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Meet Angela Medina, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Angela Medina Research Chair Dr. Angela Medina is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Florida International University in Miami, Florida. She earned her PhD in Applied Language and Speech Sciences from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where she also completed her coursework for certification as a speech-language pathologist. Since 2015, she has served as the NSA Miami Chapter Leader. Dr. Medina has published and presented her research nationally and internationally on stuttering in Hispanic, Latino/-x, and Spanish-English bilingual communities. Her research interests include the stuttering experiences of adults, culturally and linguistically diverse populations, mindfulness, and qualitative research methods. Her hobbies include baking and gardening with twin daughters, playing fantasy football, running, and practicing archery. She is a loyal New Orleans Saints fan and music trivia enthusiast. Term began February 2021

< Back Spotlight on the Professional Relations Committee: Megan Young’s Journey as an Ally and Advocate The NSA community includes people who stutter and allies who stand beside them. Today, we’re spotlighting Megan Young, a powerful voice in the NSA’s Professional Relations Committee and someone who has built her career around supporting people who stutter. Megan joined the NSA in 2019 during her doctoral program at The University of Texas at Austin. “I wanted to get more connected with the stuttering community,” she recalls, “so I started attending the Austin Chapter meetings occasionally as an ally.” Since then, Megan has been involved with the NSA for 6 years, growing her professional work and personal connections. In 2023, she successfully defended her dissertation and earned her Ph.D. in speech, language, and hearing sciences—an achievement we celebrate with her! Megan now serves on the Professional Relations Committee, a group focused on building bridges between the NSA and the wider professional world—especially speech-language pathologists (SLPs). The committee provides resources, creates continuing education content, and advocates for greater SLP participation in the stuttering community. “We want every single SLP to know about the NSA,” Megan explains, “and to feel empowered to engage with our work and our members.” For Megan, the NSA has been more than a professional network—it’s been a transformative personal experience. "I’ve been involved with the NSA for 6 years, initially joining to connect with the stuttering community during my doctoral program. As someone who doesn’t stutter, I’m deeply humbled by how welcoming and vibrant this community is. It’s been an incredible journey that’s shaped my work as a clinician, researcher, and advocate.” Her message to anyone new to the NSA? “You won’t regret coming to your first event — you’ll be welcomed with open arms!” And when Megan isn’t making waves in research or outreach, she’s embracing a life full of creativity and nature. Get to know Megan: Favorite ice cream flavor: S’mores Beach, mountains, or desert? Mountains, always. Go-to karaoke song: "Dancing in the Dark" – Bruce Springsteen Favorite rewatch: The Sopranos Pets: Two cats—Uma and Tito Hidden talent: Painting and ceramics Dream vacation: Exploring Patagonia We’re so grateful to have Megan’s dedication, passion, and perspective on the team. Her work continues to elevate the NSA’s mission—and we’re lucky to have her. Thank you, Megan! Previous Next

Meet Rowan, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Rowan Sisters Who Stutter Member Outreach Coordinator Rowan serves as the Member Outreach Coordinator for Sisters Who Stutter (SWS), where she focuses on strengthening member connection, engagement, and support within the community. She is also the Chair of Sisters Who Stutter, a group within the National Stuttering Association (NSA) dedicated to empowering and uplifting girls who stutter. In her outreach role, Rowan helps welcome new members, foster meaningful relationships, and ensure that girls feel seen, supported, and included. Her leadership is rooted in creating safe, affirming spaces where confidence can grow and shared experiences can turn into lasting connection. Rowan brings dedication and resilience to everything she does. She has been a member of her school’s Varsity Swim Team since seventh grade and also participates in Track and Field as a long-distance runner. Her athletic journey reflects her perseverance, discipline, and commitment to personal growth. Looking ahead, Rowan hopes to pursue a future in archaeology, combining her curiosity, love of history, and passion for discovery. She credits the NSA and Sisters Who Stutter community with helping her embrace her stutter and develop the confidence to lead and support others. Through her outreach work and leadership, Rowan continues to play a meaningful role in building a connected, welcoming community for girls who stutter.

