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Meet Caitlin Franchini, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Caitlin Franchini Professional Relations Committee Caitlin Franchini, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist and a person who stutters, currently working as a Clinical Research Associate at the Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research – Atlanta Satellite through the University of Texas at Austin. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and her master’s from Georgia State University. Caitlin specializes in developmental stuttering and implements person-focused treatment. In 2023, she received the Distinguished Early Career Professional Certificate from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

< Back Poetry, Presence, and French Vanilla: Here’s Derek Daniels’ NSA Story Meet Derek Daniels. He’s been part of the NSA family since 2002, starting in Houston and now calling the Detroit/Royal Oak Chapter home. When he walked through that first NSA Chapter meeting door, he was looking for community. Like so many of us who stutter, he found more than that. He found validation. He found connection. He found people who just… got it. Over the years, the NSA has become something deeper for Derek, a space where his experience as a person who stutters is affirmed. That sense of affirmation has helped shape every part of his journey. As a professor, researcher, and clinician, Derek’s career blends purpose with passion. He teaches, travels, networks, supports people who stutter, and still finds time to grow as a poet. What’s Derek proud of? A lot. Personally, it’s been his evolution as a writer. Professionally, it’s receiving both the NSA’s Professional of the Year and Scholar Award. But more than accolades, it’s about staying true to himself and showing up fully in his work and in the community. He’s got advice for newcomers, too: “You have a community that embraces you for who you are.” And if you really want to get to know him? Offer him a soft chocolate chip cookie, turn on a little Taylor Dayne or Jon Secada, and ask him what he loves about London. Previous Next

Learn how James Hayden,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. HLA Technologist James Hayden Briefly describe your daily job duties. I work in the flow cytometry and DNA sections of Ochsner Health’s Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) Lab. I assist with preliminary workups for those in need of an organ transplant, as well as, potential donors. In the flow section, I test to see if there is a reaction between the antigens of a potential donor versus the antigens of a potential recipient, in order to reduce organ rejection. I also test to see if there is a reaction between the patient’s antibodies vs the patient’s antigens, in order to identify auto immune disorders. In the DNA section, I isolate and test donor and recipient DNA to identify their HLA profiles. Other responsibilities include: testing for various diseases (ex. Celiac disease and psoriatic arthritis), quality control of instruments, as well as, reagents, and DNA typing of deceased donors. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Talking on the phone is the most challenging part of my job. Nearly every day I’m on the phone with someone to see where a sample is, confirm a test that we need to run, report results, confirm donor information, and/or confirm patient information. For the most part, I talk to the same group of people about these issues. By this point, they all know I stutter and it’s a non-issue. However, if I am talking to someone new and I begin to stutter I will disclose that I am a PWS, after the stuttering moment ends. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? If so, how did you do it and how do you currently disclose your stuttering to unsuspecting co-workers? I disclosed indirectly. On my resume, I listed my book, Dear World, I Stutter, and various published articles, but my stutter did not come up during my interview. In the past two year and a half years, I’ve become more comfortable with disclosing my stutter. Whenever I meet a new co-worker, I disclose by saying, “You may have noticed that I stutter. All I ask is that you don’t finish my sentences and keep eye contact with me when I stutter. If you have any questions about stuttering, then don’t hesitate to ask me.” What is your proudest moment at your current company? Being selected to give a TED talk at Ochsner’s inaugural TEDx event is my proudest moment. Not only is it the proudest of my time at Ochsner, but it’s one of the proudest moments of my life. What are your long-term career aspirations? Although I like what I do, I want to transition to the corporate side of Ochsner. My ideal role would be in internal employee development. I would also like expand my writing and public speaking opportunities. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Disclose the fact that you are a person who stutters as soon as possible. Disclosing allows for the “awkwardness” of stuttering to instantly disappear. Also, don’t allow your stutter to hold you back from going for a project, promotion, or a new opportunity.

