John Shelby serves the Missouri Immunization Coalition as Director of Communications. As an accomplished communicator, John works closely with the MIC’s Executive Director and Assistant Executive Director to coordinate communications efforts central to MIC’s mission of promoting immunizations, preventing disease, and protecting all Missourians.
Before joining the Missouri Immunization Coalition, John worked as a journalist for 23 years. He managed and led newsrooms from Washington State to New York State. John has successfully completed the Poynter Institutes Leadership for TV and Radio News Directors program. A program designed to challenge, mentor and develop newsroom leaders. The Poynter Institute is recognized as a “global leader in journalism.”
Subsequently, John worked as a communications director and legislative aide in the Missouri Senate. Most recently, he served as an adjunct professor at State Fair Community College, where he taught public speaking.
John graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications. He also holds a Master of Arts in Communications Management from Webster University.
Kelechi Onyeaka has been supporting disease-prevention strategies and policies for many years in different countries. Serving as a Public Health Educator for Missouri Immunization Coalition (MIC), he aids the organization’s efforts to reduce the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases by providing statewide training and programs that promote vaccine uptake. His efforts also include creating and distributing promotional and educational resources to support Local Public Health Agencies, Federally Qualified Health Agencies, small rural and critical access hospitals to encourage vaccination among diverse audiences.
Before joining MIC, Kelechi was a Fellow at the Community Health Center in Connecticut, where he worked on improving healthcare services to underserved populations. In addition, he has international experiences that enhance access to Human Immunodeficiency Virus services among the general and most-at-risk population in the Nigerian Public Health sector. One of his most rewarding career accomplishments is his contribution to improving access to routine immunization for children. This effort led Nigeria to be declared polio-free by the World Health Organization.
In addition to his work experiences, Kelechi has co-authored academic papers in peer-reviewed journals on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among African Americans and the role of health promotion programs in improving the wellbeing of African Americans in Mid-Missouri.
Kelechi holds a master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Missouri, Columbia where he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Health and Rehabilitation Science with emphasis on public health.
Berenice Derreza is the Administrative Coordinator at Missouri Immunization Coalition; she serves to increase productivity and efficiency within the coalition to ensure that operations are running smoothly. For the past 10 years, Berenice has been working in the public health sector, from direct patient contact care to indirect. In May of 2024, Berenice graduated from the University of Missouri College of Heath Sciences achieving a bachelor’s degree in public health whilst becoming a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®). Currently, she is a Master of Public Health Student with emphasis in Public Policy and the Public Health Reprehensive for the Graduate Professional Council. In the future, she hopes to pursue two more master’s degrees in public Affairs and Business Administration. Berenice aims to utilize her skills to create an equitable health landscape.
Bailey Burns serves as a Public Health Educator and Event Planner for Missouri Immunization Coalition. She graduated from Colgate University in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience and a minor in Global Public and Environmental Health. Previously, she has worked in the health sector providing direct patient care as well as serving as an Intern at the Mississippi County Health Department. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Policy and a Graduate Certificate in Epidemiology at the University of Missouri – Columbia. In the future, she hopes to attend medical school with the aim of utilizing her combination of skills to increase access to care in rural America in pursuit of achieving health equity.
Shae graduated from the University of Missouri with her BS in Environmental Science in 2021 with a strong interest in community health and racial justice. After working in a public facing role for a few years, she returned to the University of Missouri, where she is now in the second year of her Master of Public Health program with an emphasis in Health Promotion and Policy. This program has allowed her to further her interest in tackling health disparities and building happier, healthier communities and she is excited to be using these skills and passions at MIC.