Dr. Lopez manages the development of diversity programs and a variety of strategic initiatives in USC Dornsife. Her portfolio includes working directly with departments on faculty searches, and creating and implementing programs focused on diversity for undergraduate and graduate education and diversity outreach.

As part of her strategic initiatives work, she oversees postdoctoral fellowships for the humanities and social sciences within USC Dornsife, manages aspects of the First-Year Investigations Seminar program, a program focused on providing incoming freshman the opportunity to work closely with distinguished Faculty Fellows and also works on the pre-health diversity initiative, which is aimed at providing shadowing and mentoring opportunities for students interested in pre-health careers.

Prior to coming to USC, Dr. Lopez served as Program Officer at the National Science Foundation in the Directorate for Social, Behavior and Economic Sciences. In this role she was responsible for overseeing the funding of research and education for national and university projects.

In addition to her government experience, she has worked in the non-profit setting as the Director of Education at the American Political Science Association, a Washington DC based scholarly association where she was responsible for managing projects aimed at diversifying the political science discipline at the faculty, graduate and undergraduate level. She also worked directly with national educational associations to promote civic education.

As a scholar, Dr. Lopez has published articles on the intersection between race and gender in leadership, public policies affecting racial and ethnic minorities, and education. She received her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Southern California.