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Join the Nashville - Adult stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Nashville ADULT IN-PERSON MEETINGS SOUTHEAST REGION Official NSA Chapter - Tennessee State Welcome to the NSA Nashville 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 Meeting What age group can attend? Adult 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? Nashville Public Library – Richland Park Branch at (4711 Charlotte Avenue Nashville, TN 37209) When? Meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30PM Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? Jake Durm & Jack Henderson Chapter Leaders Get in touch! NashvilleNSAChapter@gmail.com (931) 265-0243 - 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 Rachel McCullough Speaker Dr. Rachel McCullough was a covert stutterer for many years until learning and accepting it at a NSA Conference. Rachel holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Rider University, and a Master's and Ph.D. in criminal justice from the State University of New York at Albany. Dr. McCullough works as a grants manager by day and rocks out as singer-songwriter for the indie-rock band, Black Cat Habitat by night. Previous Next

< Back YAC Speaker The Young Adults Committee spearheads our Young Adult programming, both during the Annual Conference and throughout the year, to work to bridge the gap between us and focuses on issues that young adults who stutter may face including job interviews, dating, career, and more. Previous Next

Join the San Diego - Family stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. San Diego FAMILY CHAPTER IN-PERSON MEETINGS SOUTHWEST REGION Official NSA Chapter - California State Welcome to the NSA San Diego 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? Mission Valley Public Library (next to IKEA) Community Room 2123 Fenton Pkwy, San Diego, CA 92108 When? Meetings are held on the Third Thursday of every OTHER month from 4:30 to 5:30 PM, beginning on January 15th, 2026! We meet during the months of: January March May July September November Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? Christy Cazares Chapter Leader Get in touch! sdwestutterfamily@gmail.com - - 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

Join the Hays - Adult & Family stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Hays ADULT & FAMILY CHAPTER IN-PERSON MEETINGS CENTRAL SOUTH REGION Official NSA Chapter - Kansas State Welcome to the NSA Hays 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 What age group can attend? Adult & 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? Fort Hays State University - 600 Park St, Hays, KS 67601 When? Meetings are held on the 4th Thursday of each month at 6:00 PM. Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? Ran An Chapter Leader Get in touch! r_an2@fhsu.edu - - 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

Learn how Shea Quinn,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Helicopter Pilot Shea Quinn Briefly describe your daily job duties. I am a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter pilot for maritime search and rescue missions and counter narcotics interdictions. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Although I do a lot of public speaking for my administrative duties and a great deal of talking on the radio while flying, I think the pre-flight crew briefings is the most challenging part of my job. The briefing sets the tone for the entire flight, so it’s critical to present yourself as an effective communicator. Some days I feel that demand more heavily than other days. 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, clients and or customers? I did disclose but it was in my medical record. There was also a read aloud test as a part of the initial medical screening process, so my stutter advertised itself. I was initially medically disqualified from the Coast Guard but I was able to obtain a waiver through an additional series of interviews with medical officers. Now, I try to be very forward about advertising the fact that I stutter. At the start of every presentation, briefing, or other speaking engagement at which I am in front of an unfamiliar audience, I advertise the fact that I stutter immediately after introducing myself by offering an “admin note about myself.” This seems to put both me and the audience at ease. I have received a lot of positive feedback from listeners that my introduction actually made them more interested and engaged with the content I was speaking on because of, to use their words, the “honesty, truthfulness, and simplicity” of my introduction. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. Stuttering has undoubtedly made me a better listener and has enhanced my “crew resource management” skills as the Coast Guard would term it. The thousands of instances throughout my life, both in and out of the military, where I wasn’t listened to because of my stutter, has taught me to hear and understand the whole message before developing a response. This prevents the all too common mistake of hearing only the response you want, thereby leaving the other person feeling ignored, belittled, and ostracized, greatly diminishing their input to the team when responding to a given situation. In aviation, especially with the small crew size of many Coast Guard helicopters, the input of every member is critical to mission success. Therefore, fostering an environment of healthy communication both inside and outside the aircraft is paramount. Without the lifelong struggle (or gift) of stuttering, I would have had much greater difficulty promoting such effective communication. What is your proudest moment at your current company? My proudest moment at my current unit has actually recurred several times over, and continues to re-surface on a regular basis. It comes about every time someone at the unit approaches me to tell me how much they enjoy when I speak at “All Hands” events and unit trainings. I’ve been told by many people that I am very entertaining and that I deliver information very well. Although I have often thought they were just being nice, the consistency of the positive feedback has taught me otherwise. To have such success and to receive such positive feedback after exposing a vulnerability through advertising my stuttering is great motivation to continue doing so. (Thank you Ms. Paula Bacolini and Dr. Phil Schneider for developing my willingness to advertise my stuttering.) What are your long-term career aspirations? I hope to serve twenty years in the Coast Guard and fly most of, if not all of that time. I’m looking forward to teaching and encouraging young “nugget” pilots as they progress through their various upgrades and qualifications to become Aircraft Commanders. I’m still toying with the idea of starting a helicopter skiing business after retiring from the Coast Guard. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? STUTTER STRONG! Be up front and honest about your stuttering. Disarm the critics by advertising your stuttering as often as you can. Own your stuttering and you will gain immediate respect from your co-workers. Change your mindset from a focus on fluency to a focus on effective communication. There is so much more to communication than not stuttering. Fluency is not essential to mission success.

