Lynelle Phillips received her BSN in 1989 and spent several rewarding years as a cardiac intensive care nurse. She received her MPH from Emory University in 1992 with a specialty in environmental and occupational health. She went on to work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in several different capacities including Environmental Health Scientist for ATSDR, Nurse Consultant for the National Immunization Program, and Public Health Advisor for the Division of TB Elimination. She also worked at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) as a nurse consultant and CDC field assignee to (MDHSS) tuberculosis program. She has also served as a consultant for the Heartland National TB Center. During the course of her career she has had numerous publications in the area of tuberculosis prevention and control, infectious diseases, immunizations and environmental health. She is currently serving as faculty for the University of Missouri (MU) Sinclair School of Nursing and as faculty and Field Placement Coordinator for MU Masters of Public Health Program. Her teaching-related experience includes community health nursing, epidemiology, environmental health and vaccine-preventable diseases. She also leads the Study Abroad Program at the Sinclair School of Nursing and serves as faculty lead for the community health nursing study abroad trip to Cape Coast, Ghana.