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Join the Miami - Adult stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Miami ADULT CHAPTER IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL MEETINGS SOUTHEAST REGION Official NSA Chapter - Florida State Welcome to the NSA Miami Adult 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? Florida International University – College of Nursing and Health Sciences Building (11200 SW 8 Street AHC3A-101) Miami, FL 33199 When? Meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday every month from 6:30PM – 8:00PM. Zoom link for hybrid meetings is available upon request. Meetings are not held during the summer. Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? Angela Medina & Anabel Augustin Chapter Leaders Get in touch! NSAMiami1@gmail.com - - Questions? We know that attending your first NSA Chapter meeting might be a little intimidating so we’ve tried to answer some of your questions! We know once you get there, you’ll be greeted by Chapter Leaders who have been in your shoes before and are happy to welcome you! ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us. Testimonials Read more about the power of chapters and support groups from NSA members themselves! "When I attended my first conference in 2019. I was welcomed into this "stamily" with open arms and haven't left the bear hug since!" Lexi Hewitt Exton, PA Chapter "Other people who stutter are the best sources of support, love, and encouragement on your journey. Don't be afraid to reach out, no matter what stage you're at." Gina Waggott Author, Entrepreneur "This community has helped me rediscover myself as a confident and capable person who stutters." John Ontiveros Lorem, CA Chapter

Learn how Dr. Russell Zimmer,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Music Teacher, Trumpet Player/Instructor Dr. Russell Zimmer Briefly describe your daily job duties. My daily job duties involve teaching and interacting with nearly three hundred middle school students in addition to a handful of private trumpet students. Although not daily, I also perform trumpet professionally in a variety of musical settings from classical to jazz. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. As a person who stutters, one of the most challenging parts of my job is maintaining fluency strategies to help deliver effective and clear instruction to my students, especially through difficult and more stressful days. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? No, I try to not make stuttering something that defines me. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. As a teacher, it helps me feel more sympathetic and connected towards students’ various needs. I can also serve as a positive example for students that our character flaws (or strengths!) can make us a stronger individual with a special superpower that others may not have. What is your proudest moment at your current company? The proudest moment so far would have been the first performance of the middle school band with me as the director. There was a lot of anticipation built up with “the new teacher” and unknown expectations of how the band would sound under my direction. The performance had the largest audience to date with (unfortunately) family and friends standing outside trying to hear the band (over 500 audience members). That night I successfully conducted four ensembles totally 300 students for a total of two and half hours by myself. I prepared performance notes which I read aloud and let the adrenaline help lead me through fluency, using pauses in a structured and meaningful manner. I was dumbfounded by the positive response from the parents afterwards. What are your long-term career aspirations? I started my career somewhat late, not fully anticipating where I would be. I feel that I have reached a peak of where I see myself career-wise. I see myself possibly working at the college level at some point, but I am enjoying being an influential force for the developing, somewhat chaotic, middle school mind. In addition to being a teacher and performer, I see myself writing a couple of books related to music and overcoming life challenges. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Like many others have said, don’t let stuttering define you. I found it helpful to treat speaking like with music practice. The concept of “practice makes permanent” rings truth in all aspects of life. Find time to mindfully practice speaking in a constructive manner and time to center oneself. It’s important to truly “let go” of some of our inner struggles and focus on doing your job to the best of your abilities.

< Back Kaleb Brown Speaker Kaleb is a Psychology graduate from the University of Oklahoma. He has a strong background in customer service, advocacy, and leadership. As an NSA Chapter Leader for Oklahoma and WeStutter@Work Committee member, he promotes inclusivity and raises awareness in the stuttering and running communities through content creation. With strong skills in communication, analytics, and teamwork, he leverages psychological principles to improve interactions and build meaningful connections in dynamic settings. Previous Next

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.

Meet Marvin Wiley, Jr., a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Marvin Wiley, Jr. Regional Chapter Coordinator - Northwest Region Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota For numerous years Marvin Wiley Jr. had struggled with his stutter, which led him to avoid social interactions. At the age of 23, he birthed a belief that he could work towards developing himself into a more confident speaker, inspired from his experience in a public speaking course he took in college in 2013. Marvin first learned about the NSA the following year in 2014, but didn’t get involved until October of 2018. Marvin has been a Toastmaster ever since passing the public speaking course and has discovered how to stop his stutter from dictating the course of his life; by involving yourself in organizations like the NSA and Toastmasters, thriving within support groups. He now strives to share with others what he has learned along his journey with the goal of encouraging others to take action against their fears so they can get the most out of life. Some of Marvin’s passions include videography and playing golf.

