultimately serving. Every discussion around the board table came back to one question: How will this create greater opportunity for Detroit’s children?
Dr. Taylor was one of Detroit’s most respected civic leaders, helping strengthen partnerships across education, healthcare, philanthropy, government, and the business community to move our city forward. She understood that lasting change happens when people come together around a shared vision, and throughout her career she helped build the relationships, alignment, and momentum that made meaningful progress possible.
A lifelong Detroiter, Dr. Taylor devoted her distinguished career to improving the lives of others through healthcare, education, and public service. Her leadership included executive roles at the Detroit Medical Center, the Detroit Health Department, and Wayne State University, as well as service on numerous civic and nonprofit boards. She earned her bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from Wayne State University and was recently recognized with the University’s Distinguished Alumni Award, one of the institution’s highest honors.
While Dr. Taylor’s accomplishments were extraordinary, they tell only part of her story. Those who had the privilege of serving alongside her will remember her thoughtful leadership, her quiet strength, her unwavering love for the city of Detroit, and her steadfast belief in its young people. She inspired those around her to lead with purpose, serve with humility, and never lose sight of the profound responsibility we share to create opportunity for the next generation.
On behalf of the DPSCD Foundation Board of Directors and staff, we extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Taylor’s family, friends, colleagues, and all whose lives were touched by her extraordinary leadership and service.
We will honor Dr. Taylor’s legacy by carrying forward the work she believed in so deeply: ensuring every Detroit student has the opportunity to learn, thrive, and succeed. Her vision will continue to guide our Foundation, and her impact will be felt for generations to come.
Detroit, in every chapter
Education
- Graduate of Detroit’s Central High School
- Bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from Wayne State University
- Recipient of Wayne State University’s Distinguished Alumni Award
Leadership
- Executive roles at the Detroit Medical Center
- Executive roles at the Detroit Health Department
- Executive roles at Wayne State University
- Service on numerous civic and nonprofit boards
Impact on our students
- Driving force behind the Health Hubs initiative
- Champion of High School Redesign
- Helped return Davis Aerospace Technical High School to Detroit City Airport
