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Learn how Wesley Freeman,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Cost Modeling Manufacturing Engineer Wesley Freeman Briefly describe your daily job duties. I create financial cost delta analysis for jet engine manufacturing processes and engine component changes. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part of my job as a stutterer would be presenting to upper management, and their partners. It brings a very high stress environment when you have to be precise and diligent in communicating jet engine manufacturing process and component changes, as well as financial data. There’s certain vocabulary that may be unavoidable that I know are problem areas when talking. What are your long-term career aspirations? I’d love to be a motivational speaker, and an advocate for unique individuals like myself. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? Yes! I always introduce myself and let people know that I stutter! I love that it gives me a chance to get the “pink elephant in the room” out of the way, and gives me a chance to educate people in what stuttering is if they’ve never came in contact with a stutterer. It is always well received, and sparks my confidence in every group I work with. What is your proudest moment at your current company? My proudest moment at my current company is when I switched from an on-site engineering role to off-site role. All of the shop floor workers expressed how I touched their lives or made their day better by my daily plant walk arounds just to say “good morning” and stopping to get to know them as people not just workers. I was able to make an impact on someoneelses life by putting myself outside of my comfort zone everyday! Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. My stutter has made me a more valued contributor at work because I’m more likely to put myself into awkward speaking situations; whether it’s reaching out to a team member that I’ve never talked to before or always checking in on people. It has opened the door to people being able to come to me for anything they need without hesitation and that has had a team building effect. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Never be afraid to let your stutter show! Your authentic self will captivate and open up the hearts and minds of many that you come in contact with!

Learn how Jeff Fett,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Marketing Director Jeff Fett Briefly describe your daily job duties. As the Marketing Director, I oversee a department of seven marketing professionals. It’s my job to oversee the execution of all of the company’s marketing efforts including: Print Collateral, Social Media Posts, Digital and Print Ad Campaigns, Internal Communications, as well as Brand Development/Management to name a few. My first big project in my new position is to develop a new corporate website. That should launch after the first of the year. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part of my job has been proving that I am capable. In college, I was told by a Graphic Design professor, “Please change your major. No one will ever take you seriously or hire you.” At my one-year evaluation of my first professional job I was told, “You may have noticed that we haven’t let you go out and meet the clients. That’s because we consider you to be disabled and we feel you will embarrass the clients.” After working as the Creative Director for 10 years at my previous job, I was promoted to Marketing Department Manager. Six weeks after the promotion, I was told there was going to be a “restructuring.” They wanted me to go back to being the Creative Director again and someone new was going to brought in at a higher level to oversee Marketing and other company efforts. The reason they gave me was: “We feel you don’t have the voice for the job.” So, they took away the promotion based solely on the fact that I stuttered. In April of 2013, I was hired in as the Marketing Manager at America’s Preferred Home Warranty (APHW). I was brought in to start up and build APHW’s Marketing Department. When they APHW hired a CEO a few months later, I was told he would eventually look to bring in a Chief Marketing Office (CMO) to oversee all of Marketing. His background was Fortune 500 companies, mine was small businesses. This past year he finally acted on looking for his CMO. The candidates he interviewed didn’t pan out. I was told that I wasn’t qualified for the position, so I didn’t seek it out. Following those interviews, they realized it would take two years for a CMO to become effective and in the meantime, they would also bog our processes down with a lot of questions. That opened the door for my recent promotion to Marketing Director. When the promotion offer was made, which was a total surprise, I was told they wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. I have also been told that after I go through a period of training, I will eventually become the Chief Marketing Officer. I have now achieved what many had told me could never be accomplished because I am a person who stutters. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? Yes, I did disclose my stuttering during the job interview. My stutter during the interview actually became an asset. At what I would consider to be the halfway point of most interviews, the company president stopped the interview. He said, “I’ve heard enough. I can see from the way you handle your stuttering, that you are a fighter. I sense that if you don’t know the answer to a problem, you will go to great lengths to find the solution and solve it. I’m not going to interview another person for this job, you are my person. And I promise you the stuttering will never be a problem.” To date, the promise has been kept. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. During my interviews, I have always described my stuttering as an asset. I mention that people who stutter are natural listeners. When you are interviewing a client during the development process for a marketing project, if you are doing all of the talking, you are not listening to what the client is saying. I also mention that when I block, I’m usually really fighting to say something that I feel is important. That has taught me to listen to the inflections in a client’s voice. From my stuttering behaviors, I have learned to listen for the words/phrases a client emphasizes when speaking and the words/phrases or thoughts a client repeats. These are the cues that I focus on when developing a project. I have found that they provide me the key to developing the “true flavor” that my client is seeking. What is your proudest moment at your current company? My proudest moment came two years ago. APHW, when I was hired, was housed in a small 4,400-sq. ft. building and doing business in only five states. Two years ago, we moved into a 27,000-sq. ft. building. The morning of the Grand Opening for our new corporate office, I was standing alone with the APHW President in the middle of the office. We were looking around and realizing just what we had accomplished in four short years. The new office interior is a direct reflection of the branding look and feel that I had developed for APHW. At that moment, it really hit me, I had totally rebranded a company and been successful with it. That is a graphic designer’s dream. It proved that all of those who said I couldn’t do it, were wrong. Currently we are doing business in 49 states, soon to be all 50. What are your long-term career aspirations? My long-term aspirations are to be the best CMO I can be and retire from APHW in about 10 years. What’s your best advice for people who stutter striving to achieve greater career success? My first piece of advice is to surround yourself with a good circle of close friends. My job at APHW came from a reference from the printer I worked with at my previous job. They just happened to be the main printer for APHW as well. They knew of my frustration at my previous job, with the promotion being removed. So, when the APHW President was in their shop talking about his need to have someone come in and build a Marketing Department for him, they hooked me up for interview. My second piece of advice is to always give your employer “results they can’t argue with.” That was how I overcame my CEO’s objection to my background only being in small businesses. Having the CMO candidates not pan out, made him take a closer look at the results I had achieved. That was why when the offer was made, I was told, “We won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.” Your stuttering will always create doubts and roadblocks in employer’s minds, but if you continuously achieve excellent results, that will be your key to unlocking the doors for future opportunities.