< Back Isabella Fiorenza Speaker Bella Fiorenza has been stuttering since birth and talking about it ever since. Set to earn her master’s in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in May 2025, she’s a fierce advocate for the stuttering community--whether in her personal life, the classroom, or on stage at conferences. A six-year NSA member, former Co-Chapter Leader of the Beaumont, TX Chapter, and current Co-Chapter Leader in Lafayette, LA, Bella believes in the power of storytelling to educate and empower. When she’s not advocating, you’ll find her belting out karaoke with friends, hunting for funky finds at Goodwill, binge-watching reality TV, or getting lost in the fiction aisle at Barnes & Noble. Previous Next

Learn how Madison Nichols,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Flow Cytometry Specialist Madison Nichols Briefly describe your daily job duties. My job involves assisting researchers with analyzing their cell specimens using the principles of flow cytometry. I’m responsible for being able to analyze experiments when needed, keeping analyzers clean and functional, and also for caring for our two cell sorters. Cell sorting is my main job, in which I use high complexity instrumentation to sort cells from a suspension into a separate receptacle to allow our clients to use them for other research purposes. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. It’s been particularly difficult during the pandemic meeting people very slowly instead of all at once. People are slowly phasing into returning to work, which puts some added stress on me to meet new people on a fairly regular basis. What are your long-term career aspirations? I’d love to stay in this position and continue to learn as long as I continue to feel passionate about the work I am doing. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? Disclosure of my stuttering was the first thing I did when applying for this job. I disclosed it in my application and my letter of intent as well as to every on-boarding individual along the way. Disclosure is something I am very passionate about, as I believe it takes stress off of us to try to appear perfect and to try to hide something that isn’t even our fault. What is your proudest moment at your current company? I’m very proud of transitioning to this job at the very beginning of the pandemic and am also proud of myself for continuing to learn and meet new people even though it can be difficult. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I work on being a good, active listener. I always try to give people the space and time to share their ideas without interruption because I know how hard it can be to communicate. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Always be yourself, even if being your true self requires you to put in more effort and go beyond your comfort zone. Be willing to learn new things and to be corrected. Always be willing to lend a hand and stay away from workplace drama! Most of all, don’t let something like your speech hold you back. When you’re in the right position, those who truly care about you won’t care and will give you all the time in the world to speak your mind.

Learn how Kunal Mahajan,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. VP – Middle Market Leveraged Finance Kunal Mahajan Briefly describe your daily job duties. I work in the Middle Market Leveraged Finance group which consists of providing financing to private equity companies to finance their acquisitions. My primary duties consist of managing all aspects of the deal process which includes researching and conducting due diligence on different companies across different industries, communicating with clients, and presenting in front of credit committees to get a deal approved. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Presentations are the most challenging aspect of my job as a person who stutters. As the lead underwriter on a transaction, I am responsible for presenting in various committee meetings and am expected to be the expert on a transaction to get the deal approved. That pressure makes me feel that I have to give the perfect presentation and I become very anxious that my stutter will prevent me from doing so. How supported at work do you feel by your co-workers, supervisor(s) and the company itself? SMBC and my co-workers have supported me completely throughout my entire tenure with the firm. When I expressed my concerns to my managers that I was afraid I would be letting them down by stuttering during my presentations and when talking to clients, they assured me that they do not care whether I stutter or not. They said they are just focused on ensuring I am prepared for the presentations and are only concerned about what I have to say. When I told them how important becoming an effective communicator was to me, they supported me in my pursuit of programs such as Toastmasters, the Dale Carnegie Leadership Program, and getting me a private public speaking coach to work with on a one-on-one basis to improve my communication and presentation skills. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? No, I never did. However, I wish I did because my bosses thought I was just very nervous during my interview because they did not realize that I had a stuttering disability. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. Being a person who stutters and being open and authentic with my team about it has brought us closer together. They have been able to see how trusting I am of them and it has created an environment within our team where we all can be open and honest with each other and help support each other. My stutter has also made me become an employee who is very focused on helping others. Having gone through so much hardship with my stutter and having had many people who have been compassionate and supported me, that has made me want to do good for others. I am very focused on mentoring people within my team to help them grow and am involved in running initiatives at the firm for helping other people with disabilities get the support they need in the work place. What is your proudest moment at your current company? Hosting a Mock Interview Event for People Who Stutter in January of 2019 at our offices in NYC was my proudest moment at SMBC. We had 30 people who stutter from across the country come to the event to work on their interview skills. Members of the SMBC senior management team served as mock interviewers and provided interviewees feedback. I was proud that I was able to help bring together a life changing day for everyone in the room and that I work for an institution that is so accepting to people of disabilities.

