Chelsi Yates and Phillip Yates have a strong sense of their community and are immersed in assisting its members through their work and participation in charitable organizations.

Chelsi is a practicing Speech-Language Pathologist. She has been a Speech-Language Pathologist for 11 years and has worked with two of the top hospitals in Texas, ranked regionally and nationally: Texas Children’s Hospital and TIRR Memorial Hermann. She has worked in outpatient (pediatric and adult) and school settings. Her areas of expertise include early childhood language, swallowing disorders, and cognitive impairments. Chelsi has been trained in Kinesio Taping Method, VitalStim Therapy, Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS), feeding therapy, the SOFFI method, and Myofascial Release. She received her bachelor and master degrees in communication disorders from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2009 and 2011 respectively.

Chelsi is also the owner and CEO of Rise Up and Speech, LLC, which provides comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic services for speech, language, and swallowing disorders. As well, it provides diagnostic and therapeutic services for occupational and physical therapy services with the convenience of teletherapy and in-home therapy. The clinic also offers many services for both pediatric and adult patients to help them improve their quality of life and their functional daily living.

Chelsi’s practice treats a variety of diagnoses, such as autism spectrum disorder, adult therapy, aphasia, articulation, auditory processing disorder (APD/CAPD), breastfeeding consults, cancer, childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), cognitive impairments, developmental delays, feeding therapy, genetic disorders, language disorders, oral function therapy, parent training, phonological process disorder, play-based therapy, research-based therapy, social language programs, stuttering, and voice.

When it comes to her community, Chelsi is as enthusiastic about helping its members as she is about assisting her patients. She is a proud member of the Junior League of Houston of which she has been an active supporter for six years. As a member of the Junior League, Chelsi has had the privilege of working with the Houston Food Bank, BEAR . . . BE A Resource for CPS Kids, Clothed By Faith, Texas Children’s Hospital, Outreach Center of West Houston, Kids’ Meals, Japanese Garden – Hermann Park Conservancy, and many other agencies. 

Chelsi was awarded “Game Changer” by She Said organization in 2020. She also received the ACE (Award for Continuing Education) Award from ASHA. 

Phillip Yates is a licensed attorney in the State of Texas and the Southern District of the United States. He has extensive experience in corporate law, commercial litigation, and bankruptcy related matters. A substantial portion of his practice involves providing legal representation to corporations, startups, and small businesses. Phillip has represented over 25 corporations as outside general counsel and served on the board of several not-for-profit organizations, including Lone Star Justice Alliance, Indestructible Beginnings, Foundation for Teen Health,  and League of Women Voters. He also serves as general counsel for the business angel Minority association (baMa) and 100 Black Men of Metropolitan Houston. As well, Phillip is the chairman of Impact Hub Houston, which connects and empowers people working to solve social problems in our city and around the world. 

Philip received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business management from Stephen F. Austin State University and his Juris Doctorate from Texas Southern University.

Phillip is also a cofounder and the managing director of Diversity Fund Houston, a social impact venture fund created to invest in black and Hispanic tech founders during the early stage (friends and family) rounds. Since launching in December 2021, the Fund has raised over $1.3 million dollars from its limited partners. Prior to founding Diversity Fund Houston, Phillip helped establish a pre-venture business incubator for minorities at the Houston Area Urban League in the Greater Houston Area, one of the largest and most diverse populations in the country. In this role, he focused on identifying key resources to assist startups and early-stage founders with opportunities to scale. Since its inception, the program has helped over 10,000 minority entrepreneurs join the entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

In 2019, Phillip launched EQUILIBERTY INC., a technology company designed to build diversity in property ownership, support minority businesses and neighborhoods, and link people to information, capital, and markets. In 2021, the company was recognized in the media by the Houston Business Journal and InnovationMap for its efforts, including its contributions to bringing Black Entrepreneurs Week to Houston, working towards closing the wealth gap, and advancing local economies in key Texas communities.

In February 2021, City of Houston Mayor, Sylvester Turner, appointed Phillip to serve on the City of Houston Firefighters’ & Police Officers’ Civil Service Commission. In September 2021, he was appointed by the executive director of the Texas Indigent Defense Commission and the State Bar of Texas to the State of Texas Office of Capital and Forensic Writs. This year, Phillip was elected by his peers to serve as the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission.

As a couple, Chelsi and Phillip have donated to, and partnered with, The Star of Hope with the annual Yates Family Christmas Party since 2011. In 2021, they were the cochairs of the Foundation For Teen Health.

Chelsi enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, hosting events, singing, writing, and discovering the hidden gems of Houston. Philip enjoys volunteering and running marathons. Together, they like traveling, binge-watching Netflix, attending live concerts, and wine tasting. Chelsi and Phillip are the doting parents of  daughter Harper, who is five years old, and son Phillip II, who is four years old.

It is for all the reasons mentioned above, and many more, that Chelsi Yates and Phillip Yates have been named a Top 20 Power Couple Impact Maker for 2023.