Rev. Dr. Elizabeth A. Lopez

A San Antonio native, Rev. Dr. Elizabeth A. Lopez holds a Masters of Theology and a Doctor of Ministry from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. She was the first Hispanic woman—and only the second woman ever—to receive a Doctorate from Perkins. Lopez served as an ordained Deacon and Elder in the United Methodist Church (UMC) and in the New Mexico Annual Conference (NMAC). She served as District Superintendent – Minnesota (UMC) until her retirement in 2012. Over the course of her career, she designed several Clergywomen’s Consultations for the UMC and was a founding member of the Association of UMC Hispanic Clergywomen. Lopez founded and was part of the editorial circle for Wellsprings: a Journal for United Methodist Clergywomen. Among her many distinctions, she was the First Hispanic Clergywoman to ever serve as the Lead Pastor of a 2000+ congregation.