Today we’d like to introduce you to Shay McNeal.
Hi Shay, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Some stories inspire because of where they begin, and others, because of how they grow. For Kansas City native Shay McNeal, it’s both. Born and raised in the heart of the Midwest to Keith and Litonya Jones as the youngest of three children and the only girl, Shay grew up surrounded by love, perseverance, and the quiet understanding that life’s toughest moments often shape the strongest people. She often praises her brothers, D’Juan and Keith, for making her tough as nails.
At just fifteen years old, Shay became a mother; a turning point that could have closed doors but instead lit a fire. “It was never easy,” she often reflects, “but it gave me purpose. It taught me to fight for something bigger than myself and that there is and will always be someone there watching me, so I have to be proud of the choices he sees” Her early experience with responsibility and sacrifice would become the foundation of a remarkable career built on compassion, service, and grit.
After high school, Shay pursued her passion for science and healing, earning her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science and Chemistry from Southeast Missouri State University. Her curiosity and dedication earned her recognition as a standout researcher and scholar, but what mattered most to Shay was the opportunity to open doors for others. She went on to complete her nursing and advanced practice degrees in Kansas City, earning her Master of Science in Nursing and Nurse Practitioner credentials from Rockhurst University and Research College of Nursing.
Over the past 15 years, Shay has built an impressive career spanning emergency medicine, urgent care, inpatient hospital medicine, long-term care, geriatrics, mental health and addiction treatment. Today, she serves as Medical Director at Midwest Recovery Centers, where she leads with empathy, integrity, and vision. Under her leadership, MRC has become a model of whole-person care; combining medical and scientific excellence with human connection for those navigating addiction, trauma, mental illness and recovery. Shay’s work extends far beyond the clinic walls; she’s also a member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the Clinical TMS Society, and serves on multiple advisory boards dedicated to improving care for individuals with substance use and mental health disorders.
But for Shay, her proudest title isn’t “Director”… it’s “Mom.” Together with her husband, Dillard, she cherishes a big, blended family that keeps life full of joy and meaning. Her family includes Autumn (27), Dillard II (25), Tyler (24), Brayden (18), Avery (3), and Carter (11 months). She’s also a proud grandmother to Wynter (7 months) and already excitedly awaiting her second granddaughter on the way. “Family is everything to me,” Shay says. “They are my reason for all of it… the education, the late nights, the long shifts, the dreams.”
Outside of medicine, Shay lives life with energy and curiosity. She’s a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, continuing her lifelong commitment to community service and empowerment. She’s passionate about traveling the world and she’s currently learning French in preparation for her dream of one day living abroad. When she’s not studying verbs or booking her next trip, she can be found at enjoying a good movie on the couch with her hubby, in the backyard playing with her kiddos, trying to convince her mother to go shopping for another pair of heels, or catching up with her lifelong group of her best girlfriends, who she also considers family.
Shay’s story is one of transformation, from humble beginnings and teenage motherhood to respected leadership and community impact. She’s proof that where you start doesn’t determine where you finish, but courage, compassion, and conviction can take you anywhere. In her own words: “I’ve lived enough life to know that purpose always finds a way. Every challenge I faced became a piece of the woman I was meant to become.”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Shay’s journey hasn’t been an easy one. Born into an impoverished family in Kansas City, she learned early what it meant to go without, but also what it meant to fight forward. At just 15 years old, she became a mother, balancing the demands of school, work, and parenting long before most teenagers even think about adulthood.
Through faith, perseverance, and sheer determination, she built her life step by step. From long nights studying while her baby slept, to working her way through college and graduate school.
Today, Shay stands in a role rarely held by Nurse Practitioners- serving as Medical Director of Midwest Recovery Centers, where she not only leads a multidisciplinary medical team but also created the entire medical program from the ground up. Balancing this leadership role with her responsibilities as a wife, mother of six, and grandmother, she has turned every obstacle into a source of strength.
Her story is a living example that circumstances don’t define destiny, perseverance, purpose, and passion do.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At my core, I’m a healer and a builder. As a Nurse Practitioner and Medical Director at Midwest Recovery Centers, I oversee a dynamic program focused on whole-person, integrative care blending Eastern modalities with Western medicine to treat not just symptoms, but the person behind them.
My passion lies in helping individuals rebuild their lives through evidence-based treatment, compassion, and balance. I’m proud to have designed and developed a medical program and shaping it into something I can stand behind and something I’d confidently recommend to my own loved ones.
What sets me apart is my belief that medicine is both science and soul. Whether through mindfulness, holistic health principles, or advanced medical interventions, my goal is to create a space where healing feels human again. In addition people need to see the person behind the white coat, behind the prescription pad and know that you are in it for the right reason, and specifically in it for THEM. I give that passion, honesty and care to each of my patients.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://midwestrecoverycenters.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestrecoverycenters/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shay-jones-mcneal-2b8a9013
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/mZ8cC4OMCpE
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@shaythehealthcarebae