< Back Shea Quinn Speaker LCDR Shea Quinn is currently serving on active duty with the U.S. Coast Guard as an MH-65 aircraft commander, conducting counter-narcotics operations from Coast Guard cutters. Shea graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2009 and has been stationed in NH, FL, WA, and CA. Previous Next

Learn how Haley Aguayo,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Manager, Benefits & Compliance Haley Aguayo Briefly describe your daily job duties. As the Manager of Benefits and Compliance to a 300-employee international organization, I oversee the management and creation of benefits plans and ensure that we are compliant regarding various federal and state legislation requirements. I establish positive relationships with employees, benefit brokers, and vendors to ensure our benefits are communicated efficiently and carried out effectively. Benefits are the backbone of employee retention and recruitment, and it is my job to ensure we develop creative solutions to build a robust and competitive benefits package that serves our demographics while also keeping up with the latest trends. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. I think with any environment, people are used to fast-paced communication styles. When you stutter, it puts a different pace on meetings and conference calls. As with many career paths, my job involves a lot of communication. I frequently speak with employees, brokers, and vendors. During my career, there have been times when I have been presenting and someone who is participating remotely says that the line is breaking up or that the sound is coming in choppy. During these moments, I have to explain that I stutter, which clears the air, and then I can continue. However, I have never encountered anyone who was rude about it, as they only care about the overall message and my knowledge surrounding the subject. 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 am a firm believer in self-disclosure as it helps me feel more relaxed and confident during the interview process. When the recruiter first contacts me to set up the phone screen, I respond confirming the best schedule for me and ask if they wouldn’t mind scheduling a few extra minutes to the interview because I stutter and I’d like to ensure that I have ample time to answer any questions they may have. Then, during the in-person interview with the hiring manager, I usually state in the beginning along with my introduction, “Before we begin our conversation, I’d like to let you know that I stutter, so if you don’t understand something I say or if you need me to repeat something, please let me know and I’d be glad to do so.” And then I head into the interview portion. I feel this acknowledgment not only shows confidence on my behalf but it also allows the listener to understand what is happening, so they do not jump to assumptions. I used to struggle with being present in interviews because internally my mind was so loud with anxiety and actively finding ways to avoid stuttering. I would say words that wouldn’t make sense because they were easier to say or avoid talking about certain accomplishments, that I wasn’t focusing on showing my personality and my attributes for the role. I knew that my experience and background were a great fit, but I couldn’t convey them because I wasn’t present in the conversation. When your focus is elsewhere, it’s hard to shine in an interview. I think what helped me the most was realizing that the interviewer is human too. They are not perfect; they face struggles and adversities in their life as well. However, they saw something in me and that is why I was there at the interview. They believed that I was one of the top candidates out of the many who applied, which is encouraging. Once I realized this, it was easier for me to let my personality shine and I was able to answer and engage in the conversations confidently. I made them feel at ease with my professionalism, knowledge, and expertise. If I happened to stutter, so be it. Because at the end of the day, the hiring manager just wanted someone who they can trust to come in to do the job well, and I knew that I was absolutely that person. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I believe that stuttering has allowed me to be a good listener. When you work in human resources, people want to be heard. Showing my stuttering also shows my vulnerable side. There’s a humbling aspect of showing your struggle every day, and people find that relatable. Can you imagine working with someone in human resources who you find intimidating or not relatable? They wouldn’t be very approachable and they wouldn’t be effective at their job. I can choose to hide it by avoiding words or using techniques to be perfectly fluent, but I’m not fluent. I stutter, and it’s the way I am genetically programmed to speak. I once had a coworker tell me that maybe stuttering is my superpower. She went on to say that it has made me empathetic, patient, and a good listener, and not a lot of people have those skills. I couldn’t have said it better myself. What is your proudest moment at your current company? I’m still relatively new at my company, as I haven’t been there for a full year yet. But when I started, I hit the ground running wide-eyed with passion and excitement. This job is fast-paced and I was coming up on the busiest time of the year in regards to open enrollment planning and several compliance related projects. I might have had a few nerves here or there during this time period related to stuttering, meeting new colleagues, or leading presentations, but in all honesty, my main focus was that I came to do a job, and I worked hard to ensure that I was going to get it done accurately and efficiently. I’m proud that I was able to lead a successful open enrollment period, implement a new mental health benefit, complete several compliance audits, and find ways to improve existing procedures to better serve the organization, all within my first few months there. 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 true to your passions because you will never be happy if you settle. Apply for that job that pushes your comfort zone. I majored in Graphic Design in college because I thought it was a safe choice regarding stuttering. I only learned after I graduated that I made the wrong decision because I realized that my calling was to help people. I was bored and didn’t find satisfaction with what I was doing, and I knew that I didn’t want to keep doing it for another 40 years until I retired. 40 years is a long time to do something that you’re already bored with! In college, I would have never seen myself as both a Human Resources leader speaking with people every day, but I love it. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone so that you can continue to grow. Don’t let stuttering define what your barriers are and don’t let it have control over your happiness. I promise that you will find confidence and happiness through pushing your limits and exceeding in ways you never thought imaginable. Stuttering is only a hindrance if you let it become one.

