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

Learn how John Moore,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Marketing Consultant & Keynote Speaker John Moore Briefly describe your daily job duties. Following spending a decade as a marketing manager with Starbucks and later as the director of national marketing for Whole Foods Market, I’m now a self-employed marketing consultant. I work with a variety of clients developing ideas for how the business/organization can better design products and programs to make an impact. Interestingly, I routinely give keynote presentations at marketing conferences. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Talking on the phone continues to be difficult for me. Anytime I have to call someone out of the blue, I feel all the pressure and anxiety that comes with being a person who stutters. How do you currently disclose your stuttering to co-workers, clients and or customers? As a conference keynote speaker, I always disclose my stuttering at the start of each presentation. I find that letting people know early on that I stutter helps to endear myself to the audience. I also find people pay more attention to my presentation because I must have something important to say otherwise why would I choose to be so vulnerable on stage. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. Stuttering has forced me to be a better written communicator. Added to that is a “perfectionist” streak within me that makes me be very detail-oriented. This helps me when writing emails, proposals, presentations and business books. What’s your best advice for people in a career striving to achieve greater success? For people in a career, strive to be the most knowledgeable person in your company about something important. In other words, become a subject matter expert in something. You could be the go-to person for how to use pivot tables in Excel or the person with the most knowledge about a product line your company sells. Co-workers will come to you asking for help and that makes you an indispensable employee who is better positioned for future promotions.

Learn how Rivky Susskind,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Speech Language Pathologist Rivky Susskind Briefly describe your daily job duties. I am a speech and language pathologist. I evaluate and provide intervention for school age children in a special education environment who display challenges in the areas of speech and language. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. My biggest challenges as a PWS are communicating with parents and faculty in more formal contexts such as an IEP (Individualized Education Program) or parent teacher meetings or collaborative group meetings. I also have difficulty communicating with parents who are resistant to their child being seen by a person who stutters. Also, phone calls can often present a challenge because the listener cannot tell what’s going on with me on the other side of the line, and those silent moments can be all the more awkward. Do you self-disclose your stuttering to unsuspecting co-workers and clients? I often self-disclose that I stutter. I usually wait until a stuttering moment occurs and then say, “… by the way, I have a mild stutter, just letting you know, and actually it’s one of the big factors that got me into this field to begin with.” I then leave an open space for questions and try to convey that I’m comfortable talking about it. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. My stutter is part of what makes me a unique, brave, strong individual. In my more confident moments it serves as a strength and part of my “story.” Others around me also know that I am somewhat of an expert on the topic and they will come and ask me questions pertaining to a relative or friend of theirs who stutters. What is your proudest moment at your current company? I was extremely proud of myself when I overcame my fear of tackling parent teacher meetings over the course of my first few months at this school. It was one meeting after the next and quite daunting to keep facing parents and disclosing my stutter over and over in a short period of time. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Own who you are and go for what you want. Do not let society’s expectations and “norms” dictate what you can and cannot do. Go for it. Fail. Fail dozens of times and go for it again. Don’t stop pushing until you can say that you are doing what you want in life. It’s okay to not feel okay all the time. We are all human and stuttering can be a crazy uphill climb and struggle. But remember that your dreams and goals are important, and you have the gift of YOU to share with the world.

< Back Ariel Sonn Speaker Ariel is a Marketing Specialist in offensive cybersecurity and a Senior Marketing Coordinator for the National Stuttering Association (NSA). With 6+ years of expertise in content creation, digital marketing, and brand strategy, she crafts impactful messaging that engages audiences and drives awareness. As committee leader for the NSA’s WeStutter@Work Program, Ariel advocates for workplace inclusion and support for people who stutter. Ariel is passionate about empowering others to embrace their authentic selves and build confidence in the workplace. Previous Next

< Back Mitch Guerra Keynote Speaker Mitch Guerra, a Waco native, graduate of Texas A&M University, and recipient of a master’s degree from Dallas Baptist University, stands as a passionate advocate for students navigating diverse challenges. As a person who stutters, Mitch shares an authentic and engaging message of perseverance, inclusivity, and hope. Currently serving as an elementary P.E. teacher and tennis coach, Mitch encourages young people to embrace active lifestyles while discovering the value in their own stories. He believes that every challenge—whether personal, physical, or emotional—can be a stepping stone toward growth. Mitch’s story reached a national audience as a contestant on Survivor 48, where he proudly represented the stuttering community and demonstrated that authenticity and competitiveness can go hand in hand. Through his journey, both on and off the island, Mitch continues to inspire others to embrace their obstacles, own their experiences, and reshape how they see themselves and the world around them. Previous Next

Learn how Kristi Van Winkle,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Medical Content Writer and Proofreader Kristi Van Winkle Briefly describe your daily job duties. I am a content writer and proofreader for various forms of medical content. Before I started my company, I worked as a registered nurse. I worked primarily in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and then an adult Telemetry unit. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Communication is key in the medical profession. Meeting and educating new people every shift, speaking on the phone to doctors and other professionals or family members, giving report to oncoming nurses, and communicating effectively in high-stress situations were all challenging to me as a person who stutters. What are your long-term career aspirations? I want to build my business as high as I can. I have no desire to return to the bedside, but I want to use the medical knowledge and expertise I have gained there to help others and provide the highest quality services possible. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? I did always mention my stuttering during job interviews. It was never an issue. I generally only mentioned it to co-workers and patients if I was having a particularly hard time speaking that night. I found that this put them at ease, knowing this was something I dealt with regularly and not a result of the situation. Sometimes people would assume I didn’t know what I was doing and I was stuttering nervously. Letting them in on the “secret” seemed to put their minds at ease and even instill some respect from some. What is your proudest moment at your current company? The moment I took the plunge and stepped away from the bedside to start my own company was amazing. I have wanted to write my whole life. Let’s be honest, it’s much easier than talking! Walking away from that hospital after handing in my badge and cleaning out my locker was so freeing! Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I have had several opportunities to use my stuttering to encourage people. Patients or families are often relieved to see that what some consider an impediment has not been as big a problem as one would assume. I have had parents and families ask me all kinds of questions about working with “handicaps” and I have been able to encourage them and put their minds at ease. 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 listen to the naysayers. It doesn’t matter as much as you think it does. It doesn’t matter as much as they think it does. I had a nursing instructor tell me during a clinical that I would never be an effective nurse if I didn’t get my stuttering under control. She was wrong.

