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.

Learn how Cameron Francek,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Technical Delivery Lead Cameron Francek e your daily job duties. I am a Technical Delivery Lead responsible for leading a team of Software Engineers and Business Analysts at Meridian Health Plan. We support an internal software application where our core business and healthcare process are maintained. I oversee all aspects of the software development lifecycle, from requirements gathering, development, promotion and stakeholder relations. We must react quickly to changes in state and federal requirements, ensuring the needs of clients are met, our processes remain compliant and that both our members and providers have an elite experience with Meridian. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. As a leader, effective communication and decision making are critical to the success of our team. In stressful situations where the prevalence of my stuttering may be heightened, I often have to remind myself that my fluency is secondary to the outcome that we are working towards. In those instances, my experience with stuttering allows me to approach the situation with empathy and courage. Ultimately, it’s about delivering the message and outcome required to get the job done whether I stutter or not. 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 am a firm believer in disclosing the fact that I am a person who stutters. In doing so, I am able to better focus on the context of the given situation and better keep the attention of my audience. Getting that disclosure out of the way also displays a level of confident vulnerability which I view as a sign of strength. In my experience, disclosing I stutter empowers others to be themselves and that helps them perform at a higher, more comfortable level. The last thing I want is for people to be wondering what is happening when I stutter, which could prevent people from focusing on the context of our interaction or the task at hand. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is being part of a team and working toward a common goal. I hope my stuttering brings a “human” aspect to the team that can sometimes be lost in a results-driven environment. Empowering our people to be themselves, to practice empathy, to be courageous and to work together regardless of differences or insecurities is what I work to offer to Meridian. What is your proudest moment at your current company? Regularly doing things I once thought were impossible, makes me proud. Leading a team of super smart and talented people, giving a status report to our Executive team and even facilitating a conference call are moments I’m grateful for every day. What are your long-term career aspirations? I hope to grow in my leadership role, become a technical expert and one day be the CIO of a Fortune 500 company. 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 and know that you can communicate effectively regardless of stuttering. In fact, I’d argue you communicate effectively because you stutter. Be confident in your abilities, prepare intensely and focus on acting with empathy and courage. Shine bright every day.

Learn how John Raab,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Sr. Manager Flight Software & Spacecraft Simulation John Raab Parker, CO Sr. Manager Flight Software & Spacecraft Simulation Lockheed Martin Briefly describe your daily job duties. Develop, test and maintain software for spacecraft operations. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Verbal communications are challenging in new situations with people that you don’t know. There is a tendency to stay in your comfort zone because of this. I always tried to maintain a “if I were a winner” mentality when making decisions. What are your long-term career aspirations? I am recently retired but during those 36 years, I was committed to advancing my career regardless of stuttering challenges. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? I’m not real proud of this. I didn’t say anything about my stuttering during the job interview. I guess I was afraid it might hurt my chances of getting the job. When I got home, I reconsidered. I sent my future manager a letter thanking him for the interview and I disclosed the fact that I stuttered. What is your proudest moment at your current company? I was in charge of the flight rules while the spacecraft was in the Space Shuttle cargo bay before deployment. My supervisor told me that I would have a console position in Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center. I knew I would need to to talk on the “net”. I was terrified but I said, “Okay”. My supervisor’s manager said that because it was manned spaceflight that I was not going. It was clearly because of my speech. I was more relieved than upset. At that point, the Program Manager stepped in and overruled everyone. “John is going” he said. I did go. There were some anomalies during the mission and I was in the middle of it all. I stuttered some but overall had good success. Later, our team got to meet with our astronaut crew. The whole thing was an amazing experience. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. Everyone brings their whole person to work. People deal with challenges that are not always visible. I was able to look past things that were not perfect and focus on the important things like getting the job done. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? An employee that worked in my group gave a customer presentation and stuttered significantly. It didn’t go well. His lead asked me what we should do. I told him to talk with him about it and that he was probably more resilient than you think. We gave him the job of reporting status at our weekly staff meeting. The plan was to provide opportunities to help him gain more experience over time. That worked. I’m sorry he got thrown in the fire the first time. My advice is to talk with your supervisor about your speech and keep the lines of communication open.

Meet William Webster, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. William Webster Research Committee Standing Member Dr. William Webster is a retired university professor, a former Dean, and a person who stutters. During the first 22 years of his career, he was a professor and chair of psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada with an active research program focused on brain mechanisms underlying stuttering. The results of that research have been published in more than 20 journal articles and several book chapters and have been presented at a number of conferences. He co-authored with Marie Poulos in 1989 a clinical manual entitled, “Facilitating fluency: Transfer strategies for adult stuttering treatment programs” (Tucson, AZ: Communication Skill Builders). In 1991, he was appointed Dean of Social Sciences at Brock University in St. Catherines, Ontario, followed in 2002 as Director of the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Western Ontario (now Western University) in London, Ontario. He is currently completing a book to be entitled, “Stuttering and the brain: Reflections on my journey.”

