We Stutter Upstate is a community for people who stutter in the Carolinas. Join us for support, resources, and events. Monthly Zoom meetings for the stuttering community in North Carolina & South Carolina. NEXT MEETING Tuesday, Aug 18 7:00 to 8:15 pm Join others who stutter in North Carolina and South Carolina on Zoom at our joint online chapter meeting. Together, we’ll discuss issues related to living life as a person who stutters and we’ll gain new life perspectives on stuttering by seeing, hearing, and learning from others who stutter. We Stutter Carolinas WELCOMES everyone to join our zoom meetings. Family, friends, SLPs, SLP students, PWS and anyone interested in stuttering are welcome to attend. Zoom Meeting Host John Moore leads the NSA Chapter in Greenville, SC and has previously served on the Board of Directors of the National Stuttering Association. Meeting ID: 634 905 4978 Passcode: 2026 We Stutter Carolinas is affiliated with the National Stuttering Association . ZOOM LINK Questions? Contact your local Chapter Leader. You can also email John Moore or call/text him at 512.633.4086.

Explore the history of the National Stuttering Association, from its founding in 1977 to its ongoing mission of support, education, advocacy, and community for people who stutter. Since 1977 Our History The National Stuttering Association was founded to ensure that people who stutter are never alone. Since 1977, the NSA has grown from a grassroots support effort into the largest nonprofit organization in the world dedicated to supporting people who stutter, their families, and the professionals who serve them. The milestones below reflect the organization’s growth, leadership, and commitment to community, education, advocacy, and research. 1977 The Beginning The National Stuttering Association, originally known as the National Stuttering Project (NSP), was founded in California by Bob Goldman and Michael Sugarman. Early efforts focused on community outreach, education, and advocacy, including the creation of local self-help groups for people who stutter. Today, the NSA maintains nearly 175 local support groups nationwide. 1988 National Recognition President Ronald Reagan signed a proclamation establishing the third week of May as National Stuttering Awareness Week (NSAW), significantly increasing public awareness and recognition of stuttering. 2001 Bridging Research & Community The NSA hosted its first joint symposium for scientists and consumers, titled Pioneering Stuttering Research in the 21st Century. The symposium focused on building partnerships and fostering collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and people who stutter. 2017 40 Years of Impact The NSA marked 40 years of bringing hope, support, and empowerment to people who stutter. This milestone reflected decades of growth, advocacy, education, and community impact. 2020 Adaptation & Innovation 2020 was a year of global change and adaptation. The NSA launched the Generations Mentoring Program, pairing younger people who stutter with screened and vetted adult mentors. The organization hosted its first fully virtual Annual Conference, NSA@Home, welcoming more than 1,600 attendees from over 20 countries. Later that year, the NSA hosted a three-day Global Research Conference. 2023 Measuring Impact & Inclusion The NSA published its 2023 Impact Report, detailing accomplishments and measurable impact across the stuttering community. The organization also launched three new committees to strengthen inclusion and representation: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, Professional Relations Committee, and Older Adults Committee. 2025 Growth & Forward Momentum The NSA experienced a year of meaningful growth and forward momentum, expanding its nationwide chapter network to 164 active chapters and welcoming more than 24,000 engaged community members. Through conferences, regional events, and virtual programming, thousands of PWS and their families found connection, education, and belonging. We also expanded programming for underrepresented groups and significantly increased public awareness, reaching more than 7.7 million people nationwide. With strong donor support, the NSA laid the groundwork for transformational initiatives launching in 2026, including a national public service announcement campaign and the development of the NSA Educational Portals for U.S. schools. 1984 First Annual Conference The NSA hosted its first Annual Conference, bringing together people who stutter for friendship, support, information, encouragement, motivation, and new perspectives. Over time, the Annual Conference became the world’s largest gathering of people who stutter, and the Conference Awards and Hall of Fame were established to recognise individuals who have made lasting contributions to the community. 