Meet Ryan Millager, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Ryan Millager Research Committee Associate Member Ryan Millager is a PhD candidate at Vanderbilt University, under the research mentorship of Dr. Robin Jones. His research interests include contributing factors to developmental stuttering, support programs for children who stutter, and inclusivity in research. Ryan is also a speech-language pathologist with more than 10 years of experience with stuttering and a long affiliation with SAY: The Stuttering Association for the Young and other group programs for children who stutter. Since 2015, Ryan has participated in many NSA activities as a stuttering ally, and in 2022 he was awarded the NSA’s Graduate Student Research Award. Ryan’s hobbies include reading nerdy novels, watching nerdy television shows, playing nerdy games with friends, and making nerdy spreadsheets to keep track of it all. He also enjoys running.

Meet Stacey Dedering, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Stacey Dedering Seasoned Voices Committee Stacey Dedering is a human resources professional based in San Jose, California, and the proud mother of 19-year-old twins, along with her cat, Eskie. She first discovered the National Stuttering Association (NSA) 15 years ago, but at the time, the demands of work and raising young children made it difficult to stay involved. Three years ago, seeking connection with others who truly understand the experience of stuttering, she found the NSA Women’s Connect group. Since then, Stacey has become an active member of the community and has attended the last two NSA Annual Conferences.

< Back Previous Katee Delaney Presenter Katee Delaney is a M.Ed. student in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Virginia. In addition to her graduate studies, she serves as a graduate clinician providing pediatric speech-language services and works as a childhood literacy tutor. She is a Virginia native who enjoys spending her free time in the Blue Ridge Mountains, learning Spanish, and baking bread. She is excited to get involved with the National Stuttering Association! Next

Find answers to common questions about stuttering, support, and the NSA. Explore resources, programs, and ways to connect with our community. FAQS GENERAL INFORMATION SUPPORT AND RESOURCES NSA CHAPTERS PARENTS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DONATIONS 2026 CONFERENCE FAQs ATTENDING CONFERENCE AS A FAMILY WeStutter@Work Volunteer Opportunities What is the mission of the National Stuttering Association (NSA)? The National Stuttering Association (NSA) supports people who stutter, their families, and the professionals who serve them by fostering community, expanding access to education and resources, advancing advocacy efforts, and supporting research that drives meaningful change. The National Stuttering Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting people who stutter and their families. Through local chapters, education, advocacy, and research, we work to build a stronger, more connected stuttering community where every voice is valued. Learn more about who we are and why our work matters on our About Us page. What is the NSA’s stance on Stuttering and Personal Choice? We get this question sometimes and we want to make it abundantly clear that we support every person who stutters (PWS) in making their own choices. Just as there is no one right way to stutter, there is no right way to seek support, establish an identity, or find empowerment. Some may embrace stuttering openly, while others may pursue speech therapy or various tools. Some people may want to be part of a community, while others prefer solitude. All of these paths are valid and deserve respect. At the NSA, we see every day that support is powerful, but so is choice. We’re not here to judge or prescribe. What matters is finding what brings confidence and comfort in a world that can already be challenging for PWS and the NSA is here to provide support every step of the way. Who can attend the NSA conference? People who stutter (young and old!), as well as their families, are encouraged to attend. There is a variety of programming for people of all ages, as well as for family members. Additionally, we strongly encourage speech-language pathologists and speech-language pathology students to join us. Need help and not finding the right FAQ? Email us at info@westutter.org. We’re happy to help you find the answer you need. Are there any dues or fees to be an NSA member? We used to consider someone an NSA member only if they paid annual dues — a structure that made sense when those dues covered the cost of printing and mailing our Letting Go newsletter. Now that our publications are mostly digital, removing the dues requirement allows us to be more inclusive. While membership no longer depends on dues, we hope you’ll choose to support the NSA monthly or annually. Your generosity helps sustain the programs, resources, and connections that make this inclusive community possible. Why should I become a NSA supporter? Because your support changes lives — in ways most people never see but thousands deeply feel. When you become an NSA Supporter, you’re helping create a world where people who stutter are understood, empowered, and connected. You’re fueling programs that give children confidence, offering families community, and ensuring people who stutter find their people. Your support keeps our resources free and accessible, strengthens advocacy efforts, and expands the reach of life‑changing education and research. The NSA runs on the generosity of people who believe in this mission, and every contribution — monthly or annual — helps us show people who stutter that they are never alone. Becoming an NSA Supporter isn’t just a donation. It’s a statement. It’s a commitment, understanding, and a future where every voice is heard. Where can I find NSA events and meetings? You can find information about NSA events and meetings on our Events page or by contacting your local chapter. We also post updates on our social media channels and mailing list. Don’t see an answer to your question? Email us at info@westutter.org How can I get more involved with the NSA beyond donating? There are many ways to help. You can join a chapter, attend events, share your story, support a local group, or connect with us about volunteering. If you’d like to get involved, email info@westutter.org and tell us a little about your interests. How can I volunteer with the NSA? We’d love to have your help. You can volunteer by supporting events, helping a chapter, sharing your story, or offering your skills behind the scenes. If you’re interested, email us and let us know how you’d like to get involved. Now, more than ever, your support is critical! Over 3 million American adults stutter and 1 out of 30 children confront this challenge daily. The National Stuttering Association has made great strides over the past 35+ years.

