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Join the Spokane Valley - Adult stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Spokane Valley ADULT CHAPTER VIRTUAL MEETINGS NORTHWEST REGION Official NSA Chapter - Washington State Welcome to the NSA Spokane Valley 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? 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? Spokane Valley, WA 99206. When? Meetings are held virtually on the first Tuesday of each month from 7:00-8:00 PM. Reach out to the Chapter Leaders for meeting link. Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? David Jenson, Audri Heffernan, Jason Young & Joe Klein Chapter Leaders Get in touch! David.Jenson@wsu.edu (757) 544-8584 - 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

< Back Caitney File Speaker Caitney File is the Member Outreach Coordinator for Sisters Who Stutter and serves on the Teen Advisory Council for the NSA. Caitney lives in Southern Illinois and just graduated from high school. She plans on going to Southern Illinois University to major in Social Work. Caitney enjoys reading, working out, shopping, and playing instruments in her free time. Previous Next

< Back Scott Yaruss Speaker J Scott Yaruss, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF, F-ASHA, is a professor of communicative sciences and disorders at Michigan State University, and a Co-PI for the NSF-funded HeardAI project. His research focuses on the experiences of people who stutter, with particular emphasis on ways that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can help to diminish the adverse impact that is often associated with stuttering. He is also the President of Stuttering Therapy Resources, a publishing company dedicated to helping SLPs help people who stutter. He has published more than 135 peer-reviewed articles on stuttering, as well as more than 200 other papers, articles, and books. He has also given more than 800 professional development workshops for clinicians around the world. Previous Next

Join the Bellingham - Adult stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Bellingham ADULT CHAPTER IN-PERSON MEETINGS NORTHWEST REGION Official NSA Chapter - Washington State Welcome to the NSA Bellingham Chapter! 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? Western Washington University Academic Instruction Center - 259-333 21st Street Bellingham, WA 98225-9171 When? Meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of each month from 6:00-7:30PM. Please contact Chapter Leader David Evans if you plan to attend. Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? David Evans Chapter Leader Get in touch! David.Evans@wwu.edu - - 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 Orlando - Family stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Orlando FAMILY CHAPTER IN-PERSON MEETINGS SOUTHEAST REGION Official NSA Chapter - Florida State Welcome to the NSA Orlando Family 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? Family 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 around the Orlando area. When? Meetings are held quarterly. Please contact the Chapter Leader for more information. Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? Evin Schneider Chapter Leader Get in touch! evin@rkschneider.us (407) 232-0466 - 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

< Back DEI Committee Spotlight: Julie Marshall — Building a More Inclusive NSA, One Voice at a Time For Julie Marshall, advocacy has always been second nature. As a speech-language pathologist, she’s worked with people who stutter across all ages and stages of life—always focusing on what matters most: their individual goals. Julie has long relied on the National Stuttering Association's resources and community. Now, as a proud member of the DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) Committee, she’s helping ensure that the NSA continues to grow into a space where all people who stutter feel welcome, represented, and empowered. “The NSA is a community where stuttering is celebrated. I joined the DEI Committee to help foster inclusion and promote equity.” The DEI Committee works to support underrepresented groups in the NSA—Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQAI+ individuals, and multilingual speakers—while promoting diverse representations of stuttering throughout the organization. Julie is especially proud of continuing a weekly adult support group in honor of the late Dr. Walt Manning, a beloved leader and mentor in the stuttering community. “It’s a privilege to carry forward a space that offers connection and growth. I know Walt would be proud.” Her advice to newcomers? “You are welcome and accepted — wherever you are on your journey.” Get to know Julie: Favorite ice cream: Salted Caramel Favorite show: Ted Lasso Karaoke go-to: Anything by The Mavericks Pet: Phoenix, her 14-year-old mixed rescue pup Fun fact: She sings jazz on weekends! Dream vacation: Australia Julie’s voice and vision are helping the NSA grow into a more inclusive, connected, and diverse community—and we are so grateful for all she brings to the table. Thank you, Julie! Previous Next