Meet Tanya Banks, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Tanya Banks Adult Programs Chair (NSA Board of Directors) Tanya serves as the Regional Chapter Coordinator for the Central North and Northeast Regions. Central North: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont Tanya Banks has been an active member of the NSA since 1998. She is the Chapter Leader of Detroit/Royal Oak and Regional Chapter Coordinator for the Central North region. She is also the Adult Programs Chair on the Board of Directors. She was recognized as NSA Chapter Leader of the Year in 2013. Her chapter was recognized as Chapter of the Year in 2023, and she was also recognized as Regional Chapter Coordinator of the Year in 2023. She has worked as a customer service representative for 22 years and credits finding her voice to the NSA. She is an avid angel collector, enjoys inspirational music and old comedy shows. Term began June 2024

Meet Patrice Nolan-Fox, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Patrice Nolan-Fox Seasoned Voices Committee Patrice Nolan-Fox is a person who stutters with a deep understanding of covert stuttering. Over the course of her remarkable 44-year career as a speech and language pathologist, Patrice made significant contributions to her field, combining her professional expertise with her personal experiences to help others overcome obstacles and find their voices. Originally from Springfield, Massachusetts, Patrice now resides in the scenic town of Bennington, Vermont, where she continues to inspire those around her. Her long career reflects her passion for communication, education, and empowering individuals to reach their full potential. Patrice’s journey is a testament to her resilience and dedication. By navigating her own experiences with covert stuttering, she has developed a unique perspective that has enriched her work and her connection to the stuttering community. Her legacy as both a professional and an advocate continues to resonate with those she has touched throughout her life. Now enjoying her time in Vermont, Patrice’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of perseverance, compassion, and the impact one person can have on countless lives.