Join the Northern Colorado - Family stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Northern Colorado - Family FAMILY CHAPTER IN-PERSON MEETINGS SOUTHWEST REGION Official NSA Chapter - Colorado State Welcome to the Northern Colorado Family Chapter! The National Stuttering Association’s® motto: If You Stutter, You’re Not Alone®, is what our NSA Chapters are all about! Chapter meetings are open to people who stutter, family members of people who stutter, speech-language pathologists (SLPs), and anyone that wants to learn more about stuttering. Feel free to reach out to the Chapter Leader(s) to find out more about our chapter. We hope you will join us! How do you typically meet? In-Person Meetings What age group can attend? Family What languages are spoken? English How much does it cost? Free! Meetings Here is information on the location and schedule of our meetings. Reach out to the Chapter Leader(s) for more information! Where? Council Tree Library- 2733 Council Tree Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80525 When? Meetings are held on the first Thursday of the month from 6:30 to 7:30 during the school year. Social meet-ups will be held in the summer! Our first meeting is March 6th. Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? Libby Cravens, Sarah Boffa & Jessica McGuire Chapter Leaders Get in touch! NorthernColoradoNSA@gmail.com 281-796-8882 (text) - Questions? We know that attending your first NSA Chapter meeting might be a little intimidating so we’ve tried to answer some of your questions! We know once you get there, you’ll be greeted by Chapter Leaders who have been in your shoes before and are happy to welcome you! ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us. Testimonials Read more about the power of chapters and support groups from NSA members themselves! "When I attended my first conference in 2019. I was welcomed into this "stamily" with open arms and haven't left the bear hug since!" Lexi Hewitt Exton, PA Chapter "Other people who stutter are the best sources of support, love, and encouragement on your journey. Don't be afraid to reach out, no matter what stage you're at." Gina Waggott Author, Entrepreneur "This community has helped me rediscover myself as a confident and capable person who stutters." John Ontiveros Lorem, CA Chapter

< Back Annette Onofri Speaker Annette Onofri is the parent of Sarah Onofri, Family Programs Coordinator, and they have been attending NSA conferences together since 2006. She is always Sarah’s #1 volunteer and supporter at our many NSA events. She is excited to share her experiences and meet other parents. Annette is from Boston, Massachusetts, where she works as a Surgical Dental Assistant. Previous Next

