Kennedy Krieger Institute, internationally known for providing a wide range of services for children, adolescents and adults with diseases, disorders or injuries that impact the nervous system, recently announced the promotion of Melissa Trovato, M.D., to the position of director of rehabilitation. In this role, Trovato will oversee all medical operations related to pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation, as well as serve as a liaison with the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine while also working closely with the Institute’s future vice president of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

“Dr. Trovato is an outstanding physician and leader who is recognized regionally and nationally for her expertise in pediatric rehabilitation,” said Brad Schlaggar, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger Institute. “We are thrilled to have her on board, and we look forward to collaborating with her on our growing rehabilitation program.”

With more than 20 years of experience at the Institute, Trovato began her career as a pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation fellow and then became a faculty member in 2001. Throughout her time at Kennedy Krieger, she has taken several leadership roles, serving as the director of inpatient rehabilitation, director of the Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Fellowship, and chair of the Medical Staff Health Information Management Committee. Most recently, in the fall of 2019, Trovato was named the interim director of rehabilitation at Kennedy Krieger, a position that led her to her current role.

Trovato received a Bachelor of Science from Salem College and a medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She completed a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Sinai Hospital-Johns Hopkins School of Medicine residency program in 1999. She is board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, with a subspecialty certification in pediatric rehabilitation medicine. She serves as a program surveyor for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and is a member of the American Association of Physiatrists, American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology.

About Kennedy Krieger Institute:

Kennedy Krieger Institute, an internationally known, non-profit organization located in the greater Baltimore/Washington, D.C. region, transforms the lives of more than 25,000 individuals a year through inpatient and outpatient medical, behavioral health and wellness therapies, home and community services, school-based programs, training and education for professionals and advocacy. Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children, adolescents and adults with diseases, disorders or injuries that impact the nervous system, ranging from mild to severe. The Institute is home to a team of investigators who contribute to the understanding of how disorders develop, while at the same time pioneer new interventions and methods of early diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Visit KennedyKrieger.org for more information about Kennedy Krieger.