< Back Brittney O'Neal Speaker Brittney O’Neal has been involved in the stuttering community since 2016 and attended her first NSA conference last year. She is a healthcare professional and owner of a prosthetics and orthotics clinic in California. Brittney is a proud Mama to her three year old daughter, Atlas, who is perfectly sassy and outspoken. Previous Next

< Back Sisters Who Stutter Speakers Sisters Who Stutter is a teen founded organization that hosts monthly Zoom meetings for girls who stutter. They provide a space for girls to come together and connect upon shared experiences. Previous Next

The NSA Young Adults program offers support, resources, and connection for people who stutter ages 18–30. Find community and encouragement here. You’ve graduated high school…now what? You may be going to college or maybe starting a new job. You might move out of your parent’s house or may be hitting the road to do some traveling. But what about stuttering? How will it affect the choices you make? Will you allow it to hold you back from what you really want to accomplish? Stuttering is a part of who you are, but it should not dictate the decisions you make for your future as a young adult. The NSA® has resources, written by college students and young adults, to help you best navigate this stage in your life. Young Adult Resources Transitioning To College Whether you are attending a college in your hometown or moving across the country, your life is changing in new and exciting ways. New teachers, new classmates, new friends, and new freedoms. And of course, new speech challenges Job Hunting and Interviewing The NSA is driven to improve the employment opportunities of people who stutter. Our WeStutter@Work program offers people who stutter-free career advice through webinars, practice job interviews, and career profiles. Connect with others who stutter online Our NSA Young Adults Facebook group is a closed, moderated space, open only to 20- and 30-somethings who stutter, and offers a safe environment to ask questions and bounce ideas on all things relevant to this stage of life. Being Your Best Advocate Being your best advocate is an important practice that helps to build confidence while promoting understanding and acceptance for yourself and stuttering in everyday life. Join a Local NSA Chapter The NSA provides a wide network of stuttering support groups that help people who stutter build self-confidence, practice speaking in a safe environment, socialize with others, and explore new ways to cope with stuttering. Speech Therapy as a Young Adult Whether you have years of experience or are considering attending for the first time, speech therapy as a young adult has a number of benefits. Learn More About Stuttering Finding My Voice, Building a Community: Codi Lamb’s Story Myths about Stuttering Causes of Stuttering: Understanding Factors Facts About Stuttering Stuttering Treatment Options Understanding Stuttering

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!

< 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

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 - - 2013 Scottsdale, AZ Cincinnati South, OH Arizona, AZ Tanya Banks Landon Murray Cameron Francek Julie North - - 2012 St. Petersburg Rochester, NY Orange County, CA Hannah Laday Bernie Weiner Sarah Onofri Debbie Nicolai - Fred Murray 2011 Fort Worth, TX Nashville, TN - Evan Sherman Charley Adams Mike Bauer Pattie Wood Gloria Klumb Lee Reeves 2010 Cleveland, OH Albany, NY - Behnaz Abolmaali - Bernie Weiner Steph Coppen Steve Kaufman Gerald Maguire 2009 Scottsdale, AZ Tampa, FL - Nancy Barcal - Pam Mertz Lois Hare Vicki Schutter - 2008 Parsippany, NJ Lafayette, LA - Jeff Olevson - Steven Kaufman no one Madison Garcia Nina Reeves 2007 Atlanta, GA Dallas, TX - Gloria Klunb - Gary Rentschler-Bonnie Weiss Julie Whitaker - - 2006 Long Beach, CA Central Arizona, AZ - Zan Green Lynn Bejnar Vikesh Anand Cindy Marks & Marc Rosenbaum Lynn Bejnar The Liben Family 2005 Chicago, IL Madison, WI - Lou Madonna Rich Schwerdt Russ Hicks None Jim McClure - 2004 Baltimore, MD Seattle, WA - Bernie Weiner & Jim Abbott Rich Schwerdt - Chris Montalbano Cathy Olish - 2003 Nashville, TN Sacramento, CA - Gial Wilson Lew Judy Johnson - Tim Bryant Joseph Diaz Jim McClure 2002 Anaheim, CA Royal Oak, MI - Nora O'Conner Elaine Saitta - Sindy Liben Bonnie Weiss Walt Manning, Ph.D. 2001 Boston, MA Buffalo, NY - Bernie Weiner & Jim Abbott Rich Schwerdt - Michele Murphy Bill Nimelman Harry Lerner 2000 Chicago, IL Boston - North, MA - Lucy Reed Rich Schwerdt - Shirley & Robby Robbins Russ Hicks J. David Williams 1999 Seattle, WA Orange County, CA - Ed Giordano Cathy Dully - Mildred Ottaway Marty Jezer - 1998 Atlanta, GA Utah, UT - Lynn Bejnar Jeff Shames - Lee Caggaino Darrell Dodge Michael Sugarman 1996 - - - - - - - - John Ahlbach 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.