Rachel Gartner is a southern Illinois native, born and raised in Mulkeytown, Illinois. She graduated from Christopher High School in 1999, Rend Lake College in 2002 and Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2004.
Rachel's first stint at WSIL was for 5 years, in the late 2000's, as senior reporter and fill-in anchor. Rachel returned to her news home in July of 2022, again as a multi-media journalist, primarily reporting on Franklin, Jefferson and Perry Counties.
Rachel has worked in several facets of media including news paper, radio, as an Associate Professor at SIUC in communications, and as a Public Information Director for the city of Benton. She especially enjoyed her time in graduate school at SIUC, as News Director for the student run news broadcast, River Region Evening Edition, when she helped lead them to national recognition.
Rachel's passionate about her community, about reporting and serving the public. Her commitment to her community is best shown through civic involvement; she sits on a number of organizations including the Benton/West City Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, a member of the Benton Rotary and a director for the Rend Lake Area Tourism Board.
In her free time, Rachel enjoys watching her son race go-carts, playing with her girls, the outdoors, going to the gym and taking advantage of every opportunity to go Jeepin'.
