Nicole Gastala, MD

Dr. Nicole Gastala is a nationally recognized leader in addiction medicine whose work centers on integrating evidence-based substance use disorder treatment into primary care and public health systems. Board certified in addiction medicine and family medicine, she has led addiction and behavioral health programs at Federally Qualified Health Centers and currently serves as Medical Director for the Illinois Department of Human Services Substance Use Prevention and Recovery Division.

Dr. Gastala has advanced access to medications for opioid use disorder through program development, policy leadership, workforce training, and community-based research. Her scholarship, grant leadership, and national teaching emphasize health equity, harm reduction, and sustainable addiction treatment models for underserved populations.