06
May
2019
|
09:13 AM
America/New_York

Shepherd Center Announces New Director of Brain Injury Services

Katie Metzger, OTR, MBA, brings more than 20 years of experience in brain injury rehabilitation.

Katie Metzger, OTR, MBA, has been named director of brain injury services at Shepherd Center. Metzger will provide leadership for Shepherd Center’s inpatient brain injury and stroke units, as well as Shepherd Pathways, Shepherd Center’s comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation program for people recovering from brain injury.

She will also be responsible for Shepherd Center’s SHARE Military Initiative and the recently launched Complex Concussion Clinic. Shepherd Center's Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program offers a full continuum of services to treat people who have experienced a traumatic or non-traumatic brain injury. Her tenure begins May 6.

Metzger joins Shepherd Center from Northwell Health in Bay Shore, New York, where she most recently served as director of patient and customer experience. In that role, she collaborated with all levels of leadership to drive change in the emergency department, ambulatory surgery and inpatient areas. She also served as manager of acute inpatient rehabilitation services in the brain injury unit at Northwell Health, where she led a multi-disciplinary team of 22 physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, recreational therapists and a neuropsychologist. Metzger served as an occupational therapist at both Northwell Health and the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.

“Katie has extensive expertise and experience in brain injury rehabilitation, and we are eager to have her join our team,” said Jamie Shepherd, MBA, MHA, chief operating officer at Shepherd Center. “We are confident that Shepherd Center’s Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program will continue to thrive and grow with her leadership.”

Metzger earned a bachelor's degree in science in occupational therapy from The Ohio State University and a master's degree of business administration in healthcare management from St. Joseph's College.

“I am honored to be joining Shepherd Center and its esteemed Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program,” Metzger said. “I look forward to working in a collaborative environment with the team of individuals at Shepherd Center who are committed to improving the lives of the patients and families who are navigating life with a brain injury.”

Metzger assumes the role as Susan Johnson, MA, CCC-SLP, current director of brain injury services, retires in June 2019 after 21 years at Shepherd Center.