1996 National Expansion The NSA continued expanding its national reach, strengthening its chapter network and reinforcing its role as a trusted source of education, advocacy, and support for people who stutter and their families across the country. 2011 Global Awareness The debut of The King’s Speech, the award-winning film depicting King George VI as a person who stutters, brought renewed global attention to stuttering. The film’s impact helped elevate public dialogue and understanding of stuttering worldwide. 2019 New Initiatives The NSA hosted Our Stuttering: Perspectives on Disability, Diversity, and Culture, a symposium held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In the same year, the NSA launched WeStutter@Work, an initiative focused on improving employment outcomes for people who stutter by addressing workplace stigma through education and advocacy. 2022 Strategic Vision Following a community-informed, participatory strategic planning process, the NSA Board of Directors approved a new five-year strategic plan. The plan focused on expanding access to NSA services, events, and resources, increasing visibility and awareness, positioning the organization for long-term success, and reimagining NSA chapters. 2024 Invested in the Future The NSA received an anonymous $250,000 operating grant to support continued growth and future impact. This funding strengthened the organization's ability to expand programming, support research, and deepen community engagement. The Future Looking Ahead The history of the National Stuttering Association is one of persistence, leadership, and community. As the NSA moves forward, its mission remains unchanged: to support people who stutter, reduce stigma, advance understanding, and ensure that every voice is heard with dignity and respect

Celebrate achievements at the NSA Annual Conference Awards. Recognizing excellence and contributions within the stuttering community. Each year during our Annual Conference, we present a wide variety of awards to individuals and groups within our community that have risen above and beyond, and deserve special recognition. YEAR HOST CITY CHAPTER FAMILY CHAPTER CHAPTER LEADER REGIONAL COORDINATOR SLP VOLUNTEER PARENT MEMBER (COMBINED W/VOLUNTEER) YOUTH CONFERENCE DEDICATION 2025 Denver, CO Philadelphia, PA Lafayette, LA - Marvin Wiley - - - Mitch Guerra 2024 St. Louis, MO Washington, DC - Tim Flynn & Aidan Marshall-Cort - Mike Molino - - - 2023 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Royal Oak, MI - Anahbel Augustin, Lori Colletti & Kerri Berard Family Tanya Banks Jim & Lee Lowman - Matt Scadden (community Builder) Marvin Wiley 2022 Newport Beach, CA Houston, TX St. Louis, MO Sufian Hammad & Emily Anderson Mike Molino & Steven Moates Dan Haus & Emily Webb Jamie Saunders - - 2021 Austin, TX Raleigh, NC Seattle, WA John Moore Jeff Olevson Matt Phillips & Caden Short Annemarie Whitesel - - 2020 NSA@Home (Virtual Event) - - Dannette Fitzgerald Tiffani Kittilstved - - - - 2019 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - - - - - - - Fred Murray 2018 Chicago, IL San Diego, CA - Danra Kazenski Kevin Chambers John Moore - - Annie Bradberry 2017 Dallas, TX Boston, MA - Sivan Aulov & David Apulche Steven Kaufman Jeff Fett - - Michael Sugarman 2016 Atlanta, GA New York, NY - Kevin Chambers Tom Scharstein Michelle Geiger - - Hanan Hurwitz 2015 Baltimore, MD Austin, TX - Katie Gore Bob Rochefort Stavros Ladeas - - - 2014 Washington, DC St. Cloud, MN - Grace Gregory Jeff Olevson Nina Zito Melanie Rogers - - Hall of Fame In addition to our annual conference awards, the National Stuttering Association Hall of Fame was created to honor individuals who have shown an unfailing commitment over time to the NSA and to the stuttering community as a whole. Past inductees are as follows: 2025 – Heather Najman 2024 – Paula Campbell-Schwab 2023 – Paul Castellano 2022 – Pamela Mertz 2021 – Bill Smith 2020 – Doug Scott 2019 – Scott Yaruss 2018 – Bernie Weiner 2017 – Games Family 2016 – Bob Quesal 2015 – No Award given 2014 – No Award given 2013 – No Award given 2012 – No Award given 2011 – Russ Hicks 2010 – Nina Reeves 2009 – Judith Kuster 2008 – No Award given 2007 – Annie Bradberry, NSA Executive Director (1993–2003) & Jim McClure 2006 – No Award given 2005 – Marty Jezer 2004 – Annie Glenn 2003 – Lee Reeves, NSA Chairman (1997–2003) 2002 – Eugene Cooper, Ph.D. 2001 – Vivian Sheehan 2000 – John Harrison & John Paul “Scatman” Larkin 1999 – No Award given 1998 – Michael Sugarman, NSA Co-Founder 1996 – John Ahlbach, NSA Executive Director (1981–1995) Other inductees to the NSA Hall of Fame include: Fred Murray, Mel Hoffman, Rich Wells, Herb Goldberg, Dorvan Breitenfeldt.