Join the Syracuse - Adult stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Syracuse ADULT CHAPTER IN-PERSON MEETINGS NORTHEAST REGION Official NSA Chapter - New York State Welcome to the NSA Syracuse Chapter! The National Stuttering Association’s® motto: If You Stutter, You’re Not Alone®, is what our NSA Chapters are all about! Chapter meetings are open to people who stutter, family members of people who stutter, speech-language pathologists (SLPs), and anyone that wants to learn more about stuttering. Feel free to reach out to the Chapter Leader(s) to find out more about our chapter. We hope you will join us! How do you typically meet? In-Person Meetings What age group can attend? Adult What languages are spoken? English How much does it cost? Free! Meetings Here is information on the location and schedule of our meetings. Reach out to the Chapter Leader(s) for more information! Where? The Syracuse Chapter does not have one home and meets at various locations including coffee shops and libraries. They also meet via Zoom. Anyone hoping to attend should email Chapter Leader, David Haas, at davidhaaswmw@gmail.com to join our email list to receive information about any upcoming meeting. When? Meetings are held the 4th Thursday of each month from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? David Haas Chapter Leader Get in touch! davidhaaswmw@gmail.com (315) 766-6502 - Questions? We know that attending your first NSA Chapter meeting might be a little intimidating so we’ve tried to answer some of your questions! We know once you get there, you’ll be greeted by Chapter Leaders who have been in your shoes before and are happy to welcome you! ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us. Testimonials Read more about the power of chapters and support groups from NSA members themselves! "When I attended my first conference in 2019. I was welcomed into this "stamily" with open arms and haven't left the bear hug since!" Lexi Hewitt Exton, PA Chapter "Other people who stutter are the best sources of support, love, and encouragement on your journey. Don't be afraid to reach out, no matter what stage you're at." Gina Waggott Author, Entrepreneur "This community has helped me rediscover myself as a confident and capable person who stutters." John Ontiveros Lorem, CA Chapter

Join the Houston - Adult stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Houston ADULT CHAPTER IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL MEETINGS CENTRAL SOUTH REGION Official NSA Chapter - Texas State Welcome to the NSA Houston 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? Meetings are held at Vineyard Church – 1035 E. 11th Street (enter at door on Norhill Street, 2nd floor ) Houston, TX 77009. *Upon arrival at Vineyard Church, text the Chapter Leader to be buzzed in. When? In-person meetings are held on the 3rd Saturday of each month from 2:00-4:00PM. Email the Chapter Leaders if you would like to join virtually. Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? Arianna Gilliam & Tiffany Ramon Chapter Leaders Get in touch! nsahoustonchapter@gmail.com (713) 922-0670, 832-264-9694 - Questions? We know that attending your first NSA Chapter meeting might be a little intimidating so we’ve tried to answer some of your questions! We know once you get there, you’ll be greeted by Chapter Leaders who have been in your shoes before and are happy to welcome you! ! Widget Didn’t Load Check your internet and refresh this page. If that doesn’t work, contact us. Testimonials Read more about the power of chapters and support groups from NSA members themselves! "When I attended my first conference in 2019. I was welcomed into this "stamily" with open arms and haven't left the bear hug since!" Lexi Hewitt Exton, PA Chapter "Other people who stutter are the best sources of support, love, and encouragement on your journey. Don't be afraid to reach out, no matter what stage you're at." Gina Waggott Author, Entrepreneur "This community has helped me rediscover myself as a confident and capable person who stutters." John Ontiveros Lorem, CA Chapter

Meet Lexi Hewitt, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Lexi Hewitt Regional Chapter Coordinator - Southwest Region Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah Lexi Hewitt is a certified K-12 school counselor and has a National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Certification (NCC). She has been a member of the NSA since 2019 and volunteers as the NSA Exton Adults & Family Chapter Leader, which she started in 2023, as well as the Regional Chapter Coordinator for the Southwest Region. One of her passions is creating content to help the stuttering community grow. She has taught Chapter Leaders how to use Canva, runs the NSA Exton social media pages, and creates content for the NSA! She loves singing along to Taylor Swift, nerding out about TV shows, and being a person who stutters.

< Back James Hayden Speaker James is a brother, son, friend, and person who stutters from the New Orleans area. He is the author of Dear World, I Stutter: A Series of Open Letters from a Person Who Stutters. His work has been published by numerous outlets and organizations. He’s also presented at numerous universities and conferences. Outside of stuttering advocacy, he enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with loved ones, and consuming way too much Survivor related content. Previous Next

< Back Cha Holmes Speaker Cha Holmes is the proud dad of Clint Holmes, who resides in Atlanta, GA, with his beautiful wife Rebecca and their daughter Hollis. Previous Next