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Welcome to Encompass Health Nittany Valley

We know that choosing where to receive care after a life-changing illness or injury is an important decision for you and your loved ones. At Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley, we are committed to helping you get back to what matters most. Located in Pleasant Gap, we are a leading provider of inpatient rehabilitation for stroke, brain injury, hip fracture and other complex neurological and orthopedic conditions.

When you choose Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley for your rehabilitation, you receive compassionate care from an expert team of physical, occupational and speech therapists; physicians; nurses; dietitians; pharmacists; and case managers who work together to create a plan to help you meet your unique goals.

At our hospital you will receive:

  • Three hours of therapy, five days per week
  • 24/7 nursing care, including nurses who specialize in rehabilitation
  • Frequent visits from a physician*

*We provide access to independent physicians.

Learn what to expect during inpatient rehabilitation

Better Rehabilitation Starts Here

Each patient’s recovery is different. At Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley, our expert clinicians combine the latest technologies, real-world simulations and advanced therapies into a treatment plan that helps you achieve what’s important to you. Our specialties include but are not limited to:

 

 

Superior Amenities at Our Hospitals

73 Beds

Televisions

Telephones

Free WiFi

Courtyard

Tours available

Support groups

Nonsmoking

Pet friendly

Volunteers

Student observation hours

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What to Expect

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Join Our Team

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Careers

We Proudly Display Our Gold Seal of Approval™

Brain Injury Rehabilitation

Our hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification in brain injury rehabilitation.

Heart Failure

Our hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification in heart failure.

Stroke Rehabilitation

Our hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification in stroke rehabilitation.

Parkinson's Disease Rehabilitation

Our hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification in Parkinson's disease.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Our hospital has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification in pulmonary rehabilitation.

Leadership and Staff

Amy Adams
Amy Adams

Chief Executive Officer

Amy first joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley in 2003.

Amy first joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley in 2003 after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from the Pennsylvania State University. Amy earned 10 years of care management experience before being promoted to the case management director in 2015.  In that role, she led the interdisciplinary team, ensuring exceptional services were being delivered and the needs of patients and families were met. In April 2020, Amy rose to the position of CEO, and oversees all of the hospital’s day-to-day operations as well as patient care and quality initiatives. Amy lives in Bellefonte with her husband and two sons.

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Peter Thomas
PETER THOMAS, DO

Medical Director

Dr. Thomas joined the Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley team in 2022.

Dr. Thomas joined the Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley team in 2022. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Juniata College and earned his medical degree at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency at the Community General Osteopathic Hospital in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His clinical interests include geriatric medicine.

Dr. Thomas is an independent private practice physician.

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Michelle Katz
Michelle Katz

Human Resources Director

Michelle serves as the director human resources at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley.

Michelle serves as the director human resources at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley. She is a member of the Human Resources Association of Centre County (HRACC), the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the Society of Healthcare Human Resources Professionals in Pennsylvania (SHHRPP), and the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA).

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Lance Kephart
Lance Kephart

Director of Pharmacy

Lance started his career with Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley as a staff pharmacist in 2008.

Lance started his career with Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley as a staff pharmacist in 2008 and became director of pharmacy in 2010, overseeing the inpatient pharmacy services. He received his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh in 1994 after completing two years of pre-pharmacy at Gannon University in Erie. Lance takes pride in pharmacy's extensive involvement with patient education, medication admission and discharge reconciliation and medication safety. He is also committed to improving medication management, increasing awareness of appropriate use of antimicrobials and pain medications as well as promoting safe use of medications.

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Mark Konopelski
MARK KONOPELSKI

Facilities Management Director

Mark joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley in 2022.

Mark joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley in 2022. He offers more than 30 years of experience within maintenance and facility management and has multiple certifications including plumbing, electrical, welding and EPA. He has worked in skilled nursing, student living and DCNR. Mark graduated from Lock Haven University with a business degree and the Reading Police Academy with Act120 certification.

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Jose Lopez
JOSE LOPEZ

Controller

Jose joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley in October 2022.

Jose joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley in October 2022. His healthcare background includes working in outpatient, inpatient, skilled nursing facilities and long-term acute care settings. Additionally, he has experience in both for-profit and not-for-profit healthcare entities. Jose holds a CPA license for the state of Pennsylvania, as well as other accounting and financial certificates including Certified Management Accountant and Certified Healthcare Financial Professional. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master's degree in healthcare administration from Seton Hill University.

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Brandy McCardle
Brandy McCardle

Business Development Director

Brandy joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley in 2011 as a nurse liaison.

Brandy joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley in 2011 as a nurse liaison. She was promoted to business development director in June 2021. Brandy brings more than 18 years of experience across the healthcare continuum in both the clinical and marketing setting and possesses comprehensive healthcare market knowledge. She provides leadership to the admission and marketing teams that assists community members in accessing the acute rehabilitative level of care.

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David Pellerano
David Pellerano

Director of Quality & Risk Management

Dave has served as the director of quality and risk management since 1999.

Dave has been with Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley since 1996 and has served as the director of quality and risk management since 1999. He champions patient and family concerns, working with all appropriate staff to ensure the hospital is continuously improving its patient experience. He serves on the employee activities committee and patient experience group at the hospital. Dave received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Penn State University.

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Valerie Prave
Valerie Prave, BSN, RN

Director of Case Management

Valerie joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley in 2019 as nurse manager.

Valerie joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley in 2019 as nurse manager. Before joining Encompass Health, she worked as the area director of skilled services for a home health organization in Pennsylvania. Val brings clinical expertise across multiple levels of care, as well as transition planning through the healthcare continuum. As director of case management, she leads our interdisciplinary team in collaborating care and discharge planning. She plays an integral role in patient advocacy and ensuring patient safety. Val has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from The Pennsylvania State University. She resides in Curwensville with her husband and family.

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Patty Smith
Patty Smith

Supervisor Administrative Support

Patty has worked at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley since 1990 in a variety of positions.

Patty has worked at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley since 1990 in a variety of positions, making her a valuable voice on the senior management team. Patty oversees the switchboard operations and coordinates the support for the senior leadership team. She lives in Philipsburg with her husband and three children.

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Tracy Stoltz
Tracy Stoltz

Director of Therapy Operations

Tracy joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley in 2007 as manager of the Pleasant Gap outpatient clinic.

Tracy joined Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley in 2007 as manager of the Pleasant Gap outpatient clinic. In 2010, her role expanded to manager of all outpatient services, including Encompass Health of Nittany Valley’s clinic at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital. She was promoted to director of therapy operations in 2015, and oversees both inpatient and outpatient therapy operations. Tracy holds a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from Mount Aloysius College and has more than 23 years of clinical experience in numerous settings. Tracy serves on the Encompass Health National Outpatient Task Force and has been an active participant with process reviews and changes. She resides in Huntingdon with her family.

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Bridget Williford
BRIDGET WILLIFORD

Chief Nursing Officer

Bridget serves as the chief nursing officer at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of the Nittany Valley.

Bridget serves as the chief nursing officer at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Nittany Valley. Her nursing career includes years working in intensive care, achieving her certified critical registered nurse credential and becoming director of nursing for an inpatient behavioral health unit. She began her career with Encompass Health at Shannon Rehabilitation Hospital in San Angelo, Texas as the director of quality and risk management. Bridget achieved a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in psychology from Angelo State University. After a career in counseling, Bridget attended Texas Tech and graduated summa cum laude with her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2013. Bridget has a passion for process improvement, patient experience and bringing out the best in others.

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