Media contact:
Daniel Waxler
Missouri Foundation for Health
(314) 345-5580
dwaxler@mffh.org
Missouri Foundation for Health Announces First-Ever Content Creator Fellows
Eight Creators Will Receive Support to Deepen Their Impact and Engage Audiences on What Shapes Health
ST. LOUIS, MO (October 20, 2026) – Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) has announced its first-ever class of Creator Fellows. Selected from nearly 200 applicants, each of the eight creators will be part of a six-month paid fellowship with expert training to sharpen their knowledge about what shapes health and well-being. This community of creators, hailing from all corners of the state, will share what they learn with their audiences about what it takes to build a healthy, thriving Missouri.
“What an incredible and varied group of creators we’re bringing to the table,” said Dr. Dwayne Proctor, President and CEO of MFH. “They have so much to learn from each other, and we have so much to learn from them too. I can’t wait to see them grow and collaborate as the fellowship moves forward.”
The Creator Fellows are:
Donte Bernard
@donte_bernard
Columbia, MO
Dr. Donte Bernard is a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri. He uses his platform to help people understand the real mental health impacts of racism-related stress and trauma.
Wesley Hamilton
@iamweshamilton
Kansas City
A creator, entrepreneur, and disability advocate, Wesley uses his platform to show the world what accessibility really looks like at home in Missouri and everywhere he travels. In addition to shedding light on the everyday reality of navigating a world not built for him, he also wants to expand more into food and transportation issues.
Sara Hellwege
@civilian_stl
St. Louis
Sara created “Civilian STL” to help Missourians feel closer to the issues shaping their lives and their health. Through explainers, resource guides, and strong community partnerships, she makes policy personal, practical, and impossible to ignore.
Alexia Jones
@softspokenconvos
Charleston, MO
Through “Soft Spoken Convos,” Alexia opens up real, unfiltered conversations about mental health, small-town life, race and identity, and financial wellness. Her platform creates a place where people who don’t usually get the microphone finally get to tell their own stories.
Malik Lendell
@bikenetstl
St. Louis
A lifelong resident of the St. Louis area who gets around without a personal vehicle, Malik is passionate about addressing transportation issues. Through “BikeNetSTL,” he advocates for improvements to cycling infrastructure and public transit.
Stephanie Morris
Boom Roasted Podcast
Hannibal, MO
In her podcast, “Boom Roasted with Stephanie”, she opens up honest conversations with people from her rural community, encouraging listeners to “roast their excuses,” take action, give back, and do something amazing for the place they call home.
Kayla “KVtheWriter” Thompson
@kvthewriter
St. Louis
KV is an artist and social justice advocate from St. Louis. As a fellow, she’ll use her music and storytelling skills to help people better understand health equity and trauma, all while building stronger pathways to resources and well-being for the people who need them most.
Will Westmoreland
@westmoreland_pops
Osceola, MO
Founder of “The Back Forty” and Executive Director of Back Forty Action, Will brings a genuine voice rooted in rural Southwest Missouri. Through his platform, he fights for better rural health care and champions solutions facing farm families.