Meet Paula Campbell-Schwab, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Paula Campbell-Schwab Seasoned Voices Committee Paula Campbell-Schwab is married to Doug Schwab and lives in Houston, Texas. She is 71 and a retired Special Education teacher. Paula is the co-founder of the Houston Chapter which started in 1985 and has been an active member of the NSP/NSA attending many conventions and conferences.

Meet Michael Liben, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Michael Liben Legal Counsel Michael Liben is a prosecutor in New York City. He currently serves as a Deputy Bureau Chief in the Domestic Violence Bureau of the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office. Michael, and his family, have been involved in the NSA for over twenty years. He has previously served as the NSA’s Youth Chair and as a member of the NSA’s Research Committee. Michael resides in New York with his wife and daughter.

Meet Doug Harris, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Doug Harris Seasoned Voices Committee Doug Harris is a lifelong person who stutters, as well as a husband, father, and retired architect living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 2024, Doug began reengaging more intentionally with his stuttering journey after decades of simply living with his stutter while largely ignoring both the challenges and opportunities it presented. He joined the Greenville, South Carolina NSA chapter and started becoming more involved in the community. Doug attended his first NSA Annual Conference in Denver in 2025, where the promise of a “life-changing experience” met and exceeded the expectations longtime conference attendees had shared with him. Shortly before the conference, Doug relocated from Western North Carolina to Lancaster and began attending the Philadelphia NSA Chapter, continuing to deepen his connection with the community. Today, Doug is helping organize an intergenerational discussion panel for the upcoming Charlotte conference. He has also participated in panels with speech-language pathology classes, sharing his lived experience with future speech therapists. As part of living a more intentional life as a person who stutters, Doug is also a member of Toastmasters International.

Learn how Eamonn Hubert,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Musician Eamonn Hubert Endicott, NY Musician Hot Dogs & Gin Briefly describe your daily job duties. I perform live music with my band and as a duo with my Dad for several shows a month, both private and public. I was also on the US Broadway First National Tour of “School of Rock the Musical” as a musician and swing/understudy for three characters, and went on several times in 13 states when I was ten years old. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part of what I do is talking spontaneously to fans and doing interviews. I tend to stutter more when I’m excitedly speaking about something that isn’t rehearsed or scripted. I also stutter more while I’m in the early stages of learning lines for a role. This is a challenge every year when I participate in my school musical which is always put together in a very short time. What are your long-term career aspirations? I hope to attend music school someday and continue to perform as a professional musician. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? When I was cast in School of Rock I didn’t disclose my stutter, but I’m pretty sure the casting team noticed it! It didn’t seem to matter to them since most actors don’t stutter once their lines are memorized. It did affect my being selected to speak on press days– I usually wasn’t allowed to because of my stutter. What is your proudest moment at your current company? My proudest moment has probably been performing with my band, Hot Dogs & Gin, at the NYS Blues Festival last summer. I first performed there with another band when I was six, but to have a full set to ourselves was such an honor! Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I’m not sure how stuttering helps me, but I don’t really think about it as much anymore. I’m fairly fluent most of the time and when I’m not, I don’t let it bother me. Most of the folks who come out to see us perform know I have a stutter (I’m also autistic) from old social media posts. I hope that if anyone who stutters does notice my stutter, they will see it’s not a big deal for me and doesn’t have to be for them either. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Focus on strengths and use whatever fluency tools you may have learned as needed. If others have reactions or questions about the stutter, just tell them it’s part of you like anything else: eye color, gender, etc. and that it doesn’t affect your ability to be awesome! The more you worry about your stutter, the less fluent and confident you’ll be.

