Meet Our Therapists

Rachel Hehn
Occupational Therapist

Rachel is a Pennsylvania native, who joined the Inova Mount Vernon Hospital family in 2012. Rachel received her Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology from Pennsylvania State University. She went on to receive a Masters in Occupational Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University. Rachel functioned as a teaching assistant for Anatomy and Kinesiology while in graduate school.

Rachel is a diversified therapist who specializes in various neurological injuries. Rachel also assists patients with return to driving following a neurologic injury. Her interest in driving led her to become a Certified Driving Rehabilitation Specialist. She currently offers driving evaluations for appropriate patients at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital using a driving simulator. In her down time, Rachel enjoys spending time with her family, watching television, doing yoga and cheering on her Penn State Nittany Lions.

Rachael Kaufman
Occupational Therapist

Rachael graduated from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. Prior to joining the team, she worked in the acute care hospital setting on the neurology units. Rachael joined Inova in 2017 and is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) and Parkinson’s LSVT BIG Clinician. She was also chosen for the 2019 Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Rehab Fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. In addition to treating brain injury, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson ’s disease, she enjoys working with a variety of patients including those diagnosed with stroke, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and CIDP.

Rachael enjoys traveling, dancing and spending time with her friends and family.

Kaia Wiley
Occupational Therapist

Kaia has been a licensed occupational therapist since 2014. Originally from Massachusetts, she received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Occupational Therapy from Ithaca College in New York, and has lived and worked across the US.

She started with Inova Mount Vernon Hospital as a travel therapist in 2016 and has been a permanent member of our staff since 2017. While she has worked in a variety of settings, outpatient neurorehabilitation has been the focus of her career. Kaia is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist, a Registered Yoga Teacher, and will soon be testing to become a Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist. Outside of work, Kaia enjoys spending time outdoors, listening to music, and traveling.

Megan Brooks
Physical Therapist

Megan joined the Inova Rehabilitation Center as an Inpatient Physical Therapist in 2012, and transitioned to the Outpatient Department in 2015. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Pre-Physical Therapy from Howard University in Washington, DC, then matriculated to Boston University to earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree (DPT).

Megan pursued Board Certification in the evaluation and treatment of clients with advanced neurologic dysfunctions, earning a Neurologic Clinical Specialist (NCS) certification in 2015. Her special interests in wheelchair seating and positioning and assistive technology motivated her to pursue an Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) certification in 2016. Megan now coordinates the Wheelchair Seating and Positioning Clinic, where she provides evaluation and expert recommendations for complex durable medical equipment to clients as young as 5 years old. She also coordinates the Robotics and Exoskeleton Clinic. Megan finds joy and fulfillment in providing services to clients of all ability levels, especially those with neurologic diagnoses. In her spare time, Megan enjoys spending time with family and traveling.

Victoria Dean
Physical Therapist

Tori graduated in 2013 from the University of Maryland with her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology prior to earning her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University in 2016. She has prior experience as an acute care therapist at the Georgetown University Hospital, where she continues to work on weekends as well as experience as an inpatient rehabilitation therapist at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital prior to transition to the outpatient program in 2018.

Tori has strong clinical experience in treating patients following spinal cord injury and enjoys challenging patients with any diagnosis. She is currently in the process of becoming a wheelchair seating and mobility specialist. Tori is a Solidcore enthusiast (she will tell you all about if you don't know what it is) and incorporates trunk and core strengthening with all of her patients.

Jacqueline Ely
Physical Therapist

Jackie is the current physical therapist for the Bridge Program, specializing in patients recovering from acquired brain injuries. She graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Doctorate of Physical Therapy program in 2013 and has since practiced in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

In 2018, Jackie achieved her certification as a specialist in neurological rehabilitation. She loves finding creative ways to challenge each patient in order to achieve their own goals, from carrying a newborn child to running marathons. Outside of the office, Jackie enjoys social dancing and spending time hiking and camping outdoors.

Danielle Leshinsky
Physical Therapist

Danielle joined the Inova Mount Vernon Outpatient Neurorehabilitation team as a Physical Therapist in 2019. She is passionate about providing comprehensive, evidence-based care to patients with neurological disorders.

Danielle graduated in 2016 with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Emory University. While at Emory University, she worked as a Graduate Assistant in a lab researching neuroplasticity mechanisms after Spinal Cord Injury, and as a Teaching Assistant for DPT courses. She volunteered with Adaptive Rock Climbing, and taught SPINNING and Pilates classes.

Danielle became a Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist in 2018. She has experience working with musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. She has a special interest in Parkinson's disease, Spinal Cord Injury, and Multiple Sclerosis. In her spare time she enjoys working with adaptive sports, hiking, and fostering dogs.

Christina McGuire
Physical Therapist

Christina has been an outpatient physical therapist at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital since 2016. She earned her undergraduate degree in Athletic Training from the University of Pittsburgh in 2012 and her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Maryland, Baltimore in 2016.

