The Indianapolis Business Journal has named Rachelle Gardner, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Hope Academy, as one of its 2025 Women of Influence.
The annual award honors women who have made a meaningful difference in their professions and communities through leadership, vision, and service.
For nearly two decades, Gardner has led Hope Academy with purpose and compassion, helping establish Indiana’s only recovery high school and one of just ten fully accredited recovery high schools in the nation. Since its founding in 2006, Hope Academy has served more than 800 students—providing a tuition-free education and daily recovery support for teens with substance use disorder.
Gardner began her career at Fairbanks Addiction Treatment Center, where she identified a critical gap in the continuum of care: students leaving treatment often struggled to maintain sobriety in traditional school settings. Her response was innovative and enduring—creating a new educational model that integrates academic and recovery support within a public charter school environment.
Under her leadership, Hope Academy continues to set a national standard in recovery education, achieving strong attendance, graduation, and post-secondary outcomes while serving students with complex needs. Gardner also contributes to the field nationally as a former board chair and current advisor to the Association of Recovery Schools, mentoring new school founders across the country.
Her recognition as a Woman of Influence reflects not only her professional achievements but also the countless lives changed through her vision and leadership at Hope Academy.
Read her featured article here. (photography by Chad Williams)
