Email: rachellegardner@hopeacademyrhs.org
For over two decades, Rachelle Gardner has led Hope Academy with purpose and compassion, helping establish Indiana’s only recovery high school and one the first 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.
Rachelle began her career at Fairbanks Recovery 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. Rachelle 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.
Rachelle has received several awards for her compassion, advocacy, and leadership with the most recent being the 2025 Women of Influence Award from the Indianapolis Business Journal.