Neighbors Jenny Carnes and Dr. Elizabeth Bowhay-Carnes

 

A Family that Plays Together Stays Together:
Jenny Carnes and Dr. Elizabeth Bowhay-Carnes

By Elizabeth Bobbitt | Photography by Matthew Gaskins

 

When Jenny Carnes, President and CEO of San Antonio Sports, moved from Uvalde to San Antonio to attend the University of the Incarnate Word in 1995, she came straight to 78209, and she never left. Since then, Jenny and her wife, hematology oncologist Elizabeth Bowhay-Carnes, have united their passion for health and fitness to serve the wider San Antonio area. Now, alongside their daughters, Evie and Kate, Jenny and Elizabeth have built a family that thrives on teamwork and community spirit.

 

“I came to UIW to get my degree in Business Administration with a specialization in Sports Management. Once I arrived in 78209, I never wanted to leave,” Jenny says.

 

Jenny was awarded a scholarship to play basketball at UIW, where she was an All-American for the university’s nationally-ranked team. In 2005, she was inducted into the UIW Athletic Hall of Fame, and she currently sits on the university’s Board of Trustees.

 

“Jenny got here first, and she’s been here 31 years,” Elizabeth says. “I came to San Antonio from El Paso in 2006 to go to medical school at the University of Texas at San Antonio. I’ve been with UT Health since I came for training – I got here as soon as I could.”

 

The 78209 community brought Jenny and Elizabeth together.

 

“We met at a backyard barbecue in Alamo Heights on Labor Day weekend soon after I started medical school,” Elizabeth says. “We met the old-fashioned way. Jenny and I were introduced to each other by mutual friends, and we hit it off.”

 

As long as Jenny and Elizabeth have been together, their Northwood neighborhood has been a constant in the fabric of their family life.

 

“We’ve been in Northwood since I finished school,” Jenny says. “First we had a house on Burnside, and then we lived on Oakleaf for about ten years.”

 

“We really didn’t move very far. We didn’t want to leave the neighborhood,” Elizabeth says.

 

Their current home rests on a wide, leafy cul-de-sac, where Evie, a freshman on the Alamo Heights High School volleyball team, and Kate, a fourth-grade basketball player at St. Luke’s Episcopal School, have plenty of room to play.

 

“I’ve always loved this area,” Jenny says. “Growing up in a small town like Uvalde, I really value the neighborhood feel of Northwood. It is a little ‘bubble’ in the city,” Jenny says.

 

 

The Mind-Body Connection

 

Since taking over the leadership at San Antonio Sports in 2023, Jenny has been instrumental in transforming the landscape of local sports and putting San Antonio on the map as a sports tourism destination.

 

“Our mission is to use sports to transform our community by making it a healthier place to live. We create new spaces for our kids to play, and we aim to bring free major sporting events, classes, and health screenings to our city,” Jenny says.

 

She spearheaded efforts to bring the NCAA Men’s Final Four Championships to San Antonio in 2025, and, inspired by the success of San Antonio Sports’ 5K runs and their youth sports training program that reaches 56 Title I school districts, Jenny oversaw the inaugural San Antonio Marathon last December. It was a resounding success, with over 18,600 participants.

 

“We felt it was time for a signature marathon for San Antonio, made by San Antonio, and we wanted to showcase the beautiful neighborhoods of our city, like Alamo Heights. We are gearing up for our second marathon this December,” Jenny says.

 

Through her work as a physician, Elizabeth shares Jenny’s passion for promoting the link between a healthy body and emotional well-being.

 

“A huge part of cancer care is cancer prevention. Roughly 40% of all cancers are lifestyle related, so we really want to promote access to community organizations that support cardiovascular fitness and nutrition,” Elizabeth says. 

 

When the girls are out of the classroom, Jenny and Elizabeth are happiest when they are being active with Evie and Kate. Whether they are running a 5K as a family or supporting their daughters at their games, one thing is clear: Jenny and Elizabeth are proud to live in 78209.

 

“On the day of the marathon, it was our own Alamo Heights neighbors who came out in the biggest numbers to cheer us on. The streets were packed!” Jenny says.