Meet Abhishek Agarwal, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Abhishek Agarwal WS@W Committee Leader Abhishek is a proud person who stutters and the leader of the WeStutter@Work NSA committee. He is quite passionate about stuttering advocacy, and runs a blog called StutterShift. His own stuttering journey has helped him build confidence and break free from his inhibitions. Outside of the NSA, Abhishek is a cybersecurity specialist and enjoys hiking, playing the violin, and reading.

Learn how Lane Sanders,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Freelance Musician Lane Sanders Briefly describe your daily job duties. I am a drummer/percussionist in the San Francisco Bay Area where I wear many hats as a musician. For one, I play in orchestra pits for musical theater productions around the Bay. I also instruct percussion groups at the high school and college level. And, I give private lessons to students of all ages. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part is definitely networking. For those who haven’t heard my playing, their first impression of me will always be my stutter, which is probably just as bad now as it was when I was in grade school. For most people it doesn’t matter to them, but I do always have that fear that they’ll know me as a stutterer, rather than the musician that I am. Do you disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? If so, how did you do it? The hiring process for my profession isn’t like a regular 9-to-5 job, it’s usually based on recommendations and through word-of-mouth. I don’t mention my stutter upfront unless who I’m speaking to has a confused look on their face. My hope, so to speak, is my playing will “do the talking for me.” Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. It forces me to be patient, as well as forces the other musicians to slow down sometimes and have patience. There can be fast-paced moments sometimes, so it’s good to just slow things down now and again. What is your proudest career moment? Probably my proudest moment as a musician was being in the orchestra for the world premiere production of “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations,” that is now currently on Broadway. The show did it’s Off-Broadway tryout in Berkeley, California, and I was fortunate to be a part of it. What are your long-term career aspirations? It’s pretty simple: to keep playing music and inspiring others. As long as I can continue to make a living playing music, I’m all set. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Be yourself. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not, and don’t hide anything about yourself. Your honesty will get you a long way with your peers.

< Back WeStutter@Work Spotlight: Abishek Agarwal – Showing Up Authentically and Creating Change Abishek Agarwal remembers the moment he discovered the NSA. It was like finally finding home. As a person who stutters, he had spent years feeling isolated—longing to be part of something bigger, among people who truly understood what it meant to walk in his shoes. That moment of connection led him to attend his first NSA conference, which sealed the deal: he was all in. “The NSA has allowed me to connect with other people like me, giving me a sense of belonging and making me feel as part of something bigger than myself. NSA has re-enforced the idea that stuttering is truly okay and if you stutter, you have other people to lean on and ask for support.” Today, Abishek serves as both a co-leader of his local NSA chapter (for 2 years) and a passionate member of the WeStutter@Work Committee. He’s part of a team working to create a world where people who stutter have equal access to employment, leadership, and professional growth—all while educating employers and breaking stigma in the workplace. Outside of his advocacy work, Abishek is constantly challenging himself in new ways. From achieving fitness milestones, to learning his favorite songs on the violin, he’s committed to personal growth just as much as community growth. “The NSA has given me more confidence to show up as my authentic self and be more comfortable in my skin as a PWS.” This is his advice to new NSA members, “NSA is a very supportive and diverse community. Don't hesitate ever to reach out for support. People are very kind and will do their best to help. Also, there is so much to get involved in and help out in - so choose specific areas you are passionate about and start with them.” Get to know Abishek: Ice cream pick: Cookies n Cream Nature vibe: Mountains Favorite show: The Sopranos Karaoke jam: Succession Theme Song Plays the violin Dream pets: Otter and dogs Dream vacation: Scottish Highlands Abishek’s leadership is helping shift how stuttering is viewed in the workplace—and we are here for it. Thank you, Abishek! Previous Next