Join the Charlotte - Adult stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Charlotte ADULT CHAPTER IN-PERSON MEETINGS SOUTHEAST REGION Official NSA Chapter - North Carolina State Welcome to the NSA Charlotte 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? Adult 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? As we search for our new long-term home for meetings, our October 14th gathering will be held at Independence Regional Library: 📍 Independence Regional Library 6000 Conference Drive Charlotte, NC 28212 https://www.cmlibrary.org/locations/Independence-Regional 🗓 Tuesday, October 14th at 6:45 PM When? Meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 6:45 to 7:45 PM. Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? Stuart Cook & Cameron Joyce Chapter Leaders Get in touch! charlottestutters@gmail.com 843-861-6636 - 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

Meet Chadwick Hedgepeth, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Chadwick Hedgepeth Young Adults Committee CJ currently lives in Virginia and is a recent graduate from the University of Virginia’s Speech Pathology Program. CJ became interested in the field of Speech Pathology through his history receiving Speech services himself for his stutter. CJ is currently a Speech Pathologist working in a Virginia School System in addition to an outpatient clinic. His special interests in the field include Stuttering and AAC. He is passionate about helping other people who stutter find confidence in speaking even if it’s with having a stutter. Alongside being a Young Adults Committee member, CJ also co-runs the Charlottesville Virginia NSA Chapter and has presented on Stuttering and Stuttering best practices related to treatment and evaluation at conferences and seminars. Some of CJ’s hobbies include painting, reading, and playing music.

Meet Mia Woltman, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Mia Woltman WS@W Committee Mia Woltman is eager to ignite optimism alongside fellow people who stutter. As a woman in her young twenties, Mia navigates her first glimpse of a profession in Elementary Education with excitement about how she simultaneously encourages self-acceptance in her students and herself. As someone who is still learning, yet very much prepared to spread awareness, Mia will admit that she will stumble alongside NSA members as they juggle perspectives about stuttering. Mia is particularly motivated by acting as a role model for children who seek to have their adversity recognized and applauded. While Mia participates in her local NSA Chapter and contributes to WeStutter@Work, she enjoys the many outlets she has found to help cope with daily pressures: salsa/bachata dance lessons, creative writing, reading, kayaking, and spending time with her support circle.

