Celebrating Excellence: Megan Endres, AdventHealth Shawnee Mission Outstanding Team Member

When Megan Endres, LCSW, was a freshman in college, her life took a tragic turn.

“My older brother Mason was killed by a drunk driver, leaving me devastated,” said Endres. “My mom encouraged me to see a therapist to cope with my grief, and it was a tremendous help. The therapist, a social worker, opened my eyes to a new career path.”

Inspired by her therapist at the time, Endres returned to college and switched her major to social work. Within a few years, she began working at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission as a therapist. It is in this work of helping individuals struggling with addiction and getting them on their recovery journeys that has brought full-circle healing in her life.

“God used the brokenness I experienced in missing my brother to lead me on this journey, and I know Mason would be so proud of the work I am doing now,” said Endres.

Megan Endres was the recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Team Member Award for AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, a crowning achievement for her years of dedication to service within the Behavioral Health Assessment Center (BHAC).

“For the past 15 years, I have been blessed to work shoulder to shoulder with the most incredible behavioral health colleagues, nurses, doctors, technicians, and other professionals serving patients and families,” said Endres. “I love my coworkers and am grateful to be a part of such an amazing team.”

Working in BHAC comes with its own unique set of challenges, including high patient acuity, high volume, and complex needs. Despite these demands, Endres approaches every situation with grace, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to care.

She treats each patient with kindness, dignity, and respect, earning consistent recognition from colleagues, emergency department providers, and community partners like Johnson County Mental Health. Her clinical expertise is matched by her ability to provide reassurance and trust to her team, making her presence a source of relief and confidence.

“One of the best days I've had at work was during a night shift in the ER as a behavioral therapist,” said Enders. “I recall one patient who shared with me that she was on the verge of taking her life but came to the ER for help instead. With tears in her eyes, she told me she had felt incredibly alone in her struggle, but after meeting with me, she felt hopeful about her mental health for the first time ever. She asked me to pray with her, and it was a very sacred moment that reminded me how meaningful our work is at AdventHealth.”

Beyond her professional skills, she is a natural encourager, mentor, and coach, leading by example with humility and a deep sense of purpose. Her excellence is not just about what she does, but who she is.

Another major turning point in her life occurred on the morning of September 11, 2001.

“I was a freshman at KU, struggling with fear and anxiety on the morning of the 9/11 attacks,” said Endres. “My friend Mary shared with me the hope and assurance of receiving Jesus Christ into my heart, and I became a Christian that morning amidst the chaos and uncertainty of that tragic moment.”

Since that day, Endres has experienced the love and kindness of God, which has reshaped the core of who she is as well as her goals and dreams.

“Twenty-four years later, I am convinced that everything good and right in my life is because of Jesus working in and through me by the grace of God.”

Outside of work, Endres is devoted to her family including her No. 1 favorite human being, her husband, Wes, and their three children aged nine to 15.

“One fun fact about me is that I grew up as a farm kid in north-central Kansas and had both my tractor safety and hunter safety licenses before I could legally drive,” said Endres. “My parents still live on their farm, and I love visiting with my husband and kids to experience the country life.”