Meet Elliot Bellman, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Elliot Bellman Teen Advisory Council (TAC) Elliot Bellman is 16 years old and lives in Fullerton, CA. He is currently a sophomore at Troy High School, and is part of the Troy Tech program, a 3 year STEM based magnet curriculum. He is also a member of his school's NJROTC unit, and competes on the Cybersecurity team, achieving 5th place in the NJROTC division in 2026. In his free time he enjoys history, tutoring other students, games, golf, football and participating in competitive Rubik’s Cube, achieving a personal best of 13.2 seconds. He is also a person with Autism that has impacted his stuttering. Having found the NSA in 2022 through his SLP, he has learned so much from the community, helping him to embrace his stutter, build confidence, and become an advocate for other people who stutter. For the past few years he has delivered public service announcements for International Stuttering Awareness Day educating over 2000 people on the dos and don’ts when talking with someone who stutters. Elliot is excited about the opportunity to join the TAC, and hopes to be able to give back to other teens and help them find the benefit, value, and confidence he has found in the NSA.

Learn how Landry Champlin,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Miss America Organization Landry Champlin Briefly describe your daily job duties. As Miss Plano, I am a speaker, performer, and advocate for my social impact initiative, “Live Fearless: Defining Life Without Limits.” I speak frequently on my journey competing and finding success in the Miss America Organization, a competition centralized around public speaking. I am also the founder of “The Live Fearless Foundation,” a charitable organization that brings character education and scholarship opportunities to students fearlessly seeking a higher education despite the adversity they may face in their own lives. Along with the “Live Fearless Foundation,” I have created an online blog and podcast named “The Fearless Files,” dedicated to encouraging EVERYONE to find comfort outside of their comfort zone! And in June of 2021, I will go onto compete for the title of Miss Texas! As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. As a public speaker and stutterer, maintaining confidence consistently is by far the most challenging aspect of my job! As cliché as it sounds, I question myself, my skillset, and my own capabilities often! Each time, I remind myself how important it is to recognize, that as individuals we are allowed to be a work in progress and a finished product at the same time! Celebrate how far you have come, while continuing to grow into the person you aspire to be! Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? I began competing in the Miss America Organization when I was 14 years old. At the time, I did NOT disclose my stutter when competing, but my nerves in the high stress environment got the best of me, and I stuttered throughout the competition! After 2 years of competing, hiding behind my speech difference, I became conscious of the fact that stuttering was and is the quality that makes me unique! Instead of concealing my “secret,” I sought to change the stereotype behind stuttering and created a social impact initiative in an effort to encourage everyone to embrace their OWN challenges and turn them into success stories! Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I never take words for granted. Each speech, appearance, and conversation I participate in is intentional! As Miss Plano, I am aware of the power that words and articulate communication can have on a person and I work tirelessly to ensure EVERYONE feels seen for who they are. I strive to make every interaction with another human being impactful and purposeful. Stuttering has forced me to work harder, dream bigger, and become a stronger communicator! What is your proudest moment at your current company? In June of 2019, at the age of 17, I was named 2nd-Runner Up to the title of Miss Texas 2019. I was also awarded an overall preliminary talent award, Rookie Onstage Interview Award, and was named a “Top 10 Interview.” As the youngest in the competition, I was awarded over $7,000 in scholarship funds! What are your long-term career aspirations? I am currently pursuing my Bachelor of Music with an emphasis in Music Theatre at Oklahoma City University and aspire to one day perform on Broadway!! I also intend to be the first Miss America with a stutter! I hope to inspire millions of stutterers worldwide to share their voice, pursue their dreams, and find strength in taking risks! What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Nothing worth having comes from a comfort zone. As a person who stutters, use your experience overcoming adversity to your advantage. Try something new. Be bold. Take risks! Success is born out of consistent confidence in YOUR abilities. Regardless of the severity of your stutter, know this: your presence defines you before you open your mouth to speak! Stay confident in your ability to communicate effectively and take every opportunity to grow along the way!

