Edwin H. Cooper, Jr., MS, CHE
President and Chief Executive Officer
ecooper@Acuityhealthcare.net

He founded Acuityhealthcare in 2001. In 1996 Mr. Cooper co-founded and served as Chief Operating Officer of NextCARE Hospitals, Inc., a privately held company that developed and operated specialty hospitals in seven states.

Prior to NextCARE Hospitals, Mr. Cooper served in various positions of increasing responsibility in acute care and specialty hospitals.

Mr. Cooper has a M.S. in Health Care Administration from the University of Houston – Clear Lake and a B.S. from Wichita State University. He is a Diplomate in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Richard L. Cassady, MBA
Chief Financial Officer
rcassady@Acuityhealthcare.net

Mr. Cassady is a uniquely qualified and dedicated senior healthcare executive with broad experience in all aspects of healthcare financial operations.

Mr. Cassady joined Acuity in 2003 after serving as the Chief Executive Officer of a large Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital in Texas. Prior to that experience he served as the regional Chief Financial Officer for rehabilitation and LTAC hospitals in Texas. Mr. Cassady has held senior financial management positions in Virginia and Florida with a large healthcare company. In addition, Mr. Cassady served for several years as Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for a behavioral healthcare company based in Charleston, South Carolina.

Prior to entering hospital financial management, Mr. Cassady served as Chief Financial Officer of a large multi-specialty physician group in central Florida. Mr. Cassady began his healthcare financial management career after serving several years in public accounting.

Mr. Cassady has a M.B.A. in Accounting and a B.S. in Accounting & Computer Information Systems from Florida Southern College.

Leanne Fiorentino
Senior Vice President-Development
leanne.fiorentino@acuityhealthcare.net

Ms. Fiorentino is a highly recognized leader and an outstanding healthcare executive with over 28 years of successful experience. Her strong and varied background includes senior positions with several large multi-hospital systems. She has demonstrated success in all aspects of acute care hospital and Long Term Acute Care Hospital operations. Over the past 15 years Ms. Fiorentino has worked exclusively in the Long term Acute Care Hospital industry. She served for several years as the Corporate Director of Hospital Development for Kindred Healthcare and has great experience serving as the Chief Executive Officers of a number of large LTAC hospitals across the country.

Ms. Fiorentino has a B.S. in Nursing from the University of Maryland and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.

Laurie Lewis RN, MSN, MHA
Chief Clinical Officer
llewis@acuityhealthcare.net

Ms. Lewis has more than 15 years of progressive clinical services and nursing management experience. She has served in hospital operations and regional clinical operations roles with two major Rehabilitation and LTAC hospital corporations. Ms. Lewis has a MS in Nursing Administration and MS in Healthcare Administration from the University of Texas – Arlington.

Cheri Cowperthwait, RN
Vice President Provider Relations
cheri.cowperthwait@acuityhealthcare.net

Ms. Cowperthwait is a registered nurse with over 18 years of experience in healthcare. She has a background in critical care nursing, education, infection control, case and outcomes management, marketing and business development. She has served as the Director of Provider Relations at Lourdes Specialty Hospital in New Jersey for the past three years, and more recently as the corporate Vice President of Provider Relations, providing support for census development and case management nationwide.

Ms. Cowperthwait has previously served as the Director of Provider relations and case management for Kohl Partnership, Teneck New Jersey and as Outcomes Manager for critical care services for Virtua Memorial Hospital, Mount Holly New Jersey.

She is a active member of the Association of Practitioners in Infection Control (APIC), the New Jersey State Nurses Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Alison H. Kay, MBA
Vice President of Human Resources
akay@acuityhealthcare.net

Ms. Kay has s strong and diverse background of more than 17 years experience in all aspects of Human Resources Management and unemployment law. She also has a strong background in community service and has served on many local and national organizations. Alison received her Bachelor degree from the University of North Carolina – Charlotte and an MBA from Gardner-Webb University.