Stuttering Engagement

I am passionate about improving the lives of people who stutter, as well as increasing education and advocacy around stuttering. To this end, I have been involved with the National Stuttering Association (NSA) for the past 8 years where I have held several leadership positions. My primary role within the NSA was Teen Program Co-Coordinator (2019-2022), and I currently serve as Chapter Leader of a family support group in Connecticut. Previously, I served a 2-year term on the Teen Advisory Council. For my work as Teen Program Co-Coordinator, I was honored to receive the 2021 NSA Volunteer of the Year Award.

Teen Program Coordinator

In this position, I spearheaded the NSA Teen Program through innovative advocacy, outreach, engagement, and social media initiatives across the country. These responsibilities included overseeing a 6-9 member Teen Advisory Council (TAC), serving as the primary point of contact for (parents of) teens who stutter nationwide, facilitating monthly NSA Teen Talks, collaborating with the NSA Executive Director and Board of Directors, and organizing teen programming for the NSA Annual Conference: a 4-day annual conference attended by approximately 1,000 people.

My ongoing and recent projects include:

• Planning programming for the 2022 NSA Conference in Newport Beach, CA
• Organizing and participating in NSA Connects events
• Launching an Instagram page for the NSA Teen Program (@westutter.teens)

Workshops for People who Stutter

As an active member of the NSA, I have had the opportunity to present a number of workshops for teens who stutter. Here are a few of my most recent workshops:

• College Panel. July 2022. Newport Beach, CA. 60-minute workshop presented at the 2022 NSA Annual Conference.
• Career Exploration – NSA Teens & WeStutter@Work Collaboration. June 2022. Newport Beach, CA. 60-minute workshop presented at the 2022 NSA Annual Conference. *Offered for ASHA CEUs.*
• What I Wish I Knew. July 2021. Austin, TX. 60-minute workshop presented at the 2021 NSA Annual Conference.
• When in Doubt, Act! July 2021. Austin, TX. 60-minute workshop presented at the 2021 NSA Annual Conference.
• Getting the Word Out: Advertising and Advocacy for Your Stutter. July 2020. Virtual Developed a Teen Mini-Workshop Blitz! for the NSA@Home Online Conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to developing this series, I presented one of four 15-minute workshops.
• Our Stuttering Journeys. July 2019. Fort Lauderdale, Florida 75-minute workshop presented at the 2019 NSA Annual Conference.
• Leadership Skills for Teens who Stutter. July 2018. Chicago, Illinois. 75-minute workshop presented at the 2018 NSA Annual Conference.

Community Outreach

I also enjoy facilitating and participating in community outreach initiatives about stuttering to key stakeholders within the stuttering community. Below is a list of some of my community outreach engagements. Please note, presentations geared towards university audiences are listed under the Teaching page of my website.

• NSA Connects: Parent Session: Supporting Your Child Going Back to School (Virtual)
  • Role: Panelist
• NSA Connects: Understanding Stuttering for SLPs and SLP Students (Virtual)
  • Role: Organizer & Moderator
  • Note: Largest NSA Connects event to date; over 125 SLPs in attendance
• Guest Speaker at Virtual Fluency Camp (Southern CT State University)
• NSA Connects: Understanding Your Child Who Stutters (Virtual)
  • Role: Panelist
• Stuttering 101: A Crash Course (UConn Center for Students with Disabilities)