Learn how Derek Mitchell,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Senior IT Service Strategy Analyst Derek Mitchell As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Communication is the most important aspect of my job. Being successful as a business analyst requires understanding business operations and technical processes but also knowing how to communicate that information is most important. At times my stutter makes it difficult to clearly explain processes and concepts to my co-workers whether it’s in a meeting or a one-on-one situation. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? I disclosed my stutter on the initial phone job interview and during the onsite job interviews with my current company. I made the decision to start disclosing my stutter during interviews six years ago. I realized that when I disclosed, I felt much more comfortable and didn’t have as much anxiety about my speech. This allows me to focus more on selling my experience and skills as opposed to being fluent. When I disclose, I keep it short and simple only telling the interviewer that I have a speech difference and invite them to ask questions about it. I state it as a matter of fact and do not add any extra context if it’s not needed. What is your proudest moment at your current company? During emergencies, my company uses several methods of communicating with their employees. One system that sends out emergency communications began to have issues and caught the attention of the school superintendent. I was asked to analyze the issue and come up with a solution. When I discovered the source of the problem, I then had to present my analysis to the various departments that had been affected. It was difficult, but I was able to present the information clearly and impress my boss. What are your long-term career aspirations? A career as an author and professional speaker are my long-term goals. While writing has always been a big part of my life, speaking is very new to me. Because speaking was always difficult for me, I heavily relied on my writing to communicate in certain situations. As a result, I developed proficiency and passion for writing. Before joining Toastmasters speaking professionally was a least likely profession for me than being an astronaut. After becoming move involved in Toastmasters, I realized that as I was beating my fear of public speaking, I was also developing a love for it. 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 advice is to not let your stutter dictate your career path. Your stutter or level of fluency doesn’t qualify or disqualify you for a certain career path. Focus and double down on the actual skills that will make you successful in your career. There’s nothing wrong with working on your fluency but know that it will not be the determining factor for your success or failure.

Learn how Sharon Emery,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Senior Consultant Sharon Emery Mason, MI Senior Consultant Truscott Rossman Briefly describe your daily job duties. Having worked over 30 years in communications — as a journalist, university instructor and public relations professional — I have added a new career: book author, including extensive speaking engagements. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The book is my memoir, “It’s Hard Being You, A Primer on Being Happy Anyway,” so of course it details my battle to be a communicator who struggles to speak. Sharing that experience out loud was a challenging step I thought I’d never take. But I did … and people are receptive! What are your long-term career aspirations? Mentoring others who struggle to speak, and educating the fluent public about how they can overcome being “disabled listeners”. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? I self-disclose in that I have a severe stutter, so listeners always know upfront that I am one unique speaker… I try to help them get over it. What is your proudest moment at your current company? I love helping Truscott Rossman clients “make every word count”. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. When you’re a person who stutters, you don’t want to waste a single breath on unnecessary words. Here’s to clear, direct, impactful communication! What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Recognize your stutter as a key part of who you are. Own it, and then be brave enough to let yourself fill up an entire room.

Learn how Logan Williamson,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Process Engineer Logan Williamson Briefly describe your job and daily work duties. I am a process engineer at Corning, a Fortune 500 company that specializes in glass and ceramics technology. I currently work in the Pharmaceutical Technologies division, a newer business within Corning that focuses on developing and manufacturing pharmaceutical packaging devices such as vials, syringes and cartridges. My daily responsibilities include monitoring the key process parameters to ensure all quality specifications are met, implementing continuous improvements ideas, owning and updating documentation, troubleshooting equipment, scheduling maintenance, and being the spokesperson for process performance at the daily production meeting. Before becoming a process engineer, I began my career with Corning as a shift supervisor, managing front line operations within the plant. In this role, I directly managed a team of about 20 operators to ensure that daily production targets and quality standards were met. I am also an officer within Corning’s internal Toastmasters club, serving as Vice President of Membership. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part of my job as a person who stutters is working in an environment known for constant change. Most of the time, I am juggling multiple high-priority tasks at the same time. This can result in me being stressed out as a I try to coordinate activities to various groups of people. When I get stressed, it directly impacts the severity of my stutter, which can result in frustration and loss of focus. I overcome this by trying to focus on prioritizing my tasks so that I do not become overwhelmed. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? I disclosed my stuttering by talking about my leadership experience as an NSA chapter leader during college. This allowed me to frame my stutter as a strength, rather than a weakness. It also portrayed a sense of personal confidence that I think potential employers will admire from a candidate who stutters. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. Being a person who stutters is humbling. I believe the experiences that a person who stutters goes through makes them more empathetic and increases their emotional intelligence and ability to connect with others. This characteristic really helped me when I served as a shift supervisor at Corning. I had a natural sense of understanding for my employees need to be heard and understood. Because of this, all of them respected me and valued my opinion when I had an idea – because they knew I was taking their interest into account when making a decision. What is your proudest moment at your current company? There are two moments that come to mind. The first was when I transitioned out of my shift supervisor role. During my final days as their supervisor, many of my employees came up to me and thanked me for the job I had done. They appreciated the respect that I had for each and every one of them and took the time to wish me the best in my new role as an engineer. The second proud moment came when I was elected as Vice President of Membership of the Toastmasters club at Corning. I had only been a member for about 2 months when I was nominated for the role. During my first speech to the club I talked about the challenges I had overcome in my life, with a specific focus on the challenges of stuttering. In this speech, I believe they saw the emotional connection that I could form with people and had faith that I could transfer this over to forming relationships and interacting with potential new members as an ambassador for the club. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Never turn down opportunities because of your stutter. Confidence only comes by tackling challenges and overcoming adversity. I suffered from low self-confidence while in college because I was always blaming my stutter for my short-comings and missed opportunities. At some point late in college (and after my involvement with the NSA), I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and never let my stutter stop me from doing something I wanted to do again. This was the point at which my life began to change for the better. As I took on more challenges, my confidence blossomed, and I rode this high to take on even tougher challenges. This “challenge — confidence — tougher challenge — more confidence” feedback loop has allowed me to be in the fortunate position I am today. The tough lesson that took me nearly 20 years to learn is you only truly fail when you do not try. Just think – if you try something and it kills you, you won’t have to do it again! (Thanks Eric Mandel for this wonderful motto from the 2019 NSA Annual Conference.)