Learn how Jonathan Lazenby,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Community Employment Specialist Jonathan Lazenby Briefly describe your daily job duties. As a Community Employment Specialist (CES) with Division for Services of the Blind (DSB), I provide services to assist students with visual impairments that are attending transition programs at the Governor Morehead School in Raleigh and at high schools in surrounding counties to secure permanent employment after high school or post-secondary graduation. I analyze occupations in the community, placing students in appropriate situations according to their individual needs and abilities, adapting equipment and the environment so that a student without vision can perform the duties required in the job and training the student to perform the type of work required. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part of my job is introducing myself on the telephone and leaving voicemails. Sometimes my name is difficult to say and my phone number is sometimes difficult to say. It’s also challenging to answer questions on the phone or in person, especially when I am confident of the answer but have difficulty in speaking the answer. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? Yes, I incorporated my stuttering to my interviewers as an employment marketing ability to show how to can relate to my potential students who struggle with their own disability to assist them with advocating for themselves during their own employment journey and to educate employers about the skills, abilities and capabilities of those who have disabilities. I have disclosed my stuttering only when I felt like my stuttering impeded my ability to convey my spoken message. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. Being a stutterer makes me a better and more valued contributor to my work by my increased ability to listen to other people talking. I am more prone to listen than to talk. Listening to my client’s needs is a very valuable part of my job. Due to my stuttering, I can better relate to someone with a disability as opposed to someone who does not have a disability. I am also someone who understands and empathizes with the difficulties of applying and maintaining a job with a disability. What is your proudest moment at your current company? My proudest moment was being told I interviewed well, being genuinely liked and being told that I brought a lot to the job. I am also proud that I have gained the confidence in calling people who I never met before, leaving a voicemail and having them actually call back! What are your long-term career aspirations? My long-term career aspiration is to help people realize their dreams and happiness by using their skills, abilities and capabilities. My goal is to advocate for people with disabilities and become that person for which I needed so desperately growing up. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? It took 13 grueling interviews to get hired for my current job. I drove across the great state of North Carolina from the mountains to the coast and landed the job in the city from which I grew up in. My best advice is DON’T GIVE UP!!! You will feel like giving up many times. I felt like giving up many times during my unemployment period. I was told that my stuttering needed to be accommodated with technology to which made me feel like my knowledge, skills and abilities weren’t enough for the job. I now realize that my personality is the best accommodation I could ever have.

