20 Under 40: Derik Flerlage
As Infectious Disease Division Manager for the Shawnee County Health Department, Derik has certainly overcome many obstacles and challenges in the last year and a half. Derik helps oversee operations of the County Health Department in tandem with the incident command team concerning COVID-19 response.
As Deputy Chief of COVID-19 Operations, he works side by side with the health officer to ensure proper data evaluation and management as well as implementing mitigation strategies and other techniques to dampen the spread of infectious disease in Shawnee County.
He has worked to ensure safety for our most vulnerable in our long-term care community, health care systems, schools and beyond. His tireless work doesn’t just stop with theCOVID-19 response. He serves on Heartland Healthy Neighborhoods, Communities of Care and the Shawnee County Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to help mobilize community engagement to take action on health priorities to promote health and wellness for everyone in Shawnee County
What led you to this career?
I was lucky to spend many years in the hospital setting, first as a phlebotomist and then as a registered respiratory therapist. I will attribute this to acclimatizing me to high-stress situations. Whether it was managing someone’s breathing in the emergency room or neonatal ICU, or when a trauma was brought in, I learned from some of the best in these settings. As COVID-19 began to ramp up, I was working in the nursing home setting to implement strategies to protect our residents and staff. I felt called to public service and wanted to offer any help that I could. It was then that I joined the health department.
What has challenged you?
Professionally, it was the creation of the Infectious Disease Division in the middle of a pandemic. As I joined the health department and while trying to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, I was also developing and structuring a brand new division. This included the hiring of staff; determining who reports to who, who manages and does what; establishing how we are funded; etc. It taught me a great deal about communication with others. I wanted to surround myself with greatness and experience to assist me in directing this new division together. There was/is no room for egos.
How do you make a bad day good?
I am inherently optimistic. Like...SUPER optimistic. I try to always see the positive side of things and keep a cool and calm attitude when things aren’t going right. I really enjoy the readings/teachings of Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus and “Stoicism.” Essentially, I only have control over what I have control over. I always try to be a bright bulb in a dim room. In fact, I don’t think I can go to one meeting without trying to get everyone to smile in some manner