Learn how Trevor Bell,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Sr. IT Security Specialist Trevor Bell Briefly describe your daily job duties. Protecting people, patients, and data while tracking bad guys across the Internet. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Interfacing with third-party/vendors in virtual meetings. Most of my team is aware of the fact I stutter, however, meeting with external customers always presents more of a challenge. What are your long-term career aspirations? My career aspirations are to continue up the cybersecurity ladder and eventually teach. I love mentoring aspiring cybersecurity enthusiasts. I was fortunate to have a few mentors when I was just starting out. I enjoy helping others get to where he or she wants to be, professionally. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? In 2021, I had the pleasure of participating in a research study where I worked with Speech Pathologists on placing more emphasis on other facets of communications. These facets included eye contact, tempo, hand gestures, and disclosure. This program really showed me how disclosure helps everyone, the listener and myself. I make it a point to disclose at the beginning of the hiring process and other social interactions. What is your proudest moment at your current company? Aside from professional moments, my proudest moment is just blending in with my coworkers. I have been with the company for over a year and being hired during the pandemic made things difficult but I made the most of it. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. For a lack of a better phrase, stuttering has allowed me to work with a “chip on my shoulder”. Throughout my younger years, I’ve always felt like I had to work harder because I did not have the “gift of gab” and I could not articulate my work as well as others. So, I always let my work speak for myself, which made me work harder not smarter. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Disclose, disclose, disclose. Hearing the words, “I am a person who stutters” goes a very long way.

Meet Jodi Reinstein, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Jodi Reinstein Professional Relations Committee Jodi Reinstein, MS, CCC-SLP, MAEdL, is a seasoned speech-language pathologist who has dedicated her career to improving the lives of individuals with communication challenges. Since beginning her practice in 1996, Jodi has amassed a wealth of experience in both clinical and educational settings. Her professional journey began with three years at a pediatric rehabilitation hospital, where she honed her skills working with children requiring intensive support. This foundation laid the groundwork for her transition into public education, where she has been serving for the past 25 years. For the last eight years, Jodi has taken on a leadership role as a school-based special education administrator, leveraging her expertise to advocate for and support students with diverse needs. Her work reflects a deep commitment to fostering inclusive educational environments and empowering students to achieve their fullest potential. Jodi has also contributed to the broader speech-language pathology community through her involvement with the New Jersey Speech and Hearing Association, where she served as part of the School Affairs Committee. In this role, she worked to address key issues affecting school-based speech and hearing professionals, further demonstrating her dedication to advancing the field. As a member of the Professional Relations Committee, Jodi brings her extensive knowledge, leadership experience, and passion for making a difference to her work. Her career is a testament to her unwavering commitment to the individuals and communities she serves.

