Our Expert Team

Mark S. Litwin, MD, MPH
Co-Director

Amy K. Weimer, MD
Co-Director

Nupur Agrawal, MD, MPH
Internal Medicine/Pediatrics

Program: Primary Care

Dr. Nupur Agrawal is a Clinical Instructor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at UCLA and practices primary care at the UCLA Medicine-Pediatrics Comprehensive Care Clinic in Santa Monica, California. She received her undergraduate degree in Economics with a minor in Biological Sciences from Cornell University, her Master of Public Health degree in Healthcare Management from Columbia University, and her MD from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She completed her combined residency training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas. Dr. Agrawal has had a lifelong passion advocating for human rights and, as a result, joined the UCLA Gender Health Program to provide compassionate, personalized, and comprehensive care to transgender and gender-diverse patients. She has a special interest in managing hormone replacement therapy, contraception, PEP/PrEP therapy, sexually transmitted diseases, depression, and anxiety. More >

Jay B. Espejo, MD, MPH
Family Medicine

Program: Primary Care

A lifetime Bruin, Dr. Espejo has long been an advocate and healthcare provider for the LGBT community in both the clinical and research setting. Most recently, Dr. Espejo helped establish a comprehensive transgender/gender queer health resource network for UCLA students that coordinated medical, behavioral, and surgical care. He would like to provide these resources to the broader community at his primary care clinic in Century City. Dr. Espejo provides a wide range of services including PrEP and hormone replacement therapy for medical transitioning in adults, in addition to the wide range of primary care and urgent care needs. More >

Theresa Poulos, MD
Family Medicine

Program: Primary Care

Dr Poulos has always considered herself an ally, and from the start of her medical career she knew she wanted to work as a healthcare advocate. During her residency training, she was thrilled when she got the opportunity to train at an LGBTQ health center in Chicago. During her time there, she gained in-depth experience in TGNC care, and she is thrilled to bring that skill set back to UCLA where she practices at the UCLA Century City Primary Care Clinic. She is well versed in hormone replacement therapy, PrEP and PEP, and a variety of other primary and urgent care services. More >

Amy K. Weimer, MD
Internal Medicine/Pediatrics

Program: Primary Care

Dr. Amy Weimer is Associate Professor of Medicine – Pediatrics at UCLA. She completed her dual residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in 2003. She served as chief resident in internal medicine, then spent several years practicing general primary care before joining UCLA faculty in 2013. She became deeply interested in health care for transgender and gender-diverse patients during this time, and founded the UCLA Gender Health Program in 2016. She is committed to providing excellent care for transgender and gender-diverse patients of all ages, as well as improving the education of physicians and physicians-in-training on transgender health. More >

Jessica Bernacki, PhD
Psychology, Clinical Child and Adolescent 

Program: Behavioral Health

Dr. Jessica Bernacki is a Staff Psychologist at the UCLA Medicine-Pediatrics Comprehensive Care Center (MPCCC). She completed her doctoral training in clinical psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; her psychology internship in the Department of Psychiatry at UCLA, and her fellowship in the Child Psychiatry Department at Stanford University. She joined the integrated primary care team at the MPCCC in 2013. She has served as the behavioral health director for the UCLA Gender Health Program since it was founded in 2016. In this role she is committed to providing behavioral health services for transgender and gender-diverse patients of all ages. Appointments can be scheduled through our Primary Care program. More >

Brandon Ito, MD, MPH
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 

Program: Behavioral Health

Dr. Brandon Ito is Assistant Professor of Medicine – Psychiatry at UCLA. Dr. Ito completed his Adult Psychiatry training at the University of California, San Francisco and fellowship training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the NYU Child Study Center and Bellevue Hospital where he served as Chief Fellow. He is the director and founder of the UCLA Pediatric Resilience in Development and Expression (PRIDE) Program in the UCLA Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and dedicated to providing expert mental health care to LGBTQ+ individuals and families. More >

Natalie Ramos, MD, MPH
Psychiatry

Program: Behavioral Health

Dr. Natalia Ramos is the Medical Director of Child Psychiatry Consultation Liaison Services at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica who treats pediatric and adult patients through Behavioral Health Associates (BHA), the Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) Clinic and the Faculty Practice Group. She also leads a resiliency group study for LGBTQ teens (ages 12- 17 years old with depression and anxiety. More >

Roja Fallah, MD, MPH
Pediatrics, Endocrinology

Dr. Fallah is a Health Sciences Clinical Instructor at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. She sees patients affected by a variety of diabetes and endocrine disorders with specific interest in endocrine neoplasms and transgender health. Previously, Dr. Fallah was an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at USC Keck School of Medicine and worked as a Bone Marrow Transplant Hospitalist at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. She received her M.D. degree from Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran. After receiving a Master of Public Health degree in maternal and child health from Loma Linda University, Dr. Fallah completed her residency in Pediatrics at White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles and her fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. More >