Learn how Madeleine Maccar,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Magazine Editor Madeleine Maccar Briefly describe your daily job duties. My typical day involves a lot of researching, writing, and editing. However, it also involves meetings where my input is expected, conducting conference calls or phone interviews, and communicating with my departmental team, general coworkers, or our contributing writers. Sometimes I have to speak at meetings and, about twice a year, my company puts on a trade show where I am always talking with my team, event staff, and, most importantly, with our attendees. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Phone interviews handily top the list. Our events are taxing, but that’s more because I am a textbook introvert and being surrounded by thousands of people who expect something of me is EXHAUSTING. But honestly, I also thrive on making people feel special and welcome, and it’s so easy to get swept up in attendees’ infectious energy. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? I’ve been at my job for almost five years. I didn’t talk about my stutter until a few months after I started working there. Three things happened that sparked me to talk about my stutter. First, my office was a two-minute walk from a speech therapist, which is finally what got me into speech therapy at age 30. Second, I met my first adult person who stutters at a work event a few months into my job. (It was absolutely revelatory to finally have a conversation with someone who “gets it.”) Finally, I gave a half-hour presentation about six months into my job and told the audience that I stutter at the start of my talk. Afterwards, I was absolutely gob smacked by the number of people who told me that they never noticed my stutter, confided about either a loved one who stutters or their own experiences with disfluencies, or told me that they hoped my stutter never keeps me from reaching for the life I want. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. My stutter has taught me patience and empathy better than any other teacher possibly could. I feel like I owe other people the patience it takes to stay focused on what I’m saying rather than how I’m saying it. Also, no one loves the written word like a writer who stutters and no one can laugh at themselves like a person who stutters who’s chosen to accept their stutter, which means I take what I do seriously—not myself. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? No one notices your stutter more than you do. It’s just one small part of who you are. It’s natural for it to influence you but it does not have to define you. You are so much more than your stutter!

Learn how Edward DeBrae,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Contact Lens Coordinator Edward DeBrae Briefly describe your daily job duties. On a daily basis I receive patients’ contact lens prescription (CL Rx), process payments accordingly, and manage shipping. Occasionally I will schedule exams and verify vision insurance, collaborating with optometrists or ophthalmologists. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. As a person who stutters, the most challenging aspect of my job is sounding out the eye diseases, conditions, and medications, as well as various patient names. Everyday, I try to get my name clearly without stuttering. What are your long-term career aspirations? I have always wanted to be a published author. 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 disclose my stutter. What is your proudest moment at your current company? Each time I manage to say my name! For years, I have bullied for not being able to say my own name in school or in public settings, and when I said my name the first time at my job, I felt so proud of myself. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Take your time and don’t feel discouraged. It’s hard knowing that you have so much to say with passion but your body doesn’t always let you. You more than the words you speak!

Learn how David Resnick,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Manager, Product Design David Resnick Briefly describe your daily job duties. I manage the Enterprise Product Design team at Hulu where I oversee the design of apps and services for Hulu’s Ad Platform, Content Management System, Customer Support, and Data & Analytics. I represent my team within my department leadership as well as with initiatives in other areas of the company. I keep my team running smoothly, facilitating a culture of open communication, critical thinking, and collaboration. Hands-on design is also part of my work, which entails figuring out how people can use our apps better and improving upon the look and feel for the Hulu brand. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Although I’m told that I do well in presentations and meetings, it is still terrifying when I open my mouth to speak in those situations. That fear has decreased over the years by gaining more experience, and also through the support of my stuttering community. I’m in a position where I have to do a lot of talking with business leaders and team members and I want them to have trust and confidence in me. It’s important to show them what I have to offer and not let my stuttering keep me from that. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? Yes, I self-disclosed. I did so in the context of bringing up my work with Stutter Social and the National Stuttering Association. It’s a unique thing for most people to hear about and they always want to hear more. Self-disclosing lets others know that you’re not hiding and that you’re comfortable talking about stuttering. I’ve found this puts them at more ease, which in turn puts you more at ease! Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. No doubt about it, stuttering has made me a more compassionate person. I’m a better listener in terms of giving people the time and space to say what they need to say. And I can establish empathy faster because EVERYONE has “something” in their lives that has caused them pain, shame, embarrassment, struggle, etc. When people see me with my “something” on clear display, they open up more quickly about themselves and this helps build professional relationships. What is your proudest moment at your current company? My proudest moment was when I got promoted to manager. I was so excited I had to walk around the block a few times just to let the energy out! About two years earlier, I was laid off from a company whose private equity owners decided to take the company in a different direction. It was a big blow because things were going well for me. I had two young kids and it just came out of the blue. It knocked me off my feet for a bit. But, I decided I was going to see the opportunity in the situation. I worked diligently to up-level my career from that point, first as the lead designer at a known startup, and then as a senior designer at Hulu. When the manager promotion came around, it was like the completion of a two-year cycle of my hard work paying off. What are your long-term career aspirations? I want to uplift people’s hearts and minds through art, technology, and unconditional love. I don’t know how that will play out in my career and I don’t put limits on the possibilities. VP of Product Design? Inventor of new technology? Performing artist (with said new technology)? Writer and speaker? CEO of Hulu????? What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? I have a whole lot to say about this topic and it has little to do with stuttering. To summarize, I’ll give you the “Three P’s”: Personality, Preparedness, and Positioning. Personality is a major factor in how others perceive and relate to you and also how you see yourself. Personality determines things like the opportunities you pursue and what people you attract to support you in your endeavors. Preparedness is about what you have done to date that makes you capable of doing the work you’re seeing to get a job doing. You’ve got to be prepared! This includes education, training, and work experience—and this also includes work ethics like persistence, diligence, and awareness. Positioning is the fusing together of personality with preparedness to put yourself in the best position to get the right job and follow the right career path for you. It’s probably the easiest of the Three P’s to do, but it requires that you get the other Two P’s right first. And to do it well, you need an understanding of your industry, market, peers, and professional network.

