Leah Fabiano

Leah Fabiano, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a Professor and Director of the Doctor of Philosophy program in Communication Science and Disorders at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Her work focuses on developing equitable diagnostic methods for bilingual children with speech sound disorders, with strong commitments to social justice and dismantling structural inequities in academia.

Education:

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Center for Research in Language, University of California San Diego/San Diego State University
• PhD in Communication Sciences, Temple University
• MS in Speech-Language Pathology, SUNY Fredonia
• BS in Speech-Language Pathology, SUNY Fredonia

Research Focus: Dr. Fabiano leads research on reducing misdiagnosis of speech disorders in bilingual Latinx Spanish-English speaking children. Her lab develops culturally responsive assessment protocols that differentiate typical bilingual development from clinical disorders. She pioneers methods examining language interaction effects, sociolinguistic influences, and cross-linguistic transfer in phonological acquisition.

Publication Trends: Recent articles (2020-2024) demonstrate three key themes: 1) Critical analyses of assessment bias and raciolinguistic ideologies in clinical practice, 2) Empirical studies on phonological transfer patterns in Spanish-English bilinguals, and 3) Methodological innovations for equitable service eligibility determination. Her work consistently integrates sociolinguistic frameworks with clinical applications.

Awards:

• Fellowship of the Association, ASHA (2024)
• Edith Sayer Auslander Emerging Visionary Award (2021)
• Excellence in Diversity Award, CAPCSD (2018)

Academic Leadership: Dr. Fabiano directs a research lab focused on bilingual phonological acquisition and trains graduate students in culturally responsive clinical practices. She has led institutional reforms in graduate admissions through holistic review processes at Hispanic-serving institutions.