Sandy Root-Elledge, Interim Executive Director of the Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD), announced today that Dr. Elizabeth Cleveland, PhD, CCC-SLP, has been appointed as AUCD's Interim Associate Director in a part-time capacity.

Elizabeth Cleveland, PhD, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), where she also serves as Director of Training for the Arkansas Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program. She currently chairs AUCD’s Special Interest Group on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).

Dr. Cleveland has over 15 years of experience in the disability field, with clinical and research expertise in FASD, autism, and other complex neurodevelopmental conditions. Her work emphasizes improving diagnostic practices, advancing interdisciplinary collaboration, and centering living experience within systems of care. She has presented her work locally, nationally, and internationally, and has been recognized for her leadership and research, including being featured in 501 Life Magazine for her contributions to the field.

Dr. Cleveland earned her PhD in Communicative Disorders from UAMS and holds a master’s degree in Communication Disorders from the University of Alabama.