Doris Turner has been involved in service to the Springfield community for over thirty years.  As a life long resident of the Springfield community, she has worked diligently to make a positive impact throughout her community.

Doris has a strong passion for the political process, and has been involved in a number of national, state, and local initiatives and political campaigns.   In 2000, she was elected to her first term as a member of the Sangamon County Board to represent County Board District #19, and has been re-elected twice by huge margins.   As a member of the County Board, she sits on the Finance Committee, Building & Grounds Committee, Community Resources Committee, Jail Committee, Court Services Committee, Liquor Committee, Public Health Facility Committee and the Health Insurance Board of Managers.  She was also very involved in the merger of the City of Springfield and Sangamon County Health Departments and served on oversight committees related to the merger and the consolidation of staff and programs.  During her second term she was elected Democratic Floor Leader, a position she continues to hold.  Doris believes very strongly in encouraging and supporting other African American women to aspire to elective office. 

Ms. Turner represents Precinct #119 as a Precinct Committee person, is a member of the Sangamon County Democratic Minority Caucus, First Vice-Chairman of the Sangamon County Democratic Party, President of Central Illinois Democratic Women, 17th Congressional District Service Academy Nominating Committee, and was an elected delegate to the Democrat National Nominating Convention in 1996, 2000 and 2008.  She was honored by the Order of the Elks in 2004, honored as Woman of the Year in 2005 by the Sangamon County Northend Democrat Club, the Springfield Branch NAACP awarded her their NAACP Political Action Award in 2006, and she was recognized by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at their Regional Conference in 2007.

Doris is employed by the Illinois Department of Public Health where she is the Chief of the Center for Minority Health Services.  In this capacity she is responsible for planning, developing, coordinating and implementing agency programs and policies to improve the health status of Illinois minorities and to expand and enhance the relationships between the Department and minority community health organizations, minority grantees, minority health care providers, legislative minority groups and minority interest groups. 

She is also a member of the Voices for Illinois Children Springfield Leadership Team, Memorial Medical Center Parent University Newsletter Editorial Board, past Chair of the Board of Directors of the Springfield Community Federation, and past Vice Chair of the Springfield Urban League Board of Directors.  She is a member of Grace United Methodist Church.

Updated 5/15/09