It was announced Friday that Dr. Gretchen Shull, of Webb City, has been appointed by Gov. Mike Kehoe to the State Board of Education.
Dr. Shull is a board-certified endocrinologist and medical director of diabetes care practicing at Mercy Clinic in Joplin. She also serves as the president and chief executive officer of Contego Research, LLC, a ballistic research laboratory.
A passionate advocate for diabetes care and her patients, she has developed several programs with the aim of reducing barriers to care and reducing health care costs overall.
Shull earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Missouri Southern State University and her medical degree from the University of Missouri School of Medicine.
She was valedictorian of the Webb City High School Class of 1995. In 2020 she was inducted into the Webb City R-7 School District Hall of Fame.
During a question-and-answer session with candidates for School Board in 2021, Shull spoke about hiring and keeping good teachers, along with encouraging their professional development. She suggested more emphasis on understanding and promoting the health and wellness of children. And she said she would start STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) programs in younger grades and identify individual literacy.
Shull told that audience in 2021 that she and her husband, Jonathan, chose to return to Webb City “intentionally because of the public school system we believe in.” Yet, she pointed to the need to “correct what makes us nervous about competition” from private and charter schools.
Voters chose incumbents Lisa Reynolds and Jason Woodmansee, instead of Shull, during that election.
The state board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 21.
Dr. Gretchen Shull
Gretchen is a native to Webb City and has always loved this community. She gratuated as valedictorian and student athlete of WCHS in 1995. She stayed close her first four years of college, graduating summa cum laude from the MSSU Honors Program. After medical school at the University of Missouri-Columbia and an internal medicine residency followed by a a fellowship in endrocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at the University of Kansas, she returned home to serve her community.
She has been an endocrinologist, physician and doctor at Mercy Joplin for 12 years now and the vice president of diabetes care for Mercy’s entire ministry (spanning Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas) for three years. She is also the CEO and president of Contego Research Inc., a ballistics research lab. In 2020 she was inducted into the Webb City R-7 School District Hall of Fame.
Gretchen is married to Jonathan, also a Webb City graduate and current Webb City Council member. Their children are sixth generation Webb Citians.
She would be honored to use her experience and fresh perspective to help Webb City students, faculty and staff excel. For further information, please review her website at www.gretchenshull.com.