Dr. Jennifer Ivory-Tatum has served as Superintendent of Urbana School District #116 since May 2019. She brings 34 years of experience in education, with the majority of her career dedicated to serving students and families in the Urbana-Champaign community. Dr. Ivory-Tatum is an alumna of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, a Master of Arts in Special Education, and a Doctorate in Education and Organizational Leadership.
A native of Chicago, Dr. Ivory-Tatum joined Urbana School District #116 in 2005 as principal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School. Prior to that, she served as a classroom teacher, special educator, and instructional specialist in Chicago Public Schools, surrounding suburban districts, and Champaign schools. She led King Elementary for eight years before being appointed Deputy Superintendent in 2013. In 2017, she expanded her leadership experience by serving as Assistant Superintendent in Champaign Unit 4 Schools for two years before returning to Urbana as Superintendent.
Throughout her career, Dr. Ivory-Tatum has remained deeply committed to equity, diversity, and the development of future leaders. Her work focuses on closing opportunity gaps, fostering innovation, and creating positive, inclusive school experiences for students, staff, and families. Under her leadership, the district has achieved several significant milestones, including the opening of Tiger Academy, the district’s first Alternative Education Program; the implementation of the Board of Education Student Ambassador Program; and a comprehensive elementary redistricting initiative that led to the creation of the district’s first elementary multilingual school and a sixth-grade center.
Dr. Ivory-Tatum is married to Bryant, a minister and educator. Together, they are the proud parents of two Urbana School District alumni: Bryson, a graduate of Miami University (Ohio), and Jordan, a senior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.