Learn how John Finn,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Chief Scientific Advisor (CSO) John Finn Briefly describe your daily job duties. As the CSO of Tome, the Programmable Genomic Integration (PGI) company, I sit on the executive leadership team and lead a team of ~90 scientists in the Research and Development group. My daily job duties include A LOT of meetings! 1:1 meetings with my team members, small or large internal meetings, meetings with potential investors or partners. I also attend conferences and will be giving public presentations over the course of this next year. My primary role is to direct the science at Tome and make sure that we are on track towards turning our gene editing platform into life-changing medicines for patients in need. I spend a lot of time not only managing the science, but also the people involved in this highly collaborative, cross functional effort. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part of my job is the unpredictability of my fluency. I have good days and bad days, and it is hard to tell how my fluency will be on any given day. I have learned to introduce myself and my stutter before every meeting or presentation as I find that this not only takes the pressure off of me, but it lets the listener focus more on what I am saying as opposed to wondering what is going on and if I am ok. I also find public speaking very challenging, whether it is talking in front of the whole company at an all-hands meeting, (140 people), or giving presentations at conferences. What are your long-term career aspirations? I am very grateful that I am already have my dream job! I have been working in the field of gene and cell therapy for almost 25 years and this opportunity at Tome, to not only work with such an amazing team, but use ground breaking technology to develop medicine for sick patients, is what I have been waiting for my entire career. 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 almost always disclose my stutter. Over the years, I have found that people appreciate when I am upfront about my stutter. I usually say something like “As you may be able to tell, I have a stutter. It can take me a bit longer to say what I want to say, but don’t worry, everything is fine, this is just the way that I talk. If you ever don’t understand me, please ask me to repeat myself. ” I sometimes will also mention that my brothers stutter, so that people can understand that there is a strong genetic component to stuttering. What is your proudest moment at your current company? My proudest moment happened right before our company was about to open our next round of financing. We had to raise a lot of money and I did not have any experience with pitching to investors. I was not sure how the Leadership Team (LT) at Tome felt about my stuttering and whether this would potentially hurt our chances by turning away investors. We had a very open conversation about my fluency with the whole LT and while it was a very difficult topic for me to bring up, I left the meeting feeling completely supported by the LT and empowered to represent my research team and highlight the incredible progress they have made. Fast forward a year later, I played a part in probably over 100 meetings with investors and we ended up having a very successful fundraise . It was the incredibly supportive attitude of the LT and their willingness to have a hard conversation about stuttering that I am most proud of. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I think stuttering has given me more empathy for others and I think it also helps people connect with me on a personal level. There is a certain level of authenticity that comes with being who you are and this resonates with people. 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! I would also advocate self-disclosing in as many situations as you can. Spend time learning about yourself and factors that affect your fluency (for example, certain things that help with me are getting enough sleep, not eating a big meal right before a presentation, and daily supplementation with B1 vitamin). Try not to limit yourself out of fear. And always remember, after a hard day (whether it is fluency related or not), this too shall pass!

< Back Erica Millin Speaker Erica is a sophomore in highschool studying within a Global Ecology Magnet program. Erica is a person who stutters and has benefited from the stuttering community since the age of 18 months old. Erica is a confident communicator who enjoys advocating for others. Erica is a varsity swimmer and cross-country runner, and also loves Ceramics. Erica is interested in a future career in medicine focused on neurodiversity and neurology. Previous Next

Meet Eldon Solomon, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Eldon Solomon Seasoned Voices Committee Eldon Solomon is 59, and a lifelong person who stutters. His passions center around his wife of 37 years, and their family of four boys, three daughter-in-law’s and three grandchildren. Living in Indiana, Eldon is a CEO of a national, nonprofit, Veteran outreach organization. He attended his first NSA Conference in 2023 and is eager to lend his experiences, personal accomplishments, and love for people to help older persons who stutter to find their voice.

Join the Boston - Adult stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Boston Adult ADULT CHAPTER HYBRID MEETINGS NORTHEAST REGION Official NSA Chapter - Massachusetts State Welcome to the NSA Boston 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? Hybrid 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? Location may vary around the Boston area. When? Monthly meetings alternate between virtual and in-person meetings, and social events. Meetings are typically held on the 1st Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM. For details about meetings/events and for any other information, please contact the Chapter Leaders. Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? Sarah Onofri, Edmund Metzold, Lisa Greenleaf Chapter Leaders Get in touch! BostonStutters@gmail.com - http://www.bostonstutters.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! "The NSA Boston Chapters gave me true belonging. I found people who feel like family—who check in, cheer me on, and make me feel seen. Parents and fellow adults became the strongest supporters of my voice. My growth began the moment I found this group." ---Michèle Ayoub "NSA meetings give me a rare space to openly discuss stuttering and learn from others’ experiences. The Boston Chapter is welcoming, and the monthly meetings help me meet people who stutter and get support for the challenges we share." ---Andrew Meier "My first NSA Boston gathering as a teen changed how I saw my stutter—I finally heard others stutter too. After attending the 2021 NSA Conference, I went from seeing my stutter as my enemy to seeing it as my greatest frenemy." ---Ethan Gioscia

Join the Kalamazoo Area - Adult stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. Kalamazoo Area ADULT CHAPTER IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL MEETINGS CENTRAL NORTH REGION Official NSA Chapter - Michigan State Welcome to the NSA Kalamazoo Area 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? Kalamazoo Public Library 315 South Rose Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007 When? Meetings are held on the last Tuesday of each month from 6:30-8:00PM. Meetings alternate between in-person and virtual. Please contact the Chapter Leader for meeting details! Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? Jade Epps Chapter Leader Get in touch! kzooNSA@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

Join the West Lafayette - Adult stuttering support group. Connect with others, share experiences, and access resources through the National Stuttering Association. West Lafayette ADULT CHAPTER IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL MEETINGS CENTRAL NORTH REGION Official NSA Chapter - Indiana State Welcome to the NSA West Lafayette 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? West Lafayette Public Library (Walnut Room) – 208 West Columbia Street West Lafayette, IN 47906 When? Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month from 6:30-7:30PM. Contact the Chapter Leader if you would like to join the meeting virtually. Chapter Leaders Who leads the meetings? Barbara Brown Chapter Leader Get in touch! bbrownslp@gmail.com (765) 714-4740 - 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