Learn how Nina Zito,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Elementary School Teacher Nina Zito Briefly describe your daily job duties. As an elementary public school teacher, I plan and execute lessons for my students in word work, reading, writing, math, science, social studies and social emotional learning. I interact with my colleagues and the parents of my students on a daily basis. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part of my job is never knowing how my stutter will be that day. There are many activities I am required to do such as Parent Teacher Communication, Observations and Read Alouds that I have to do, even when speaking is difficult. 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? Yes, I disclosed my stuttering right away and it was very well received by my administration and colleagues. Every May for Stuttering Awareness Week, I have a table in the main lobby with information and giveaways (thanks NSA) to educate others on stuttering and what exactly it entails because quite honestly, most people just don’t know! Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. Stuttering definitely makes me more understanding and a better listener and educator because I know what it’s like to have a struggle and overcome that struggle, whether it is “seen” or “unseen.” What is your proudest moment at your current company? My proudest moment right now is of my students who are doing a wonderful job at remote learning. What are your long-term career aspirations? I would love to continue to teach and educate students and their parents and if some education about stuttering is included, that would be wonderful. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Days might be challenging and speaking might be hard but you are your biggest advocate. Advertising my stutter always worked well for me and I hope it does for you too. We are all in this together and you most definitely should not give up on your dreams because you are not alone in this!

Learn how Kylie Pell,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Associate Teacher Kylie Pell Morgantown, WV Associate Teacher Bright Horizons Briefly describe your daily job duties. At my job with Bright Horizons, I work with a variety of different ages from infant to preschool age. My daily tasks include keeping a safe classroom, building relationships with families, transition tracking, conflict resolution with little ones, changing diapers, preparing meals, and more. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part of my job is probably how my stutter affects my ability to communicate quickly at such a fast-paced job. The children and staff are incredibly understanding regarding my disfluencies though, and I’ve begun to learn that children are some of the most understanding and tolerant people in reference to differences. What are your long-term career aspirations? I am currently a junior at West Virginia University for Speech and Language pathology. I intend to pursue a masters in speech pathology so that I can be a clinician for children like me who have language difficulties. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? I chose to disclose my stutter because it has become something over the years that I own. Disclosure of my stutter allows a weight to be taken off my shoulders; it allows me to stutter freely without being embarrassed. I find that people also really appreciate the transparency in the professional world. What is your proudest moment at your current company? My proudest moments at my job have been all of the times when I make valuable connections with children and their families. It is so beautiful to feel like such a big part of a child’s early learning. It warms my heart when I get big hugs when the children’s parents arrive to pick them up. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I believe my stutter makes me way more sensitive to differences among my coworkers and families I work with. As someone who felt different for a long time, I make the point to treat everyone the same while recognizing and appreciating unique aspects. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Stuttering does not make you incapable of having a professional career. It actually makes you more well equipped because we have had to develop perseverance due to our speech impediment. My biggest piece of advice would be to own your stutter and use it to your advantage. You are a more valuable worker due to your unique qualities.