Stanley G. Korenman, MD
Medicine, Endocrinology - Diabetes and Metabolism 

Program: Hormone Therapy

Dr. Stanley Korenman is Distinguished Professor of Medicine – Endocrinology at UCLA. He Graduated from Princeton University and medical school at Columbia. He was trained in Internal Medicine at Bellevue and Memorial Hospitals in New York. He was accepted to the NIH as a Clinical Associate and then Senior Investigator in the Endocrinology Branch of the National Cancer Institute where he began his lifelong research into male and female reproductive endocrinology. At present he is Associate Dean for Ethics and directs the Ethics program of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Dr. Korenman’s practice specializes in reproductive endocrinology including extensive involvement in the endocrine aspects of gender transition and maintenance. More >

Aarthi Arasu, MD
Medicine, Endocrinology - Diabetes and Metabolism  

Program: Hormone Therapy

Dr. Aarthi Arasu earned her medical degree and completed her Internal Medicine residency at UCLA. She went on to do her endocrinology fellowship at UCSF. During that time, she spent extensive time doing research in osteoporosis with world-renowned experts in the field. More >

Susan Ahern, MD
Medicine, Endocrinology - Diabetes and Metabolism 

Program: Hormone Therapy

Dr. Susan Ahern is a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Medicine and Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at UCLA. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency training, Internal Medicine Chief Residency and Endocrinology and Metabolism Fellowship at University of California at Irvine. She has relocated from Orange County to Ventura County where she has started a general Endocrinology practice. She has a special interest in caring for transgender and the gender-diverse population. She is looking forward to providing evidenced based care and work. More >

Shira Grock, MD
Medicine, Endocrinology - Diabetes and Metabolism 

Program: Hormone Therapy

Dr. Shira Grock was born and raised in Los Angeles and received her undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley. She then earned her medical degree from University of Southern California where she was elected for Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She went on to complete her Internal Medicine training at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City and returned to Los Angeles for her endocrinology fellowship at UCLA. Dr. Grock then joined faculty at UCLA and practices general endocrinology in Santa Monica with a special interest in transgender health. More >

Anna Pawlikowska-Haddal, MD
Pediatrics, Endocrinology

Dr. Anna Pawlikowska-Haddal is a Clinical Professor in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA. She graduated from the Medical School at the University of Lodz in Poland and obtained her PhD at the Institute of Endocrinology of the University of Lodz. She completed her residency in pediatrics at the University of West Virginia, Charleston Division, and her fellowship training in pediatric endocrinology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. At UCLA, Dr. Haddal joined the multispecialty clinical/research program Disorders of Sexual Development lead by Dr. Eric Vilain, Professor of Human Genetics, Pediatrics and Urology, and by Drs. Bernard Churchill and Steve Lerman, pediatric urologists. Dr. Haddal has extensive experience in treatment with GnRH analogs and sex hormones. She is interested in the change of gender perception through history, art and literature. More >

Gerald Berke, MD
Otolaryngology / Head and Neck 

Program: Vocal Surgery

Dr. Gerald Berke is Professor and the founding Chair of UCLA’s Department of Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Berke came to UCLA in 1979 to complete his surgical residency after graduating from both undergraduate and medical school at the University of Southern California. In 1984 Dr. Berke was appointed to the UCLA Division of Head and Neck Surgery as Assistant Professor and, in 1992, was given an accelerated promotion to Professor and Chief of the UCLA Division of Head and Neck Surgery. After 20 years as Division Chief, Dr. Berke became the first Chairman of the UCLA Department of Head and Neck Surgery in 2012. His primary clinical interests include laryngology, voice disorders, and oncology. Dr. Berke is a laryngologist with an extensive history of treating LGBT patients with vocal issues. More >

Abie Mendelsohn, MD
Otolaryngology / Head and Neck 

Program: Vocal Surgery

Dr. Abie Mendelsohn is an Assistant Professor at the UCLA Voice Center, part of the UCLA Head and Neck Surgery Department of the David Geffen School of Medicine. Dr. Mendelsohn graduated with honors from Yeshiva University followed by his medical school education at UCLA. Following his surgical residency training at UCLA, he went on to complete two advanced voice fellowships. First studying under Dr. Gerald Berke at UCLA he then studied under Dr. Marc Remacle at the Cliniques Universitaires UCL Mont-Godinne in Belgium. In Europe, Dr. Mendelsohn was able to learn the state-of-the-art endoscopic surgical approaches for the transgender voice. During his career here at UCLA, Dr. Mendelsohn has taken particular pride in working to advance the cultural and clinical well-being of the LGBTQ community. More >