Learn how David Haas,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Executive Director David Haas Briefly describe your daily job duties. I run a nonprofit called Sarah’s Guest House. We are a healthcare hospitality home that provides lodging, transportation, meals and comfort to patients and families of patients receiving medical care in Central New York. I oversee all operations including directing staff and leading our organization. This includes developing and furthering community relationships, fundraising, managing house operations and developing and administering a budget. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. I am constantly challenged in my job when speaking. Each day, I must communicate with my staff, our volunteers, and the 1,000+ guests who stay at our house annually. Not to mention our partners, donors, and supporters. I often speak in the community about our organization. This requires me to present at local hospitals, churches, events, and anytime outreach is needed. At times I am only given a few minutes to tell someone or a group of people about our organization and I must make sure I am using my time wisely and articulating our mission properly. Did you self-disclose your stuttering during the job hiring process? If so, how did you do it and how do you currently disclose your stuttering to unsuspecting co-workers, clients and or customers? I did self-disclose. My resume noted that I am the leader of the Syracuse chapter of the National Stuttering Association, and I spoke about it during my interviews. I knew the job would require the Executive Director to be the face of the organization and be comfortable speaking in front of large groups of individuals on behalf of Sarah’s Guest House. I described my plethora of experience speaking to local audiences about stuttering including giving a TEDx Talk in 2014. I don’t always disclose my fluency disorder to everyone I speak with. It depends on my day and the situation. If I feel an additional amount of pressure (on top of the usual everyday pressure), I may say that I a person who stutters, “please be patient as I articulate my message.” This is especially true if it’s an important meeting and I’m asking someone to make a donation or pledge to Sarah’s Guest House and I want their full attention. I almost always mention my stuttering when presenting in the community or speaking at an event. I believe this helps put both my audience and myself at ease so they are not wondering why I might be struggling to communicate in a way they might be used to hearing. This also offers me an opportunity to educate the public in regards to stuttering, which I believe I am called to do. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. The guests who stay at Sarah’s Guest House are typically going through one of the most difficult situations in their life when they decide to stay with us. It is of dire importance that we as staff and volunteers are able to show an ability to understand and share the feelings of another – to be empathic. I believe that there is no group of people more empathic than individuals who stutter. I also believe that in a fast-paced, perfection seeking world, being the leader of an organization as a person who stutters allows me to flip the script. My staff, volunteers, board members, and those around me know that I am not seeking perfection, but rather a commitment to do the best we can in a manner that shows respect for our duties and those we are serving. What is your proudest moment at your current company? This past year was one of the hardest in my career. Leading a healthcare organization during the middle of a pandemic was very stressful. Our largest fundraising event had to be cancelled and we had to pivot plans to raise enough funds to continue operating the house. This led us to holding several smaller virtual fundraisers during 2020 including a one-week digital campaign we called ‘Fund the House.’ This unique campaign raised over $30,000 in one week utilizing only social media. Our campaign was nominated and selected as the Central New York Business Journal’s NONPROFIT AWARDS Outstanding Fundraising Event of 2020 with the award criteria being “running an innovative and unique event which engaged donors, board members, volunteers and staff to further the organization’s mission.” What are your long-term career aspirations? I am in the career I feel I was called to be in. I have always known I have wanted to give back to the public and my community. I hope to be blessed enough to do so for many more years. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? It’s interesting, when I was younger and even into my early 20s, I never talked about stuttering. It wasn’t until I was introduced to the National Stuttering Association while in graduate school that I felt I needed to be more open with myself and others. I decided I wasn’t going to let my stutter control me any longer. My life took a 180-degree turn and I began down a path that led me to being able to use my voice to advocate for others. I know everyone who stutters, stutters differently, and has a different story. But I would encourage you to never sell yourself short. Always advocate for yourself and be open with those around you. You are the next leader and you have an opportunity to educate others – go for it!

Meet Charley Adams, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Charley Adams Research Committee Associate Member Charley has been teaching the graduate course on stuttering at the University of South Carolina since 2000, and he has led the National Stuttering Association’s Columbia, SC Chapter since 2001. In 2013, he received the award for the NSA’s Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year. Charley Joined the board of the NSA in the summer of 2019 as Co-Director of Special Projects, and then transferred to Director of Professional Relations in January of 2020. He has been involved with several local and regional workshops sponsored by the NSA, as well as webinars. Charley has presented on stuttering and cluttering nationally and internationally.

Meet Madison Nichols, a valued member of the National Stuttering Association team. Learn more about their role and contributions. Madison Nichols WS@W Committee Madison Nichols lives in Grand Rapids, MI and is passionate about self-advocacy and being your authentic, true self. She feels called to be ardent and open about stuttering, even with the difficulties it can present. Maddie has been a camper, a counselor, and a volunteer for Camp Shout Out, a summer camp for youth who stutter. She has also worked alongside the World Stuttering Organization, spearheading an initiative requesting that states allow people who stutter the ability to have this information added to their legal ID. Maddie is also a staunch supporter of mental health initiatives. Maddie currently works for a private research institute that studies a variety of diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. When she is not working or contributing to WS@W, she is likely chasing around her toddler, crocheting, cooking, baking, or playing video games.

