Elizabeth Cleveland, PhD, CCC-SLP

Elizabeth Cleveland, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and the Director of Training for the Arkansas Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities program. She also serves as the Interim Associate Director at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and is the CEO and Founder of the Fusion Center Network, a multi-state neurodevelopmental diagnostic clinic focused on improving access to evaluations for children with complex developmental needs. She specializes in FASD, neurodevelopmental diagnostics, interdisciplinary care, and system-level capacity building.

• • • School-based Practice
    • Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder
    • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD)
    • Executive Functions
    • Neurodivergence

Cleveland, E., Rusnak, E., Smith, A., Miller, V., Moriarta, M., Wisdahl, J, and James, K. (2025). FASD SIG Mini Conference. A two-day training focused on interdisciplinary practice, FASD, and disability policy for AUCD trainees and early-career professionals. Role: organizer and host. Washington, D.C.

Cleveland, E. (2025). The Fusion Center Network: A Virtual Approach to Advancing Neurodevelopmental Care. An invited presentation for the Arkansas Association of Infant Mental Health.

Cleveland, E (2025). What Educators Need to Know About Neurodevelopmental Disorders. An invited workshop for the Punta Gorda Education System. Punta Gorda, Belize.

Cleveland, E (2025). Supporting Children with FASDs: A Speech-Language
Pathologist’s Approach to FASDs. An invited presentation for the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Program: A Program of the American Academy of Pediatrics in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Cleveland, E (2025). Supporting Neurodivergent Children: An Online Training Series. A five- part virtual series for the Department of Children and Family Services and collaborating agencies.

Cleveland, E. (2024). Lived Experience Panel for SPICE Clinic Team. An invited panel presentation for the WE CARE outreach series for the University of Arkansas College of Education and Health Professionals. El Dorado, AR.

Cleveland, E., Rusnak, E., Wisdahl, J., Smith, A., Moriarta, M., & Miller, J. (2024). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Pre-Conference. An invited pre-conference event for the Association of University Centers on Disability. Washington, D.C.

Cleveland, E. (2024). FASD and NDD 101. An invited keynote presentation for the Arch Ford Educational Cooperative Summer Training Series. Plumerville, AR.

Cleveland, E. (2024). Workshop on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. An invited keynote presentation for the Alaska Speech-Language-Hearing Association Annual Conference. Anchorage, AK.

Cleveland, E. (2024). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Opening the Door for Services. An invited concurrent session series for the Arkansas Head Start Conference. Little Rock, AR.

Cleveland, E. (2024). Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and the Effects on Early Childhood Education. An invited concurrent session series for the Arkansas Head Start Conference. Little Rock, AR.

Cleveland, E. (2024). Department of Human Services Initiatives in Arkansas: Prevention Pilot Programs. An invited presentation for the New Mexico Research Summit. Albuquerque, NM.

Cleveland, E. (2024). Interdisciplinary Evaluation of Neurodevelopmental Disabilities. A virtual presentation for Brigham Young University.

Cleveland, E. & Smith, A. (2024). Clinical Evaluation and Strengths-Based Approach for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. A virtual presentation for the Examining FASD Diagnosis ECHO series at the University of Alaska at Anchorage.

Cleveland, E. & Smith, A. (2024). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in the Child Welfare System. A virtual presentation for the annual Hope Conference.

Cleveland, E. (2024). Interdisciplinary Approach to FASD and other Neurodevelopmental Disorders. A virtual presentation for the Indiana Alliance on Prenatal Substance Exposure.

Cleveland, E. (2024). Treating the Grey Area: An Overview of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. A virtual presentation for the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Child Study Center.

Cleveland, E. (2023). Strengths-Based Screening Tool for FASD Identification. A virtual presentation for professional development units in Nome, Alaska.

Cleveland, E.; Howe, M.; & Love, A. (2023). Services for Children with Disabilities in Arkansas. A presentation for the hospital team at Little Rock Airforce Base. Jacksonville, AR.

Cleveland, E (2023). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in the Courts. A presentation for Zero to Three and Safe Babies Court Team of Pulaski County. Little Rock, AR.

Cleveland, E. (2023). An Introduction to Invisible Disabilities. A keynote presentation for Harding University’s Dixie Branscum Supervisors Dinner. Searcy, AR.

Lepard, T., Dugan, M., Cleveland, E., & Menke, C. (2024). Clinical genetic counselors’ use of people- and identity-first language in regard to patients’ identification with disability. Journal of Genetic Counseling. In Print.

Rhomberg, S. & Cleveland, E. (2024). Grant to Help Partners for Inclusive Communities Research Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. An invited publication for the University of Arkansas Newsletter. https://news.uark.edu/articles/69536/grant-to-help-partners-for-inclusive-communities-research-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorders

Rhomberg, S. & Cleveland, E. (2024). Partners for Inclusive Communities Receives $10 Million to Fund Services for Children and Families. An invited publication for the University of Arkansas Newsletter. https://news.uark.edu/articles/69363/partners-for-inclusive-communities-receives-10-million-to-fund-services-for-children-and-families

Cleveland, E. (2023). Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in Arkansas. An invited publication for the Arkansas Early Childhood Association Newsletter.

Cleveland, E., Lepard-Tassin, T., Love, A., Cope, A., Deere, D., & Gangluff, J. (2023). An interdisciplinary approach to increasing access to care for individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Review of Disability Studies. 18(3). Retrieved from: https://rdsjournal.org/index.php/journal/article/view/1172/2614.

Cleveland, E., Biller, M., Benafield,N., Moss, A., Jordan, M., and Yang, M. (2023). “Exploring Barriers to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Communication Sciences and Disorders Students,” Developmental Disabilities Network Journal: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 9. Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ddnj/vol3/iss1/9

Cleveland, E. (2022). A speech-language therapist’s guide to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders assessment and intervention: Where do we fit in? Communication Matters, 49 (Spring 2022). https://speechtherapy.org.nz/assets/Uploads/Communication-Matters/NZSTA-Communication-Matters-Spring-2022-Web.pdf

Myers, A.J., Cleveland, E., Whitby, P.J.S., Boykin, A.A., Burnette, K., Holmes, R., & Ezike N. (2021). Analysis of a statewide early intervention program for young children with ASD. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities. doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-05376-z.

oi.org/10.1080/19411243.2022.2112361