Lillian Thompson Brown

Lillian Thompson Brown, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an assistant professor in the Department of Rehabilitative Sciences and Professions and a licensed speech-language pathologist whose work focuses on the influence of culture and systemic factors on developmental diagnostic experiences. She holds degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders, including a bachelor’s degree from the University of Central Florida, a master’s degree from Howard University, and a PhD from Northwestern University. Before earning her PhD, Dr. Brown practiced as a speech-language pathologist for more than a decade across school-based, hospital, subacute rehabilitation, and long-term care settings. Inspired by her experiences as the younger sibling of an autistic brother, she has also held leadership roles in autism advocacy organizations and co-created autistic sibling programs in Florida and Maryland. As a clinician-scientist, Dr. Brown’s research centers on early autism identification, caregiver and family experiences, and culturally responsive assessment and intervention.