Leadership and Staff

Leah Laffey

CEO

Leah brings more than 25 years of healthcare management experience to HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Sewickley. Leah’s management experience includes acute care hospitals, acute inpatient rehabilitation, long-term acute care and hospital operations both in Pittsburgh and New Castle. Leah has held a number of progressively responsible management positions including Chief Nurse,Vice President,Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer. Leah is actively engaged in a number of professional organizations, community initiatives and government relations activities which positively impact the delivery of rehabilitation services to patients and families. Leah has contributed to articles which have been published and is often recognized for her community involvement throughout southwestern Pennsylvania. Leah received her doctorate degree in 2010. Leah is committed to seeing that patients who receive rehabilitation care receive the best outcome.

Shelana Gibbs-McElvy, MD

Medical Director

Dr. Gibbs-McElvy attended Kent State University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in integrated life sciences and attended medical school at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine. During her internship in Internal Medicine at Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, she entered the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Program at St. Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh. Her education is the foundation for a number of professional memberships, research studies and guest speaker presentations.

As one of 12 physiatrists within the Medical Rehabilitation, Inc., practice at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, Dr. Gibbs and her colleagues are well respected within Allegheny, Butler, Westmoreland, Washington and Beaver Counties. Additionally, Dr. Gibb-McElvy is well recognized within the local communities as a 2007 Women of Distinction for Community Service Professional and the Girl Scout-Trillium Council’s Women & Girls of Distinction.

In May 2009, Dr. Gibbs became an Ambassador for the Power to End Stroke Campaign through the American Stroke Association. Her role as a Stroke Ambassador is to educate local communities on the prevention of stroke.

Al Dunn

Chief Nursing Officer

Al joined the HealthSouth Sewickley team as Chief Nursing Officer with 20 years of health care experience. He attended school at Community College of Beaver County, Wheeling Jesuit University and Jamestown University. Prior to Joining the HealthSouth team, his experiences were in critical care, infection control, occupational health and healthcare leadership. Al maintains involvement in several nursing leadership organizations and community initiatives. He is committed to ensuring exceptional nursing outcomes with outstanding customer service.

Aimee Deinert

DMO

Aimee is a registered nurse with more than 18 years of healthcare experience. She has worked in various areas of healthcare, serving patients and families in all settings. She has more than 10 years experience in post-acute care and management. Aimee became a member of the Healthsouth team in 2010. She is a member of the American Nurses Association and a Stroke Ambassador for the American Heart Association.

Michele McCann

Michelle leads the hospital’s team of occupational therapists. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences with a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and holds a Neuro-IFRAH advanced certification.

Marge Speth

Marge Speth brings 15 years of case management experience to HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Sewickley. Marge’s nursing experiences include Case Management Director of Acute Care and Long Term Acute Care Hospitals. She received her registered nursing degree from Community College, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Continuing her education at La Roche College, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in nursing. Marge attended St. Francis University where she obtained her master’s degree in Health Administration. Marge spends her free time at the YMCA, local animal shelters and church functions. As the link between the patient and the rehabilitation team, Marge is dedicated to have the patient/family members actively participate in the treatment plan and transition to home.

Team Leader and Physical Therapist

Scott Bleakley leads the team of inpatient and outpatient physical therapists at HealthSouth Sewickley. A graduate of D’Youville College with a master’s degree in physical therapy, Scott has been with HealthSouth in the Pittsburgh region for more than 14 years. Scott teaches and guest lectures across a variety of universities including: The University of Pittsburgh, Chatham College and Duquesne, Slippery Rock and Saint Frances Universities. He has been published in a variety of professional magazines and was named as HealthSouth’s Clinician of the Year” in 2003, selected among HealthSouth’s nationwide network of clinicians. Scott is currently working towards his doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh in the field of rehabilitation science with a focus on robotic interventions for the treatment of persons after a stroke.

Joeta D Este

Joeta has worked in various roles at HealthSouth Sewickley since 2001, including Hospital Educator and Patient Safety Officer. She has served as the Quality Coordinator since 2004 and Director of Quality Improvement since 2010. Joeta received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Case Western Reserve University and her master’s in nursing education from the University of Pittsburgh. She has worked in healthcare for more than 30 years.

Dan Vrana

Dan is a Certified Public Accountant with more than 30 years of financial management experience in the healthcare industry. Dan worked for seven years in public accounting serving a broad spectrum of health care clients. His progressive experience in the private health care sector covers a wide variety of financial and administrative positions including seven years as a Chief Financial Officer. Dan became a member of the HealthSouth team in 2011. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and an Advanced Member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.