Learn how Chris Heathwood,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Associate Professor Chris Heathwood Boulder, CO Associate Professor University of Colorado – Boulder Briefly describe your daily job duties. I teach classes in the philosophy department, from introductory-level undergraduate classes to graduate seminars. I am currently the director of our graduate program. I do original research in philosophy — basically writing philosophy papers or books — with the aim of having it published. I present this research at conferences. I supervise graduate students. And I do all kinds of miscellaneous service work for my department, my university, and the wider profession. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. If I’m having a bad speech day on a day that I need to be doing a lot of talking — whether because I am teaching or am in meetings — that’s a rough day. I think all people who stutter face this problem from time to time. What are your long-term career aspirations? I am now past the mid-point of my career. I hope to get promoted to full professor next year, and then just continue being a professor until it’s time to retire. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? Absolutely. Disclosing is probably the single most helpful thing that a person who stutters can do. During the hiring process, I disclosed within the first 60 seconds of opening my mouth. I told people I stuttered. I told them they didn’t have to worry about it or do anything about it, other than wait, and that I was talking about it because it helps me to be open about it. I encouraged them to ask me about it and about how I deal with it in teaching, in giving talks, and in other speech-intensive activities. What is your proudest moment at your current company? I felt most proud when I earned tenure and when my work has been published in prestigious journals. In a more general way, I am very proud of myself for not letting the fact that I stutter stop me from trying to make it in the career I most wanted (professional philosopher). Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I think that my students appreciate that their professor can be open and vulnerable about the challenges he faces. Students have told me that they find it inspiring and that it makes them feel like maybe their own problems don’t need to stop them from doing what they want to do. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? The most important thing is to be disclosing often (I myself need to be better at following this advice). You can do it with a sense of humor. Another crucial thing is to “set limits.” For example, if a co-worker is always finishing your sentences, and this is something that bothers you and makes you stutter more (that’s what it does to me), you have to ask them to stop. You can do it gently. You can say that you know that they mean well by it, but that it helps you more if they let you finish.

Meet Sarah Onofri, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Sarah Onofri Family Programs Coordinator Family Chapter Coordinator Sarah Onofri has been involved in the NSA since 2006. She is the NSA Family Programs Coordinator, and is a co-leader of both the NSA Boston Adult Chapter and Family Chapter. She teaches English as a Second Language at an elementary school.

Learn how Wladimir Lyra,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Assistant Professor Wladimir Lyra Briefly describe your daily job duties. Planning, running, and interpreting computer simulations of astrophysical theories. Communicating my discoveries with my peers through scientific articles and talks, teaching undergraduate and PhD level classes. Mentoring graduate students on their research. Writing proposals for research money. Meetings with faculty peers and communicating with the general public via public talks and popular science articles. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Initially it was about giving talks, but that became second nature around the transition from PhD student to postdoctoral researcher. Now I give talks with ease. What is still challenging sometimes is talking to higher-ups who hold power over me. And at times also doing the occasional round table of “everybody introduce yourself” impromptu thing. Wouldn’t call it challenging, but certainly unpleasant. 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 students? I did, in the diversity statement: “This is perhaps the part I feel I am making myself the most vulnerable in this coming out essay [I had already addressed being Latino and non-straight], I disclose that I stutter. The disfluency is mild (as evaluated by speech and language pathologists) and not classified as a disability, or even a speech difference. Still, I am constantly in speech therapy to keep it in check. It does not affect my teaching, but I still open the first class of every course by saying ‘Before we continue, let’s get something out of the way. I have been speaking for 20 minutes now, you probably noticed it already: I stutter. It’s not that I’m nervous, it’s not that I’m looking for the word in English, it’s just the way I speak. I am comfortable with it, and I hope you are too.’ So far, it has been a complete non-issue.’” Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I grew up with relatives telling me that there was stuff I couldn’t do because of it. If I had believed them, I would not have accomplished half of what I have done. If anything, my stutter makes me work harder because I knew it could be in the way of my goals. This experience helps me understand ableism. Perhaps because of it, I will be the first to tell a deaf student or a student in a wheelchair that their disabilities are not insurmountable obstacles to becoming a scientist. What is your proudest moment at your current company? Mentoring is my greatest source of pride. Helping students develop their true potential is priceless. I’m also proud to get federal research grants and publish influential results. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Keep in mind that people are not as judgmental of our speech as we think they are. Insecurity, not stuttering, is your worst enemy. A moment of stuttering does not overrule a lifetime of successes, including those that got you the job. Nothing good comes out of trying to hide it. It’s not something you should feel shame about it. Don’t let it define you but wear it with pride, like we do in the LGBT community, and it can only positively affect your sense of worth.