Learn how Carolina Ayala,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Developmental Services Worker Carolina Ayala Briefly describe your daily job duties. As a Developmental Services Worker, I support adults with intellectual disabilities. These adults come to our day program and do a variety of activities that promote independence and enjoyment such as arts and crafts, cooking, music, reading, writing, yoga, jigsaw puzzles, and more. We also go into the community with these adults and assist them in a variety of ways including: shopping, swimming, visiting attractions, going to the library, taking different modes of transportation and visiting zoo and farms. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. The most challenging part is when there is an emergency and I need to call 911. I feel immense pressure to be quick and precise because someone’s life is on the line and I want to do my best for the person I am supporting. This is when I use positive self-talk and keep calm. Getting anxious will only make things worse. 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 always disclose because I stutter often and I am an overt person who stutters. I do this because it helps put me at ease. Some people may be taken aback but that is their issue, not mine. I like to disclose when I am first meeting a new staff member or a family member. I think it puts both of us at ease. For the most part, people appreciate me disclosing and may ask a question or two about stuttering. Regardless of how someone reacts, I know that I am more than my stutter and I try to relay that in my interactions with others. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. Some of the adults with disabilities I support, cannot speak. As a person stutters, I understand that communication is so much more than verbal communication. In that way, I am able to better connect with people I help at work. What is your proudest moment at your current company? Going through this coronavirus pandemic has made me realize how important and valuable a Developmental Services Worker is — we are essential workers. I am proud that I have been able to support our clients through these very challenging times where they cannot visit with their family or friends and have to stay home. They miss their routines. As staff, we are there to comfort them and provide constant stability in a time that has lots of changes. People with disabilities are often forgotten in such times because there are so may needs. I am happy I can do my part to fill this void. What are your long-term career aspirations? First and foremost, I want to be happy. Doing things that improve the lives of others gives me great joy. I would love to continue to try more positions within my organization that push me outside of my comfort zone with the focus of bettering the lives of those with intellectual disabilities. What’s your best advice for people who stutter just entering the workplace and for those in a career striving to achieve greater success? Sometimes greater success isn’t about more money but about the amount of enjoyment you get out of what you are doing. I love my job and helping others. I love making people happy, making them smile because its literally FREE so why not! I always want to strive for more and try new things. Last summer, I tried a position with more responsibility, and it was a great opportunity that taught me that I am capable of so much. Sometimes people judge us, based on what they see and hear but we, people who stutter, are so much more than a stutter. We are awesome people with beautiful things to say to people who are willing to listen. Sometimes we have to push ourselves to see all that we can accomplish.

Learn how Charles White, III,a person who stutters, achieved career success. Get inspired by their journey. Secret Service Charles White, III Briefly describe your daily job duties. I’m responsible for access control and interior/exterior protection of the White House. I help ensure everyone that walks on the White House complex is authorized from administration staff to visitors for appointments to tourists. As a person who stutters, share the most challenging part of your job. Finding the internal resolve and courage to open my mouth every day and speak to people at work and exercising my constitutional authority with my speech every day. 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? Yes, I self-disclosed during the application process. I verbally told the polygraph technicians that I stutter. (Polygraph? Remember, I work for the Secret Service.) I also disclose my stutter to co-workers, White House staff, and sometimes to tourists. Describe how stuttering makes you a better, more valued contributor at work. I have a different sense of compassion, patience, and understanding than all my non-stuttering co-workers. I find myself not in a rush to get information from people. I let people take their time to speak their truth because what they have to say matters. What is your proudest moment at your current company? Taking my Mom as my guest to the Secret Service holiday party in 2013 and introducing her to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. What are your long-term career aspirations? I plan on retiring from the Secret Service before I turn 50 years old. By doing so, I’ll be able to pursue my passions and dreams to serve other people full-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? Believe in yourself. Believe in your potential. Speak your truth. You have the Americans with Disabilities Act on your side and people need to hear your story. What you want to say from your heart matters, and it can positively impact other people.