Dr. Roy Rivera, Jr., PT, PhD, DPT, MCHES , An Award Winning Business Owner Serving the LGBTQ+ Community

Profiles in Leadership

Dr. Roy Rivera, Jr., is the founder and CEO of Elation Physical Therapy, an international best-selling author,

and a respected advocate for inclusive healthcare. His book, Shantay You Stay: A Healthcare Provider’s

Guide to LGBTQ+ Inclusive Practices, provides critical insights for practitioners, further establishing him

as a leader in LGBTQ+ patient care.

A native of the Texas Rio Grande Valley, Dr. Rivera began his academic journey at Southwestern

University in Georgetown before moving to Houston in 2003 to complete a Master’s in Physical Therapy

at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. He subsequently earned two doctorates—a

Doctor of Physical Therapy from Rocky Mountain University in Utah and a PhD in Health Studies from

Texas Woman’s University in Denton—solidifying his expertise in healthcare.

In 2014, after working for approximately 10 years in the Memorial Hermann Health Care System, Dr.

Rivera founded Elation Physical Therapy, a Certified Minority and LGBT Business Enterprise® with three

locations across Greater Houston, providing compassionate and affirming care. Known for pioneering the

ELATION protocol, a specialized post-operative care program for gender-affirming surgeries, Dr. Rivera

has positioned Elation Physical Therapy as a leader in LGBTQ+ healthcare.

Dr. Rivera’s outstanding contributions to healthcare and his commitment to inclusivity have earned him

and the practice numerous prestigious awards:

• 2024 American Physical Therapy Association Private Practice Section’s Community Impact

Award

• 2024 U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency’s Minority Health

Products and Service Firm of The Year Award

• 2024 Small Business Administration Houston District Small Businessperson of the Year

• 2022 U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Dream Big LGBTQ+-Owned Business Achievement Award

• 2022 Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce’s LGBTBE® Certified Business of the Year

Award

• Houston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 (2020), Top 10 Largest Houston-area LGBTQ+-Owned

Businesses (2018-2023)

Dr. Rivera is also deeply engaged in community service. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for

the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce, where he supports initiatives to foster growth and

inclusion for LGBTQ+ businesses. He has a longstanding commitment to LGBTQ+ youth advocacy and

serves on the Board of Directors as the Treasurer at Out for Education (OFE), one of the nation’s most

successful LGBTQ+ scholarship foundations.

Dr. Rivera’s dedication to healthcare innovation, community involvement, and advocacy continues to

shape the future of inclusive, affirming physical therapy and rehabilitative care.