Chris Daughtry, OTR/L, ATP, assumed the position of chief executive officer of HealthSouth Columbia on Jan. 30, 2018. Chris has worked in the Encompass Health network, formerly known as HealthSouth, since November 2002 when he started as a lead occupational therapist at AnMed Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Anderson. There, he was quickly promoted to director of therapy operations, a role he held from April 2004 until December 2017. He has also served as a regional director of therapy operations for Encompass Health before assuming his current role. Chris earned a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from East Carolina University and performed much of his fieldwork in rehabilitation settings throughout North Carolina. He has taught many courses around the topics of disability awareness, diversity awareness, seating and positioning, transfer training among other rehabilitation topics.

Dr. Troyer has been at Encompass Health, formerly HealthSouth, Columbia since 1991 and has served as the hospital’s medical director since 1993. He has also served on the Encompass Health Physician Advisory Board since 1999. Dr. Troyer graduated from West Virginia University with a bachelor’s degree and doctorate of medicine. He performed his internship in internal medicine and residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at St. Francis Medical Center in Pittsburgh. A native of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Dr. Troyer is married and has four children.

* The hospital provides access to independent physicians.

Melanie came to Encompass Health, formerly HealthSouth, with more than 20 years of sales and marketing experience in the healthcare industry. She is passionate about quality patient care and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. She worked with Rock Hill and Columbia Encompass Health hospitals for a total of seven years as a rehabilitation liaison before being named director of marketing operations in May 2014. As director of marketing operations, she leads a dynamic team of healthcare professionals responsible for business development, community outreach, patient education and marketing in the midlands area of South Carolina.

Jessica brings more than six years of healthcare financial expertise to Encompass Health, formerly HealthSouth, Columbia. A South Carolina native, she graduated from Limestone College with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

Michelle assumed the position of Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at Encompass Health, Columbia in December of 2018. A registered nurse, she earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing and a Master of Science in nursing education from Purdue University. Michelle has nearly thirty years of nursing experience with over ten of those in nurse leadership and she is a board certified nurse executive. Five of her ten years in nursing leadership experience includes serving as a CNO at acute care hospitals in both IN and MS. Michelle also has experience as a nurse clinical instructor at Indiana/Purdue University in Fort Wayne, IN.

Jamie was promoted to director of plant operations in November 2006. His responsibilities include supervision of security, engineering, dietary, housekeeping, materials management and emergency response. A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Jamie has been employed by HealthSouth since 1994. During his employment with HealthSouth, he earned an associate's degree in electronics engineering from Midlands Technical College in 2002.

Alyssa joined the team as director of pharmacy in 2018. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy and her doctorate degree in pharmacy degree from Shenandoah University in Virginia. Her management experience spans over 20 years in various environments in the field of pharmacy. Alyssa is a board certified geriatric pharmacist and enjoys interacting with our older patients by working with the interdisciplinary team to educate patients about medication management, diabetes, and pain. She precepts students year round from several colleges of pharmacy and enjoys helping train the pharmacists of tomorrow. Alyssa is an active member of the South Carolina pharmacy association and also holds a membership in SCSHP, APhA, ASCP, ASHP, and the Society of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacists.

Darryl Stewart comes to Encompass Health, formerly HealthSouth, after working nearly 25 years for the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He has also worked for the Cleveland Regional Medical Center in Shelby, North Carolina, as director of quality and patient safety from 2005 to 2008. While working at Cleveland Regional, Darryl helped the quality program achieve the Carolina Medical Center’s Quality Performer Award for 2007.  From 2008 to 2012, Darryl served as director of quality and risk for the newly opened Village Hospital in Greer, South Carolina. He holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the Medical University of South Carolina. His professional background includes experience as a respiratory therapist, an IT analyst and a quality professional. He is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (Quality) and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality.

Paula Wedgbury assumed the position of director of therapy operations of Encompass Health, formerly HealthSouth, Columbia in March 2018. She has worked in the Encompass Health network since October 2000 when she started as a staff physical therapist at VanMatre HealthSouth in Illinois. Paula was promoted to outpatient therapy lead in July 2013, and then outpatient department manager in 2015.  Paula earned her master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Maryland and performed her field work in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Paula specializes in amputee rehabilitation and led the support group in Illinois. She has taught courses around the topics of amputee rehabilitation, prosthetic gait training, outcome measures and therapy documentation standards.

Dr. Westerkam is the associate medical director at HealthSouth Columbia focusing on the traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and amputation programs. He sits on the South Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Research Fund Board and is an adjunct assistant professor in the department of neurology at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. Dr. Westerkam graduated from Duke University and attended medical school at Emory. He did his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Dr. Westerkam is originally from Irmo, South Carolina.

* The hospital provides access to independent physicians.