Elena Rivera
Health ReporterElena Rivera is the health reporter at KERA.
Before joining KERA, Elena covered health in Southern Colorado for KRCC and Colorado Public Radio. Her stories covered pandemic mental health support, rural community health access issues and vaccine equity across the region. She also worked as a daily show producer with Georgia Public Broadcasting and a reporter and host with Blue Ridge Public Radio. She has won awards for arts and culture reporting, podcasting and team coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Elena got her start as a reporter and producer at KBIA, Mid-Missouri’s NPR station. She has a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.
Outside of her public radio work, she serves as a mentor to emerging audio producers and reporters as the captain of the New Voices program with the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR).
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Texas leaders have targeted trans youth, their families and gender-affirming care practices for months. It’s exacerbated feelings of anxiety and fear in trans youth, who already experience higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicide than their cis peers. Mental health practitioners can help navigate these feelings, but finding and accessing an affirming therapist in Texas can be a challenge. -
The last time Texas updated its sex education curriculum, was in the '90s. Students will now learn about contraception and STIs — but not gender or consent. And the classes are all optional.
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For many Texans, the memories of last year's devastating February storm are still vivid. A North Texas therapist provides tips on how to emotionally manage the next few snowy days.
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Pediatric hospitals across North Texas are taking stock after a year of unpredictability and stress due to the COVID-19 surge across the state.
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Texas native Cecile Richards has worked for reproductive health care and rights her entire career.
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As Texas state health officials wait on news about COVID-19 booster shots, many people are confused about what's next.
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Officials at the state health department are concerned about the exponential growth in hospitalizations due to coronavirus over the past month. More than 7,600 people are currently in the hospital with coronavirus in Texas.