< Back Previous Tom Lovett Presenter Tom Lovett is a person who stutters and the author of "Words Unspoken: The Science, Experience, and Treatment of Stuttering." He has read over 240 research articles on stuttering and attended half a dozen academic conferences around the world. Next

Learn how Aidan Marshall-Cort,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Manager & Personal Trainer Aidan Marshall-Cort Upper Marlboro, MD Manager & Personal Trainer Fitness Together Briefly describe your daily job duties. As a Manager at my facility, my job involves overseeing a team of 5-6 Personal Trainers that handle upward to 100 different clients every week. Ensuring every individual client has a goal specific program and proper path of progression that is tracked through bi-monthly assessments. Effectively supervise an atmosphere of teamwork and communication between my team and our clientele. I also take part in the Sales and Marketing of our business with phone calls to prospective clients, discussing their goals and our services before handling an in-person introductory consultation with the individual. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. My career has challenged me every step of the way as a person who stutters – communication is a fundamental part of my role not only in regards to my clientele but also to my team members as well. When it came to first meeting all of our clientele, introductions were a challenge and produced a lot of anxiety every time I saw someone new on my schedule. As I accepted more responsibility, my role absorbed new tasks that centered around initiating conversation through phone calls or first-time in-person encounters – all things I’ve always feared through my journey with stuttering. However, these experiences have only pushed me outside of my comfort zone and inevitably turned me into an effective communicator and leader that felt more confident with my stutter! What are your long-term career aspirations? My long-term career aspirations is to become a Chief Wellness Officer (CWO). A CWO is an individual who works in an organization, company, etc. who is responsible for employing many different strategies and resources that can positively benefit the employees or workers well-being. This can affect them mentally, physically, financially, etc. Wellness is a multifaceted compass that can be attributed to many different areas of life. Even though mental health is seen as the forefront of concern, there are other areas that can increasing stress and anxiety in one’s day-to-day life. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? Yes, I did – self-disclosure is a way of taking control of your stutter. I have learned through my time in the stuttering community that a lot of fear and anxiety may come from the expectation to mask our stuttering so that we may appear fluent and therefore make others comfortable when speaking to us. However, this constant need to hide who we are as People Who Stutter can only increase fear in speaking situations which ultimately leads to higher levels of feelings of shame and guilt when we show moments of disfluency. When you eliminate that expectation to hide who you are, you don’t only eliminate that pressure we may feel but you also allow yourself to be who you are. I know it can be easier said than done, I disclose my stutter when I first meet most individuals – mutual friends, co-workers, clients, etc. – because it allows me to be myself without fear or guilt from the start and show what Aidan is saying, may take a little more time, but nonetheless still matters. What is your proudest moment at your current company? It is very difficult to pick one proud moment as everyday we are changing people’s lives. When I work my clients, my goal is not only for them to leave feeling physically better but also mentally and emotionally. A lot of my work involves being able to listen, adapt, and respond to what I encounter from my clientele everyday. It’s not always the main focus we are keeping in mind is an ache or soreness but it may be an interruption of the emotional or mental state. Seeing a client come in and inform me of some progress in their everyday life or some achievement in other areas is a consistent brightness to my day and re-affirms the love and passion in what I do. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I always saw my stutter as a hinderance in my life until I learned how much I see it as my own superpower. Stuttering’s relationship with the Stutterer can subjective as everyone may experience it differently – I found mine to be an obstacle, something I was ashamed of and attributed it to a lot of my shortcomings. Through a lot self-reflection and journeys outside my comfort zone, I’ve learned how much it reflects values I hold dear to this day. My stutter has made me someone who is empathetic with a developed emotional intelligence, patient similar to how those are with me, and allows me to be vulnerable with people I encounter in my life and at work. Due to my career, I encounter all walks of life and my stutter has taught me skills and values that allows me to connect on a multitude of levels. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? We have the superpower to be open and vulnerable with those in our lives. Stuttering affects 1% of the population on our planet, you have the opportunity to educate those around you in your daily life and inevitably make the experience of another stutterer after you, easier. Progress is never a straight line, there will be days where we are sad and feel defeated – it is okay to have those moments and feelings, they are natural; it only matters how we bounce back and learn from them. You’ve got this and you’re doing a great job, go out there and let the world hear your voice 🙂