Learn how Patrick Harvey,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Assistant Merchandise Manager Patrick Harvey Briefly describe your daily job duties. My daily job duties at the Camelback Resort involve delivering customer service to arcade room guests and helping them redeem their tickets for prizes at the redemption counter. I’m also responsible for keeping the store stocked with prizes, inventory management, and making sure the toy crane machines are full. When I’m not at work, I’m in college pursuing my bachelor’s degree in communication studies. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part of my job is speaking to the guests if they need help or if I’m helping them at the redemption counter. Sometimes I get stuck on a few words but it doesn’t stop me from doing my job! 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? Yes, when I first started the job as a regular employee, I let them know that I stutter. When it came to the end of the job interview, I told them I stutter and they were completely fine with it and didn’t judge me. To my co-workers, I just tell them I stutter, I’m not afraid to tell anyone because it’s a part of me and I don’t have any regrets about it. For my guests at work, I don’t disclose that I stutter unless I have to, but they don’t question me about it. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. Stuttering makes me a better, more valued contributor at work because it’s a part of me and I love myself for who I am. It definitely motivates me to engage in conversations with the guests and see how they’re doing. It also motivates me to keep on talking and not to feel bad if I do get stuck on a few words even when people see that I’m struggling a little bit. What is your proudest moment at your current company? My proudest moment at my current company is first, getting promoted a few years ago and becoming the Senior Merchandise Attendant. My best proudest moment is recently becoming the Assistant Merchandise Manager. As a person who stutters, this feels so good. It shows that no matter if we stutter, we all can accomplish and achieve anything we want to in life!!! What are your long-term career aspirations? My long-term career aspiration is to become a motivational speaker for people who stutter. I want to motivate everyone and let them know that stuttering is a gift and you can be anything you want to be in this world!!! What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? My best advice to my stuttering family is to always let your voice be heard, you don’t have to hide your voice. Get involved and put your ideas also on the table!!! Always love yourself and accept yourself for who you are!!! You are amazing and wonderful, and you can achieve all your goals and dreams in life!!!

Learn how Nora Sadik,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Water Resources Engineer Nora Sadik Briefly describe your daily job duties. I provide public and private clients with consulting services for drinking water and wastewater treatment, distribution system water quality, and water reuse/recycled water treatment and regulatory guidance. My work typically focuses on controlling lead levels in drinking water, developing water sampling plans for water utilities and river and stream monitoring, and thinking of ways that large water users can reduce their water footprint. My daily duties usually involve lots of spreadsheets, meetings with clients and technical experts and some field work. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part of my job is presenting to clients and coworkers. It can be especially challenging if I’m presenting on a technical topic with lots of fine details. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? If so, how did you do it? Yes! I disclosed my stuttering in my job interview, which was 6 hours long! Kind of hard to hide for that long. 🙂 Typically, after I have a block I’ll pause and say, “You can probably tell that I have a stutter so just hang in there with me as I get through this.” Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I think my stuttering makes me a good listener and you can always count on me to practice heavily before a client meeting or presentation. That doesn’t mean I won’t stutter, but I try to prepare my best to eliminate some of the stress involved with presenting. What is your proudest moment at your current company? My proudest moment has to be when I was able to see an engineering design that I worked on in real life. Seeing something from paper come to life is super exciting and rewarding! What are your long-term career aspirations? I’d like to continue learning more about controlling lead in drinking water and recycled water and I’d like to get my Professional Engineering license in the next few years. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? My best advice is to share your stutter with your coworkers. By doing so, you eliminate the guess work for your coworkers at why you might not be presenting or communicating with perfect fluency. I’ve often worried that my stutter comes across as unprofessional or as if I haven’t prepared enough, so disclosing lets the client and coworkers know that I’m capable and prepared – I just have a little road block to get over when I speak. I’ve found that my coworkers and the clients we work with are extremely understanding and encouraging.