Valentina Rodriguez-Triana, MD
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Obstetrics 

Program: Gynecological Care

Dr. Valentina Rodriguez-Triana is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCLA. Dr. Rodriguez- Triana attended college at the Johns Hopkins University, and completed medical school at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. She did her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at UCLA, where she later stayed as faculty. She has a special interest in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, particularly for the treatment of fibroids as well as gender- affirmation surgery for female- to- male transgender patients. Dr. Rodriguez- Triana is a member of the UCLA Gender Health Program, where she offers preventive services, contraceptive management, obstetric care, and gender- affirming surgeries for transgender patients. More >

Kathleen Brennan, MD
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility 

Program: Reproductive Health and Fertility

More >

Zain Al-Safi, MD
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility 

Program: Reproductive Health and Fertility

Dr. Zain Al-Safi is Assistant Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He completed his residency training at Wayne State University, Michigan, where he received many awards. He also served as the Administrative Chief Resident. Dr. Al-Safi completed fellowship subspecialty training in Reproductive Endocrinology and infertility at the University of Colorado. He is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Al-Safi provides fertility preservation care for transgender patients, in addition to his clinical interests that include infertility, oncofertility, reproductive surgery, recurrent pregnancy loss, and reproductive hormones disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). More >

Lindsay Kroener, MD
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility  

Program: Reproductive Health and Fertility

Dr. Lindsay Kroener is an Assistant Clinical Professor of OB/Gyn in the division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at UCLA. She is passionate about women's health and provides comprehensive, personalized care in the area of reproductive medicine and infertility. After graduating from Northwestern University, she completed her medical degree at USC Keck School of Medicine and her Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Fellowship at UCLA. Her primary clinical interests include infertility management and treatment, recurrent pregnancy loss, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and fertility preservation for a wide range of patients including cancer patients, transgender patients and those pursuing elective fertility preservation. More >

Tamara Grisales, MD
Obstetrics and Gynecology 

Program: Gynecological Care

Dr. Tamara Grisales, Assistant Clinical Professor of OBGYN. Dr. Grisales completed residency in OBGYN and a fellowship with Urogynecology Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at UCLA. Since starting her practice at UCLA in 2014, she has had an interest in providing care to the LGBTQ community. She has a non-obstetric practice and sees patient for both gynecologic and urogynecologic care. She has fellowship training in urogynecologic, pelvic reconstructive, and gynecologic surgery and provides surgical services such as hysterectomy and salpingoophorectomy. More >

Molly Quinn, MD
Obstetrics and Gynecology 

Program: Gynecological Care

Dr.Quinn completed her undergraduate studies at Stanford University and medical degree at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She completed her residency training in obstetrics and gynecology and fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. Her clinical interests include infertility, fertility preservation, recurrent pregnancy loss, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and helping LGBTQ individuals build families.  She has a special interest in fertility preservation for transgender patients. Dr. Quinn’s research interests include optimizing pregnancy outcomes subsequent to assisted reproduction, the role of the reproductive laboratory in improving in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes, the long-term safety of IVF and related treatments. More >

Andrew Da Lio, MD
Plastic Surgery 

Program: Chest / Top Surgery

Dr. Andrew Da Lio is Clinical Professor and Chief in the UCLA Division of Plastic Surgery. He earned his bachelor’s and medical degrees from the University of Michigan. He completed his residency in general surgery at the prestigious Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and matched into the plastic surgery residency program at the USC Keck School of Medicine. After finishing his residency training, he elected to complete an additional subspecialty fellowship in microvascular surgery at UCLA. Dr. Da Lio joined the faculty of the UCLA Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery as an Assistant Professor in 1997. He specializes in cosmetic surgery and microsurgical breast reconstruction. More >

George Rudkin, MD
Plastic Surgery 

Program: Chest / Top Surgery

Dr. George Rudkin is a Clinical Professor and training program director of Plastic Surgery at UCLA, and the Chief of the Plastic Surgery service at the West Los Angeles Veteran Hospital. Dr Rudkin completed his training in both General and Plastic Surgery at UCLA, and has been on staff since 1998.  Dr Rudkin’s clinical interests include performing transgender top surgery. More >

Jason Roostaeian, MD
Plastic Surgery 

Program: Facial Reconstruction

Dr. Jason Roostaeian is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Division of Plastic Surgery at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. Dr. Roostaeian, a Los Angeles native, obtained his undergraduate degree at UCLA with summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors. He then continued at UCLA for medical school where he earned the prestigious UC Regents Scholarship, “the UC’s highest recognition of academic excellence.” In medical school he received Alpha Omega Alpha honors, as well as the Longmire Medial which is awarded to the top graduating student in surgery. More >

