Ximena Lopez

Ximena Lopez is a pediatric endocrinologist who is a leading advocate for the health of transgender youth. She is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center and works with children and adolescents at Children’s Health in Dallas. Inspired by her patients’ needs, Ximena launched the GENECIS Program in Dallas. This program was one of the first in the southwestern United States to provide comprehensive medical and mental healthcare for young people with gender dysphoria, a condition where a person does not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. Ximena recognized that many of these young patients also face significant mental health challenges, such as depression and anxiety, and she worked to provide them with the support they needed. She continues to serve this patient community and is a respected leader in her field. She is the co-chair of a special interest group for the Pediatric Endocrine Society, where she helps advance the understanding of transgender health among her peers.