Learn how Hannah Dunn,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Sr. Elite Care Specialist Hannah Dunn Briefly describe your daily job duties. I assist Marriott guests at all rewards levels with any issues that arise during their Marriott guest experience. I also assist Marriott hotel management, staff and other agents to help ensure maximum guest satisfaction. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. For 8 to 10 hours every shift, I’m on the phone talking. Each call is different and because of that, I do not speak from a script. I must think on my feet and engage in ad-hoc conversations all day with all types of people. Everything is unplanned and the conversation could, and does, go in any direction. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? If so, how? Yes! Absolutely! I disclosed my stutter during my hiring process because I cannot hide it. In the interview when I was asked, “What are your strengths?” I responded by telling them my stutter is a strength because I never let it stop me from doing uncomfortable things and instead, I use it as motivation to a better job. What are your long-term career aspirations? I want to continue being in the hospitality industry and be responsible for planning programs and events. What’s your best advice for people who stutter striving to achieve career success? Don’t hide your stutter. Let it be known and let it shine. Your stutter is what makes you who you are.

Meet Molly Porzel, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Molly Porzel Outreach Coordinator Molly Porzel is an advocate for inclusion, empowerment, and the celebration of all voices. As the wife of a person who stutters and a mom of three kids (one of whom stutters), she brings a lived, family-centered perspective to the stuttering community. Molly works in Early Childhood Special Education and is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Social Work. She enjoys creating spaces where children (and adults) can feel seen, supported, and free to be themselves. When she’s not at the Annual Conference, you’ll find her co-leading the St. Louis Family Chapter or squeezing in as many 1-Day Conferences as possible!

Learn how Jake Kail,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Field Project Manager Jake Kail Briefly describe your daily job duties. As a Field Project Manager for NetApp Professional Services, I’m responsible for managing the delivery of service implementation projects for our Commercial, Enterprise, and Global customers in the world of hybrid cloud data services. I develop plans around service delivery, build technical teams, and take a consultative approach to align with customer expectations and ultimately get the job done. I also served as a Field Artillery Officer in the United States Army from 2015-2019 before joining NetApp. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Translating my thoughts into coherent sentences can be challenging. I have a stutter that often prevents me from getting past an initial letter of a word. I often try to restart my thought, or simply avoid the word all together and find a suitable substitute. As someone who gets in front of customers on a daily basis, getting the right point across is paramount so this causes me anxiety on a daily basis. When I have my bad days, I sometimes avoid talking when not completely necessary and this has caused me to shy away from reiterating key points that get glossed over. 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. I was wrongly conditioned at a young age to try my best to hide my stutter. As I’ve grown in the past few years, I’ve realized the value of disclosure and how much of a weight it can lift. I’ve been very lucky to have an employer that looks past my stutter and sees my value as an asset to the team. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. Stuttering has allowed me to have a high level of emotional intelligence. Building relationships, speaking honestly, and being personable are all skills I have thanks to my stutter. I often try to highlight who I am behind my speech difference and that vulnerability speaks volumes when building and leading teams. What is your proudest moment at your current company? My proudest moment at NetApp was actually in the first three months of working. I was fresh out of the military and I was learning how to work in a very different environment. During our introductory presentations I was very relaxed and had no trouble delivering the message. A week later, I gave my second presentation and could barely get a word out. Many co-workers did not know about my stutter and their concern for my well-being made it worse. A few weeks later I had an executive briefing and I prepared for days. This presentation went very well, and I was praised by leaders across the organization for my preparedness and resilience. What are your long-term career aspirations? I want to be an expert in my craft and an honest leader of people. Leading people has been a lifelong passion of mine and I want to continue developing that skill set. Regardless of the industry, people deserve leaders that listen and support their goals. I want to be that leader. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Don’t let fear overcome your potential. It took me 4 years of being in the workforce to realize that people generally don’t care as much as you think they do. If you are honest about your stutter, explain that it does not impact your value and ability to achieve results, people will respect you and work with you to help you grow. If they do not, they are not worth your time, plain and simple. Surround yourself with supportive people and seek out employers that embody that mindset.