Join the Moorhead - Adult stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Moorhead ADULT IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL MEETINGS CENTRAL NORTH REGION Official NSA Chapter - Minnesota State Welcome to the NSA Moorhead 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 & Virtual 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? Minnesota State University Moorhead Campus Murray Hall (Room 210) – 1104 7th Avenue S. Moorhead, MN 56563 When? Hybrid meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of each month September through May at 6:00PM. Please contact the Chapter Leaders for the Zoom link. Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? Bruce Hanson & Elaine Pyle Chapter Leaders Get in touch! brucehansonbrsfd@gmail.com (701) 261-9734 - 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! What are NSA Local Chapters? Local chapters are the heartbeat of the NSA — powerful spaces where you can meet others, share experiences, and feel supported. Whether you’re an adult who stutters or part of a family navigating stuttering together, we have a chapter for you. Learn more about NSA Chapters and find a meeting close to home! Read more about NSA Chapters and plan to attend a meeting near you! What does a local NSA chapter do? Our purpose is to provide information, advocacy and mutual support for people who stutter, their families, and speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Come join us and experience the NSA’s motto in action: If You Stutter, You’re Not Alone®. How can I find a local NSA chapter? You can find a local NSA chapter by using the chapter locator on our website. Simply enter your location to find the nearest chapter and contact details. Visit our Chapter Locator to find a chapter near you. What happens at an NSA meeting? Your Chapter Leader may prepare a topic for the meeting or might open the floor for discussion and see where things go. Some chapters may also host social events outside of the traditional chapter meeting. The magic of the NSA is just being among other people who stutter, building connections, and having fun while doing it! NSA Chapters give people who stutter, their families and SLPs, a chance to connect and have fun-filled experiences together! Who attends an NSA Chapter? People of all ages who stutter, along with their family and friends, speech-language pathologists (SLPs), and anyone interested in stuttering, are welcome at our chapters! Do you need to RSVP before joining an NSA chapter meeting? You do not need to RSVP, but it is a good idea to let the Chapter Leader know you’re coming. That helps them welcome you and makes your first visit a little easier. Do you offer virtual chapter meetings? Several NSA chapters now meet virtually, making it easy to join from wherever you are. On our Chapter Locator page, you can filter by meeting type and look specifically for virtual or hybrid chapters. When you find one that fits your needs, simply reach out to the Chapter Leader(s) for details on how to join their next meeting. We’d love to welcome you into the community. Don’t see an answer to your question? Email us at info@westutter.org How do I start a local NSA chapter? If you’re interested in starting a chapter, we’d love to hear from you. The NSA can help you understand what’s involved and what support is available. Please reach out to us at info@westutter.org to get started. How do I start a local NSA chapter? Starting a chapter is a great way to build community close to home. Email us at info@westutter.org and we’ll connect you with the guidance and resources you need to get started. You do not have to do it alone. How can I start a new NSA chapter in my area? Starting a chapter begins with reaching out to the NSA so we can help you get set up. We’ll walk you through the next steps, share helpful materials, and support you as you build a welcoming community for people who stutter and their families. 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 Previous Helene Haus Presenter Helene Haus is the mother of two boys, Tim and Daniel (Daniel is a person who stutters). Helene is a former Preschool Teacher who lives with her husband, Mark, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Helene says her family is blessed to be part of the National Stuttering Association and is always amazed by Daniel’s genuine kindness and support for children who stutter and their families. Next