The Sangamon County Mental Health Board has selected Tatyana Y. Gardner, DrPH, MPH, CHES ®, an experienced public health leader and Springfield native, to serve as the board’s first executive director.
Gardner currently serves as Director of Health Initiatives for the Springfield Urban League, where she oversees a broad portfolio of community health programs, grant-funded initiatives, budgets and partnerships.
During her tenure, she has helped significantly expand the organization’s health initiatives, growing its staff, programs and grant portfolio while developing systems for fiscal oversight, performance measurement and program evaluation.
The Board selected Gardner following a competitive search that attracted 11 applicants.
“This was an incredibly strong pool of candidates. We are grateful to everyone who expressed an interest in helping build this new organization,” said Steve Nardulli, SCMHB Chair. “Dr. Gardner stood out not only because of her professional experience, but because of her passion for this community and her understanding of what has brought our community to this point. She came to the interview having studied the Massey Commission report, the Mental Health Commission’s recommendations and the needs that led to the creation of this board. She understands we have an opportunity and a responsibility to build something that will have a lasting positive impact on Sangamon County.”
A lifelong Springfield resident who grew up on the city’s east side, Gardner has developed relationships with community organizations, health care providers, public agencies and residents throughout Springfield and Sangamon County.
She earned her Doctor of Public Health from Mercer University in 2026. She received a Master of Public Health from Mercer University and a Bachelor of Science in Health Science from the University of Missouri.
In her current position with the Springfield Urban League, Gardner provides leadership across initiatives addressing behavioral health, substance use prevention, mobile health, maternal and child health, disease prevention, health coverage navigation and other community health priorities. Her work includes managing grants and budgets as well as partnering with and supporting community-based organizations.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as the first executive director of the Sangamon County Mental Health Board,” Gardner said. “This is an extraordinary opportunity to build a strong, accountable organization that listens to our community, invests public resources wisely and works collaboratively to improve behavioral health outcomes throughout Sangamon County. Having grown up here and building my career serving this community, this work is deeply meaningful to me.”
Gardner said during the interview process that her approach to grant administration and program development is data-driven, with an emphasis on measurable outcomes, fiscal responsibility and ensuring resources are directed where they can make the greatest impact.
She is active in a number of professional and community organizations. She serves as Director of Grants and Program Planning for the MeTime Foundation and is a member of the American Public Health Association, Illinois Public Health Association, Illinois Tobacco Quitline Taskforce, Medicare Medicaid Alignment Initiative Member Advisory Council, Illinois Prairie Diabetes Alliance and Illinois Birth Justice Coordinating Committee. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
In a statement, the board said her appointment represents a major milestone as the panel continues building the organizational foundation necessary to carry out its mission.
The SCMHB also approved Anthony Schuering of Brown, Hay & Stephens, LLP to provide legal counsel and approved the continuation of its agreement with KIND Consulting, LLC to provide administrative and organizational support during Gardner’s transition and the Board’s continued development.
“For the first few months for the new SCMHB, much of our work has necessarily been focused on constructing the administrative foundation for issuing, administering, monitoring and evaluating mental health programs to serve our community,” Nardulli added. “Hiring our first executive director is a significant step forward. We are excited to have Dr. Gardner leading this next phase as we move from building the organization toward the important work of investing in services and strengthening the mental health system for the people of Sangamon County.”
Gardner will begin her new role October 12, 2026.