Learn how Brittany Dahl,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Brittany Dahl Briefly describe your daily job duties. Treating and caring for critically ill patients in the intensive care units at UK Hospital. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Speaking to a variety of people every day unsure of their experiences with a person who stutters. The mental exhaustion of stuttering in a very stressful working environment. What are your long-term career aspirations? I am a Mom of two little girls 5 years old and younger, and the time demands of my current position can be difficult for work-life balance. Moving towards a position with more “regular hours” in the future is my priority at this time. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? I did not self-disclose in the hiring process. I guess at that time, now 11 years ago, I considered myself a “convert stutterer”. Throughout my life I had only heard a handful of individuals disclose. I didn’t personally know anyone who stuttered until I was at least 28 years old. The benefits of disclosing are wonderful for mental psyche. I am still new to it, but there are days where I am experiencing A LOT of struggle and embracing “saying what I what to say”. A disclosure to my attendings or coworkers before rounds, “I am a person who stutters. If any information needs to be clarified, let me know”. I am still struggling with a brief disclosure to the less formal conversations. Like the snickers from people in causal interactions, or the “looks” when people hear an interruption in fluency. What is your proudest moment at your current company? During my 11 year career as a nurse, I have been a clinical instructor, co-director of APP fellowship and assistant professor for pathophysiology. When I see former students or trainees who have chosen to work in the intensive care setting or who are thriving in their current careers, I am proud to be a part of their journey. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. When speaking to family members about critical, life or death topics, a brief disclosure I feel shows empathy and vulnerability. I am sharing something personal about myself, let me help you through one of the worst times in your life. I am excellent listener and I am very observant, both are key to providing holistic care to my patients. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? As a person who stutters, remember your best attribute is resiliency. You can do anything. I have helped in research publications and even written a book chapter. I never imagined a little girl who stutters from a small town in Kentucky would ever have this amount of career success at the age of 32. Again, you can do anything. Keep pushing through the laughs, the snickers and “the looks”. The years of my shame lead to anxiety and depression. Through therapy, medication and the support of my family, I made the decision to start speech therapy at the age of 31 and start to accept my stutter. Keep learning and evolving to slowly accept your voice, your unique communication.

Learn how Samuel Dunsiger ,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Accessibility Advisor Samuel Dunsiger Toronto, CAN Accessibility Advisor Left Turn Right Turn Briefly describe your daily job duties. Overall, my job involves working with the team at Left Turn Right Turn and our clients (public and private sector organizations) to make our clients’ practices more accessible for people with various disabilities. I do this by: – Conducting research on the organization to identify existing barriers for people with disabilities – Interviewing the organization’s employees and stakeholders who have disabilities – Writing accessibility assessment reports – Developing solutions to mitigate accessibility barriers – Writing accessibility plans Also, on a part-time basis, I teach writing and communications to students at a career college. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Before I get into the most challenging part, I first want to emphasize that I feel like my job and workplace as it relates to my stuttering is somewhat unique. Because I work in the accessibility space, I work in a space where my stuttering is not just tolerated but it’s also valued. I actually use my lived experience with disability in my work as an accessibility consultant. But there are still and challenges and barriers that I face as a result of my stuttering. But I feel like the challenges I currently face are self-imposed. Allow me to explain. As we know, people who stutter are constantly interrupted by other people. But as NSA member and the famous comedian who stutters Nina G., has said before, we often have a tendency to interrupt ourselves. We interrupt our dreams, our ambitions and our lives by avoidance. In my case, I have a tendency to limit my own voice at work due to my stuttering. That is something I’m trying to actively work on, since we all have value to bring to the workplace. What are your long-term career aspirations? My long-term career aspirations are to continue working in the fields of accessibility, education and social justice, where I’m collaborating with passionate individuals to help make the world more inclusive for people with various disabilities. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? Because my current workplace, Left Turn Right Turn, is an accessibility consulting firm, not only did I disclose my stuttering in the job hiring process, but I used it to my advantage to leverage on my lived experience as someone with a disability. I emphasized early on in the interview my experience as someone who stutters, both personally and professionally, and the insight it brings me into working in the field of accessibility. What is your proudest moment at your current company? I’ve been in my current role at Left Turn Right Turn for just over four months, so I still consider myself somewhat new. I wouldn’t say that I have one single proudest moment, but what I’m most proud of so far is whenever I’m open with my teammates about how I’m feeling, not just about my stuttering but about my other struggles as well. I feel like my colleagues are extremely supportive and are open with each other, often to the point where we share our vulnerabilities and I’m proud to be part of that. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. Again, given my current role in the accessibility space, my experiences being someone who stutters (and being neurodivergent) gives me direct insight that allows me to better consult with organizations on accessibility. But in general, I feel like stuttering can be an advantage for anyone in the workplace. Yes, stuttering is a recognized disability, but that does not mean that it’s a weakness (disability is not a weakness!). I perceive disability to be a different way in which we experience the world. It gives us a fresh perspective which we would valuable for any employer. 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 try to position your stuttering to your advantage during the job hiring and the recruitment process. Too often we perceive stuttering as something that holds us back from being successful, but it does not have to be. Stuttering gives us greater empathy, resilience and a uniqueness which would be valuable for any employer.

Meet Hayley Stuckey, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Hayley Stuckey President of Sisters Who Stutter & TAC Member Hayley is 18 years old and a freshman at Brigham Young University. She lives in Utah and enjoys hiking, playing tennis, and skiing. This year marks Hayley’s third NSA Conference in Denver. She serves on the Teen Advisory Council and is the President of Sisters Who Stutter. Additionally, Hayley received the National Stuttering Association’s 2024 Youth Advocate of the Year Award. Her favorite part of the conferences is reconnecting with friends and meeting new people.