Leadership & Staff

Tara Diebling

Chief Executive Officer

Tara Diebling, the chief executive officer of Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital, assumed the CEO position in September 2017. No stranger to leading a rehabilitation hospital, Diebling comes to Cardinal Hill from The Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis (TRISL), a partnership of BJC HealthCare and HealthSouth, where she has served as chief executive officer since 2013. Prior to leading the hospital, she served on the hospital’s leadership team as controller for three years and has worked in healthcare financial roles since receiving her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Southern Illinois University. Tara serves as an executive coach and preceptor for the company’s new leaders; and has consistently improved quality outcomes in the areas of overall hospital care, discharge destination, employee engagement and patient experience. As chief executive officer of Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital, she oversees the day-to-day operations as well as patient quality and care at the physical inpatient rehabilitation hospital. 

Susan McDowell

Medical Director

Dr. Susan McDowell has been with Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital since 1994, and assumed the role of medical director in July 2018. She earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia and completed her physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at the University of Kentucky. She is board-certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with a subspecialty certificate in spinal cord injury medicine. Dr. McDowell is the Janet Galloway Carter Endowed Chairperson of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Kentucky. As the medical director of Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital, she actively participates in the daily efforts to advance the efficiency, effectiveness and quality of rehabilitation care provided.

Gary Abrams

Controller

Gary brings more than 20 years of healthcare finance expertise to HealthSouth Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital. He graduated from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and received a master’s degree in health administration from the Martin School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Kentucky.  He holds membership with the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Traci Andrea Beasley, Pharm.D., R.Ph.

Director of Pharmacy

Traci Beasley received a Pharm.D. degree from the University of Kentucky in 2001. That same year, she opened a new Kroger Pharmacy as the manager and pharmacist in charge in Stanton, KY.  From 2006 to 2014, Traci served as the director of pharmacy at Saint Joseph Mount Sterling Hospital, where she was instrumental in implementation of new order sets to meet quality guidelines. In September of 2014, Traci accepted the position as director of pharmacy with Pharmacy Systems, Inc. at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital in Lexington, KY. In this role, Traci is responsible for the daily operations, regulatory compliance of the pharmacy, and supervision and staffing of pharmacy personnel. Traci has received the Pharmacy Systems, Inc. “Outstanding Contributor to Results” award, as well as the Comprehensive Pharmacy Services “Outstanding Achievement Award” for her adherence to regulatory compliance.

Emily Brock

Director of Quality and Risk

Emily Brock, the Director of Quality and Risk Management, has been at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital for the past 15 years. She received both her Bachelors of Science degree and Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from Eastern Kentucky University. She originally was hired as an occupational therapist on the General Rehab Unit. After 10 years as working on this unit, she assumed the therapy manager position for 5 years before assuming the Director of Quality and Risk Management in May of 2018. Emily is responsible for helping to create an environment and culture that enable Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital to fulfill its mission by meeting or exceeding its goals, conveying the hospital mission to all staff, facilitation staff accountability for their performance and motivating staff to improve their performance.

Chris A. Covington, DO

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Associate Medical Director

Dr. Covington joined Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital as associate medical director in July 2018. Dr. Covington is a graduate of Oklahoma State University Health Science Center, College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1993 and completed residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Kentucky in 1997. He has been a Diplomat of the American Board of Physical Medical and Rehabilitation since 1998, and brings more than 20 years of board-certified experience in rehabilitation medicine to Lexington. Dr. Covington has served as a medical director in a variety of inpatient and outpatient venues from around the country.

Kelli Eads

Business Development Director

Kelli Eads, business development director, has been at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital for the past 13 years. She received both her bachelor’s degree in health science and master's degree in physical therapy from the University of Kentucky. She was originally hired as a physical therapist in the outpatient department. After 10 years working as a staff therapist in outpatient, she assumed the outpatient therapy manager position for the past 3 years, prior to becoming the business development director in August 2018.

Jamie Ellis, MS, OTR/L, CBIS, CDRS

Director of Therapy Operations

Jamie has been employed by Cardinal Hill HealthSouth for 11 years and assumed the position of director of quality and risk management in 2016. Jamie holds a master's degree in occupational therapy from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky. 

Michelle Graybeal, PT, MBA, CBIS, CCM

Director of Case Management

Michelle brings more than 18 years of healthcare management experience to Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Kentucky and a master’s degree in business administration from Xavier University. She serves on the executive board of the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky and is a founding member of the Kentucky Appalachian Rural Rehabilitation Network and the Kentucky Congress for Spinal Cord Injury. 

Brian Neville

Associate Administrator

Brian brings 20 years of healthcare experience as both a clinician and an administrator. He has an undergraduate degree in occupational therapy from Eastern Kentucky University and a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Kentucky.  Brian spent most of his clinical career in outpatient rehabilitation with his executive experience in strategy and operations.  Brian is serving as the associate administrator in HealthSouth’s national executive leadership program.