Leslie Hefner, PT, DPT, NCS

About Me

Leslie has been working for the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in the Day Rehabilitation Program in Burr Ridge for the last twelve and half years, where she is the Supervisor of Allied Health and a Master Physical Therapist with an established expertise in the evaluation and treatment for patients with spinal cord injury and vestibular rehabilitation. She started in the position after receiving her doctorate at Marquette University, directly following her final clinical experience at a level I trauma center in the inpatient spinal cord injury program. Leslie’s enthusiasm for and dedication to facilitating the rehabilitation process in individuals with spinal cord injury stems from personal experiences that followed after her father suffered a complete C6 injury while she was still earning her degree. Leslie is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, Neurologic Section, and Vestibular Special Interest Group. In 2014, she obtained a Vestibular Competency specialty from Emory University, and became board-certified in Neurologic practice in 2021. Leslie fulfills her passion of mentoring and teaching across the organization and for the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Academy, with both the Annual Spinal Cord Injury and Vestibular Rehabilitation courses.