Learn how Jason Baker,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Professor of Music Jason Baker Briefly describe your daily job duties. I teach percussion instruments in both individual and group settings. This involves private lessons, as well as leading and directing the percussion ensemble, marching band drumline, and steel drum band. I also serve as Recruiting Coordinator for the department, where I organize events both on and off campus to attract prospective students to our program. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. My stuttering usually occurs when I’m tired or have had to speak for a long time, which can happen toward the end of a long day of teaching or an especially full week of events. My particular stutter consists more of “blocking” than typical repetition of sounds, so it can create a lot of physical tension in body in my body, as well. What are your long-term career aspirations? I just enjoy the variety of teaching, performing, publishing, composing, and service that life at the university has afforded me. Each semester brings in new students, situations, and opportunities, so there is always something I didn’t anticipate before, and that’s enough to keep me busy for a long time Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? If I suspect my stuttering is going to affect my speaking during an event (interview, lecture, or presentation) I will usually work it into what I am talking about, such as stating how playing music helped me develop positive self esteem in my youth despite being a stutterer. Usually, doing this will lessen my own anxiety and my speech will be more fluent. Either way, it becomes less of an issue and people seem fine with it either way. What is your proudest moment at your current company? Witnessing the growth in our program over the years and seeing former students now working and supporting their own families as professionals has been especially meaningful. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I think stuttering has always made me a hard worker. Having to work to do something everyday that most other people take for granted has created a resiliency and work ethic that I can carry over to other challenging situations in my work. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Everyone is different in the severity and frequency their stuttering, but two thing we all have control over are the quality of work we can do at our jobs and how we treat others around us. Capitalizing on this will far outweigh any perceived shortcomings in how we speak.

< Back Joan Ross Speaker Joan Ross is a dedicated attendee of NSA conferences with her husband Dave and their two daughters and their families. Their journey started in 2008 in their home state of New Jersey, when they attended their first life changing conference! Their NSA family has been an incredible support network for them! Joan is the Chapter Leader of the NSA Central Jersey Chapter. Joan is also a small business owner and realtor. Her daughter Courtney who has stuttered since the age of three, has been a huge driving force in Joan's life. Joan's older daughter, Heather, met and married a fellow stutterer adding a loving and unique twist to their family dynamics! Joan is now happily embracing the role of grandma to five wonderful grandchildren while attending their 17th consecutive conference together in Denver! Previous Next

< Back Caitlin Franchini Speaker Caitlin Franchini, MS, CCC-SLP is a speech language pathologist at the Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research-Atlanta Satellite through the University of Texas at Austin. She specializes in developmental stuttering and implements person-focused treatment that builds positive attitudes towards stuttering and confidence when communicating. She also leads the Atlanta Adult NSA chapter and serves on the Professional Relations Committee. Previous Next

< Back Spotlight on the Older Adults Committee: A Voice of Wisdom, Connection, and Confidence Meet a longtime member of the NSA who embodies the heart of what it means to be unapologetically yourself. Vicki Schutter been part of the NSA since 1985, when we were still known as the National Stuttering Project (NSP). Their journey began when a persistent fellow stutterer, Brian Koch, encouraged them to attend a meeting in Paula Campbell’s apartment. That first step led to a lifetime of connection, support, and transformation. “I had never been in a room with so many stutterers in my life,” she said. “It was life-changing.” Now a proud member of the Older Adults Committee, she helps represent the fastest-growing group in our organization: adults over 50. The committee offers a unique perspective on NSA initiatives, providing insight into workshops, mentoring, and planning events with a thoughtful eye toward later stages in life. But more than anything, this committee fosters a sense of belonging. It’s a place where mature members can reflect, connect, and continue to grow within our ever-expanding stuttering family. She says that one of their proudest accomplishments is simple yet powerful: “I always order exactly what I want in a restaurant. I never order something I think will be easier to say.” We celebrate that kind of confidence and self-acceptance at the NSA. Through their years of involvement, she’s learned to live with their stutter, not in spite of it, but with it—embracing who she is rather than striving for who she thinks she’s “supposed” to be. When she’s not advocating for the stuttering community, she’s enjoying their favorite things: Pecan Turtle Fudge ice cream Relaxing at the beach Singing California Dreamin’ at karaoke Caring for Ginger, their very spoiled orange-and-white cat Rewatching episodes of Star Trek Dreaming of visiting the lake region of northern Italy To anyone new to the NSA, their advice is clear: “Go to a conference! It will change your life forever, and you will meet people there who will be your friends for the rest of your lives.” We’re honored to have this member in our community and even more thrilled to see their continued leadership on the Older Adults Committee. Previous Next