Leo Garza, OTR, MOT
Regional VP of South Texas
Leo serves as CEO of South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital and oversees three additional hospitals in the South Texas region in his RVP role. He works closely with hospital leadership teams to drive operational excellence, advance patient care initiatives, and foster strong community partnerships.
A licensed occupational therapist, Leo brings diverse clinical and leadership experience to his role. He joined Ernest Health in 2005 and has held progressively responsible leadership positions within the organization, including Director of Therapy, Chief Operating Officer, and CEO of the Brownsville, Texas, hospital. He earned a bachelor’s degree in health science and a master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
I chose a career in physical rehabilitation to help people. I’m grateful that Ernest Health has given me the opportunity to make a difference as a clinician while also allowing me to grow professionally.
When not at work, Leo enjoys spending time outdoors, playing sports like golf or basketball, and cooking. Most of all, he values time with his wife and daughters.
Recognized Nationally
Ernest Health’s rehabilitation hospitals have been ranked by Netsmart Technologies, Inc., the administrator of the world’s largest database for rehabilitation outcomes. Netsmart uses a program evaluation model (PEM) to determine the rankings, which includes a case-mix and severity-adjusted tool, providing facilities with a composite performance score and percentile ranking drawn from more than 80 percent of inpatient rehabilitation facilities in the country. Each hospital follows a patient-centric model, incorporating advanced rehabilitation techniques and technology to achieve clinical outcomes that exceed industry standards.
America’s Greatest Workplaces in Health Care
For the second consecutive year, Ernest Health has been named one of America’s Greatest Workplaces in Health Care by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group. The 2026 ranking is based on an independent study of more than 400,000 reviews from more than 100,000 health care employees, evaluating factors such as leadership, integrity, compensation and work-life balance.
This recognition belongs to our team members, the passionate patient caregivers whose dedication shapes the care we provide in every community we serve.
