Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and is a licensed clinical psychologist. She serves as Director of the UCLA Tarjan Center, a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, and is the Founding Director of the UCLA PEERS Clinic, which provides parent and caregiver assisted social skills programs for individuals from preschool to adulthood.

Dedicated to supporting individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families, Dr. Laugeson has also held numerous leadership roles, including Founding Director of The Help Group–UCLA Autism Research Alliance, Program Director of the UCLA Predoctoral Psychology Internship Program in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, Director of the UCLA Early Childhood Clubhouse Program, and Associate Director of the UCLA Parenting and Children’s Friendship Training Program.

As the creator of PEERS, one of the only evidence-based and internationally recognized social skills programs for neurodivergent youth, Dr. Laugeson has trained tens of thousands of professionals, educators, and families worldwide. Her programs, which have been translated into over a dozen languages and implemented in more than 150 countries, focus on improving friendship, dating, and employment skills.

Her work has been featured in People Magazine, USA Today, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and major networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, and in the Emmy-winning Netflix series Love on the Spectrum.