Dr. Cindy B. Ivanhoe, MD

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Innovative Leader in Brain Injury Rehabilitation Brings Expertise to TIRR-Memorial Hermann

A distinguished physician and academic, Dr. Ivanhoe is the Chief Medical Officer at Mentis Neuro Rehabilitation, leading the organization in its mission to provide cutting-edge rehabilitation services for individuals recovering from neurological conditions.

Moreover, she serves as an admitting physician to the Brain Injury and Stroke Program at TIRR-Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas. In her role as Director of the Spasticity and Associated Syndromes of Movement (SPASM) program, she has been at the forefront of advancing treatments for patients experiencing spasticity due to neurological injuries. She has extensive experience and commitment to patient care.

Dr. Ivanhoe is board-certified in Physical Medicine Rehabilitation and Brain Injury Medicine. She is a senior fellow in the American Leadership Forum (ALF) and is currently the director of the SPASM (Spasticity and Associated Syndromes of Movement) program at TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas. Dr. Ivanhoe is a clinical professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston and was formally a professor at Baylor College of Medicine.

She has served as faculty in courses across the United States and abroad and is known for her expertise in the treatment of spasticity and its role in functional recovery, medical complications of brain injury of all etiologies and severities, and as an advocate for healthcare access. Her clinical experience has spanned the entire spectrum of brain injury including but not limited to developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injury, and stroke in settings from neurosurgical ICUs, through acute rehabilitation, “post” post-acute rehabilitation to long-term follow-up in the community. Dr. Ivanhoe has extensive clinical experience in the use of interventions for spasticity, including Intrathecal Baclofen therapy for which she was an investigator on the studies that led to FDA approval, and the use of botulinum toxins. She is published in articles and textbooks. Her nonprofit, IF (Ivanhoe Foundation) supports endeavors such as REEL Abilities, and others that serve to improve perceptions, opportunities, and lives of persons with brain injuries and other disabilities.          

Dr. Ivanhoe serves on the board of directors of the International Neurotoxin Association and their educational committees and served on the board of Mentis Neuro Health until 2017; a post-acute brain injury program which she helped found.  Dr. Ivanhoe is a member of speakers’ bureaus and/or advisory boards of companies involved in the treatment of spasticity and dystonia, and other aspects of the Upper Motor Neuron Syndrome. She is recognized by US News and World Report Best Doctors and Best Doctors in Texas and has received awards from the Brain Injury Association of Texas, American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine for her contributions to advocacy, teaching and education, the service award from the CNS Council of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Distinguished Clinician award by the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She was awarded the Humanitarian Award, Professional Contribution, and Lifetime Achievement Awards by the Brain Injury Alliance of Texas. She was awarded “Physician of the Year” in 2020 by TIRR Memorial Hermann and awarded the Dean’s Excellence in Teaching award at UT Houston. She is also the 2021 recipient of the Sheldon Berrol Clinical Service Award of the Brain Injury Association of America for outstanding contributions to improving the quality of care, professional training, and/or education in the field of brain injury. She is the first physiatrist to receive the UTHealth John P. and Katherine G. McGovern Distinguished Faculty Clinical Science Award.

In addition to her clinical roles, Dr. Ivanhoe is a Clinical Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. She completed her fellowship in Brain Injury Rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine, where she gained invaluable insights into effective rehabilitation strategies for brain injury patients.

Recognized nationally and internationally for her contributions to the field of brain injury rehabilitation, she has trained numerous premed students, medical students, residents, and fellows, sharing her knowledge and expertise in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Furthermore, she has authored multiple publications on brain injury rehabilitation, and her lectures have covered a wide array of topics, including spasticity management and neuropharmacology.

Beyond her clinical practice, Dr. Ivanhoe has served on the Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Spasticity Task Forces of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She is also an active member of the Medical Advisory Board for the Houston Area Parkinson Society and contributes to the Educational Committee of We Move, a nonprofit dedicated to educating healthcare professionals and individuals with movement disorders.

As a member of the Advisory Council for the ReelAbilities Houston Film & Arts Festival, she advocates for the representation of individuals with disabilities in the arts, promoting awareness and understanding of their unique experiences.

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