191 - Reinventing Careers: From Surgeon to Startups to Spine Health Advocacy with Dr. Rita Roy of the National Spine Health Foundation

Join us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The DMV Business Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Otto Sevilla⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ as we feature ⁠Dr. Rita Roy, CEO of the National Spine Health Foundation shares her inspiring journey from being a first-generation American and aspiring physician, to becoming a medical entrepreneur, and eventually leading a nonprofit that champions spine health education and advocacy across the nation.
Rita dives into the mission of the National Spine Health Foundation, explaining its focus on raising awareness and providing trusted resources about spine health—a subject that affects millions, yet often lacks national visibility. She recounts the organization’s evolution, from a research-focused group to a three-pronged mission encompassing education, advocacy, and research.
Rita’s personal story is both compelling and relatable. She discusses her multicultural upbringing—born in Oklahoma to Middle Eastern immigrant parents, living in London and Colorado, then attending George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Her journey covers her academic drive, her pivot from a career in surgery to entrepreneurship in medical technology, and her eventual return to public health as the leader of a major nonprofit.
We highlight Rita’s entrepreneurial ventures in healthcare technology—starting and selling multiple companies, developing innovative e-learning and conference platforms, and navigating the dot-com boom and bust. Rita candidly discusses the challenges she faced as a woman in surgery, her transition into the technology sector, and the valuable lessons she learned about trusting her instincts and building strong teams.
The episode wraps up with Rita’s reflections on leadership, the importance of believing in yourself, and finding purpose through mission-driven work. She also touches on balancing her busy career with family, outdoor activities, and a new passion for pickleball.
**Key Themes:**
- Raising national awareness for spine health
- The immigrant and first-generation experience
- Pivoting from clinical practice to entrepreneurship
- The challenges and rewards of leading both for-profit and nonprofit organizations
- Building resilient teams and mission-driven cultures
- The value of self-trust and personal passion in professional success
To learn more about the National Spine Health Foundation, Rita invites listeners to visit spinehealth.org for resources, patient journeys, and more.
It’s a rich episode full of personal anecdotes, hard-won wisdom, and encouragement for anyone interested in business, healthcare, or nonprofit leadership!

This episode is brought to you by: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SEVI⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - The first commercial real estate company committed to the four C’s: Commercial Real Estate, Community, Content, and Culture

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