Michael Reyka, PhD Appointed Brook Lane COO

Michael Reyka, PhD, joined the Brook Lane staff as Chief Operating Officer on March 8, 2021. Originally from Lakewood, Ohio, Michael has had an interest in healthcare as long as he can remember. He began his educational and professional journey into the realm of healthcare by receiving a nursing diploma from the Fairview General Hospital School of Nursing in Cleveland in 1987. He gained experience as a registered nurse in an emergency care setting and then pre-hospital care. He had the opportunity to move into charge and supervisory roles and then into management. In 1992, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in general education from Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Maryland, followed by a Master of Business Administration degree in management and human resources in 1996, from Mount St. Mary’s University. In 2015, Michael completed his doctorate degree in leadership and administrative studies from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Michael has extensive experience in hospital administration, including roles such as Vice President of Nursing and Patient Services at Summit Health – Waynesboro Hospital and Chief Nursing Officer, Associate Executive Director at the Carlisle Regional Medical Center. From 2012-2020, Michael was employed by Meritus Medical Center in various leadership assignments as Executive Director of Ambulatory Services and Executive Director/CEO Western Maryland Hospital Center and, most recently, as the Executive Director of the Meritus Accountable Care Organization.

Michael has two grown children – a daughter, 35, who lives in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania and a son, 32, who lives in Charleston, South Carolina. He and his wife Jill, a former ER nurse and current Regional Director for Patient Safety at WellSpan, live in Smithsburg, Maryland. In addition to an interest in healthcare, Michael also has had a life-long love of music. For 30 years, he has been part of an acoustic guitar duo called the “Druids” with his friend Larry. He also has played the drums since high school and continues to play on occasion with two different bands.

Michael has spent a considerable amount of time and effort researching and discovering his late father’s military experiences from World War II – details his father never shared with the family. Michael has published one book and written another pending publication detailing his father’s military history, including retracing his steps across eastern France in 1944 and discovering the reasons for his life-long silence on his past.  

Michael was drawn to the Chief Operating Officer position at Brook Lane because it was well aligned with his academic background and past work experiences. He also wanted to remain grounded in his community. “I am excited about the mental health field and where it will go in the future,” says Michael. “With the COVID-19 pandemic and current state of social unrest in our country, there will be an increasing need for mental and behavioral health care services. Brook Lane is positioned to meet those needs through growth and innovation and I am happy to be a part of that.”