Wayne Ozaki, MD
Plastic Surgery 

Program: Facial Reconstruction

Dr. Wayne Ozaki Dr. Wayne Ozaki is a board certified plastic surgeon, who specializes in pediatric, craniofacial and cosmetic surgery of the face, breast and body. Dr. Ozaki was born and raised in Anaheim, California. He received his undergraduate and dental school education at the University of Southern California. He graduated as valedictorian of his Dental School class in 1988. Dr. Ozaki completed his Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency and attended Medical School at the University of Pittsburgh. He then spent a year as the Plastic Surgery research fellow at the University of Michigan. He continued his training in Plastic Surgery at the University of Michigan. Dr. Ozaki returned to California as the Craniofacial Fellow under Dr. Henry K. Kawamoto at UCLA. More >

Justine Lee, MD
Plastic Surgery 

Program: Facial Reconstruction

Dr. Justine Lee is an Associate Professor of Surgery in the UCLA Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the Bernard G. Sarnat Endowed Chair in Craniofacial Biology. She graduated from the University of Chicago with both an MD and a PhD. She subsequently completed her Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency at the University of Chicago followed by a Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship at UCLA. Her clinical research is focused on identifying methods for improving outcomes in craniofacial care. Her clinical practice is dedicated to aesthetic reconstructive craniofacial surgery. More >

Mark S. Litwin, MD, MPH
Urology
Surgery, Complex General Surgical Oncology 

Program: Genital Reconstructive Services / Bottom Surgery

Dr. Mark Litwin is Professor of Urology, Public Health, and Nursing. He is also Chair of UCLA Urology. Dr. Litwin did his surgical training at Harvard and specializes in testicular, bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer. Dr. Litwin’s research focuses on improving quality of care and quality of life in urologic oncology. A former board member of the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association, he created and directs IMPACT, a state-funded program that provides free medical care statewide for low-income, uninsured men with prostate cancer. More >

Gladys Ng, MD
Urology 

Program: Genital Reconstructive Services / Bottom Surgery

Dr. Gladys Ng is Assistant Professor of Urology. She did her surgical training at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and fellowship training in genitourinary reconstruction at Emory University.  Dr. Ng specializes in general adult urology, minimally invasive surgery, and pelvic medicine reconstruction with a focus on male genitourinary reconstruction.  Dr. Ng is enthusiastic and committed to providing excellent care for transgender patients and especially those with an interest in gender affirming surgery. More >

Jesse Mills, MD
Urology 

Program: Reproductive Health and Fertility

Dr. Jesse Mills is Associate Clinical Professor of Urology. Dr. Mills received his medical degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine. He completed his urology residency at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and a fellowship in microsurgery and male reproductive medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. He is a national proctor for penile prosthetic surgery and a national expert in Peyronie’s Disease. He has authored multiple book chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles on male infertility, impotence, and many other urologic disorders. As a male reproductive medicine specialist, Dr. Mills has extensive experience counseling patients on sperm freezing (cryopreservation) prior to male to female gender affirmation surgery. More >

M. Chase Cates, DO, MPH
UCLA LGBTQ Healthcare Fellow

Dr. M. Chase Cates, UCLA LGBTQ Healthcare Fellow. He completed his bachelor's degree in Biology at Angelo State University, his Master of Public Health degree from Texas A&M School of Rural Public Health and his DO degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine at Seton Hill in Greensburg, PA. During his clinical years, Dr. Cates did a rotation in LGBTQ and HIV care in Dallas, TX, that spurred his interest on entering the field. While completing his residency in Arkansas, he could see the health disparity and lack of education regarding LGBTQ health needs and felt that he needed to do more to make a difference, especially in the south. He is very excited to now be in Los Angeles to learn about LGBTQ health issues and HIV to eventually bring this back to the southern regions and provide much needed care to the community. More >

Christopher Mann, MSW & ASW
Care Coordinator

Chris Mann, the UCLA Gender Health Program Manager, completed his Master of Social Welfare degree at UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs where he focused on issues affecting LGBTQ+ identified older adults and was co-chair for the Luskin Pride LGBTQ Caucus. Since starting his position with the UCLA Gender Health Program, he helped spearhead UCLA Health’s inaugural participation in West Hollywood Pride as well as shaped LGBTQ trainings and presentations for the UCLA Health System. Chris will help patients and their families navigate insurances, health information, community based resources and policies affecting the trans and gender diverse communities. He looks forward to working with leadership to shape and cultivate the UCLA Gender Health Program and welcomes any and all who would like some assistance along their journey.