She has a particular clinical interest in treating patients with vestibular dysfunction, concussion, stroke and Guillain-Barré Syndrome. She has taken several continuing education courses centered on concussion, BPPV, vestibular hypofunction and is currently pursuing certification as a Neurologic Certified Specialist (NCS).

Christina enjoys traveling, being active, and spending time with her husband and dog, Lucy.

Valeria Sackerman
Physical Therapist

Valeria received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Pittsburgh. She is an experienced therapist who has been practicing for more than 10 years in inpatient and outpatient neurological rehabilitation settings. She has worked extensively with patients with stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury as well as balance and vestibular disorders.

Valeria is currently a senior physical therapist at Inova Outpatient Neuro Rehab Center. She specializes in treating patients with Parkinson's disease and is LSVT BIG and PWR!MOVES certified. She has also taken multiple continuing education courses and has a strong clinical background in treating patients with balance and vestibular pathologies. In addition, she is an ImPACT Trained physical therapist providing interventions to patients after sustaining concussions. She is passionate about restoring and improving mobility and function and designing treatment plans that are individually tailored to address specific problem areas to help her clients achieve their maximum potential.

Lisa Bamberger
Speech-Language Pathologist

Lisa is a licensed practicing speech pathologist with 30 years of experience working with adult and pediatric clients in a variety of clinical settings (acute care, inpatient rehab, outpatient, home care and subacute). She joined the Inova Rehabilitation Team in 2006. Her passion and specialty area of focus has mainly been in adult neurorehabilitation working with individuals who experience communication, cognitive and swallowing deficits as a result of stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, brain tumor and progressive neurologic disease and disorders (ie Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Guillain- Barre syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, etc).

Lisa is an LSVT Certified LOUD therapist and Brain Injury Specialist. She has extensive experience in performing Videofluorographic Swallowing Studies and is MBSImP certified. She is a very kind and compassionate therapist who enjoys her work and especially loves helping her patients reach their full potential.

Lisa was raised in Baltimore County, Maryland. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Towson State University in 1985. She then realized that she wanted to pursue a degree in Speech Pathology so returned to school and obtained her Masters in Science from the University of Loyola Maryland in 1989.

Outside of work, Lisa exercises regularly, loves to travel and watch sports. She treasures time with her husband, family and friends.

Laura Hussey
Speech-Language Pathologist

Laura joined the Inova Mount Vernon Hospital’s Outpatient Neurorehabilitation Program in 2017 with more than a decade of experience treating adults with neurological impairments. She received her undergraduate education at the University of Maryland, College Park, graduating in 2005 and subsequently earned her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Boston University in 2007.

She has a special interest in aphasia and cognitive-communication impairments stemming from various neurological injuries, as well as augmentative and alternative communication systems for people with progressive diseases.

Laura is a DC native who grew up outside of Baltimore, Maryland, and currently resides in Northern Virginia.

Erika Kramer
Speech-Language Pathologist

Erika is a northern Virginia native, raised in Woodbridge, who has been with the Inova Mount Vernon Rehabilitation Center since 2011, working in both the inpatient and outpatient rehab departments. She received her Bachelor of Science with a concentration in health science from Duquesne University in 2008 and went on to earn her Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology from Duquesne University in 2009.

Erika is a senior speech therapist in the outpatient neuro rehab department, with extensive experience treating adults with both acquired and progressive neurological disorders, with special interest in CVA, TBI, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and ALS. Erika additionally has specialty certification in alternative/augmentative communication and assistive technology. She has certifications for LSVT LOUD, VitalStim (NMES), Guardian (NMES), MBSImP and ATP.

In her free time, Erika enjoys spending time with her husband and children, running and making a mess in her kitchen.

Valerie Scarano
Speech-Language Pathologist

Valerie is a senior speech language pathologist at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital. She joined the outpatient rehab team in 2011, and has a special interest in treating complex neurogenic and neurodegenerative cognitive-linguistic impairments such as aphasia, apraxia and dysarthria. She is also very proud to be the founder of the Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Peer Mentor Program, which helps current patients get support and learn from other survivors of brain injury, spinal cord injury, and other disease processes.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from James Madison University and then earned her Master of Science degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Valerie currently holds certifications in LSVT, SPEAK OUT!, VitalStim and MBSImP.

Dr. Sundar Cook
Neuropsychologist

Dr. Cook has a varied and extensive background within clinical psychology and neuropsychology. This includes the treatment of traumatic brain injury, the diagnosis and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases, and psychotherapeutic interventions aimed at addressing depression, anxiety, grief, marital conflict, and psychosomatic illness.

He joined the Inova Mount Vernon outpatient rehab team in 2009. He received his doctorate in clinical psychology from George Fox University and completed a three year postdoctoral fellowship in the University of Virginia departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology. He is currently training to be a psychoanalyst at the Contemporary Freudian Society. With a background in both neurocognitive assessment and psychotherapy, Dr. Cook brings diversity and richness to his clinical work.