Learn how teachers and school staff can support students who stutter. The National Stuttering Association shares evidence-based tips, classroom strategies, and communication guidance for educators. The Role of Educators in Supporting Students Who Stutter The National Stuttering Association (NSA) recognizes the central role that teachers and other educators play in shaping the lives of young children. Educators often reach out to the NSA with questions about how to best support children who stutter in the classroom. All children benefit when teachers understand and support them—but for children who stutter, this understanding is especially critical. Supportive educators can foster confidence, reduce anxiety, and create a classroom culture where communication differences are respected and valued. The NSA offers a wide range of resources for educators, helping teachers feel more comfortable with their understanding of stuttering and more confident in supporting students who stutter. Immediate Helpful Tips for Educators These practical suggestions can make a big difference in helping students who stutter feel safe and respected in your classroom. 1. Ask How You Can Help Always ask the person who stutters how you can be most helpful and supportive. Each student’s experience with stuttering is unique, and their preferences for support may differ. 2. Avoid Finishing Sentences Finishing a student’s sentences or supplying words—even with good intentions—can increase pressure and anxiety. Some students might find it helpful occasionally, but many do not. The best approach is to ask what helps them most. 3. Be a Good Listener Maintain comfortable eye contact and give your full attention. Avoid showing impatience, embarrassment, or alarm. Wait calmly until the student finishes speaking. Your relaxed body language communicates acceptance and patience. 4. Avoid Well-Meaning but Unhelpful Advice Phrases like “Slow down,” “Take a breath,” or “Relax” are often meant kindly, but they imply that stuttering is under voluntary control. These comments can add pressure or frustration. Remember: stuttering is a neurological communication difference, not a behavior that needs correction. 5. Focus on What the Student Says—Not How They Say It Let the child know through your actions and tone that their message matters more than their fluency. A classroom environment that values what is said over how it’s said promotes inclusion and communication confidence. Why Educator Awareness Matters Children who stutter may experience teasing, avoidance, or reduced participation in class due to fear of being misunderstood. Educators who respond with patience and understanding can help change this. By modeling respect and curiosity rather than correction, teachers help peers do the same—creating a safe learning environment that values every student’s voice. NSA Resources for Educators The National Stuttering Association provides free, research-based tools to help educators understand stuttering and promote inclusive communication practices. For classroom guides, student stories, printable tip sheets, and continuing education opportunities for teachers, counselors, and speech-language professionals. You can also connect with others through local NSA Family Chapters —supportive communities for families, educators, and children who stutter. Find your nearest chapter. Last Updated: October 2025 Author: National Stuttering Association Marketing & Education Team with contributions from Nicole Kulmaczewski, MS, CCC-SLP and Jacqueline Toscano, SLP.D. CCC-SLP.

Learn how Zac Rankin,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Tax Managing Director Zac Rankin Briefly describe your daily job duties. As a Tax Managing Director, I’m in charge of dozens of clients and professional staff. I manage all my client’s projects, ensure client work gets done, call clients to update project status, and field calls from clients about consulting work. In addition to my client work, I also manage our professional staff. This includes checking-in with them on projects, career development discussions, helping employees with technical work or other issues, and occasionally helping with personal issues. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part of my job is the constant social interaction. A day does not go by when I’m not spending a large part of my day speaking with people. Most of the time the people I speak with already know I stutter. But, I get calls from clients or from new staff who don’t know. I try to disclose, but this doesn’t always happen. It’s very draining day after day to be so conversational even when I don’t want to be – especially when I’m having disfluent days. 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, clients and or customers? I did not self-disclose during my job interviews. Unfortunately, I was ashamed of my stuttering and it showed. I was turned away from every job interview with public accounting firms. It wasn’t until my last interview, with BDO USA, which I still work for 12 years later, that I owned my speech. I persevered and wasn’t going my stutter hold me back from getting the job I wanted. Today, I make a point of bringing up my stutter during first encounters with people. During interviews for new staff, I open with the same thing, “Hi my name is Zac. First off, I want to let you know that I am a person who stutters. If I say anything you may not clearing hear then please ask me to repeat myself.” Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I spend a lot of my time listening. It helps make our professional staff at BDO USA feel valued and listened to, and I’m better equipped to help them by listening more. This helps with clients as well because I can hear what their concerns are and be able to better assist them. What is your proudest moment at your current company? I have two proud moments. First, was giving a two-hour presentation to a client’s Board of Directors. This was the first presentation I gave to such a high-level audience. I practiced for hours the night before and started to psych myself out; but, I did a great job with minimal disruptions. Second, was being nominated to be a Tax Partner in the Anchorage BDO USA office. What are your long-term career aspirations? My ultimate goal is to thrive in the professional world as a person who stutters. When I was interviewing for jobs in public accounting, I was greeted with the typical reaction from firms because of my stutter. I was even told to not pursue public accounting because it requires too much talking. I strive to be an example for people who stutter that there are no limits in any professional and in life. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? You have tremendous value. Do not let your stutter limit the greatness you can achieve. Your voice is worth being heard, especially today when “social norms” are being challenged. Own your truth. Speak your truth.

< Back Saundra Russell-Smith Speaker Dr. Saundra Russell-Smith is a dedicated educational leader committed to inclusivity, academic excellence, and family engagement. She holds a BA in Psychology from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, two MA degrees in Educational Leadership and Elementary Education, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Francis, along with a superintendent’s endorsement. With experience as a district administrator and principal, she has also served on multiple boards, mentored through Big Brothers Big Sisters, and contributed to the Illinois Principals Association. A proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., she champions equitable learning environments. In Limitless Leaders: Leading Beyond Your Disability, Dr. Russell-Smith shares her journey as a leader who stutters, offering a framework to turn perceived weaknesses into strengths and inspire transformative leadership. Previous Next