Who We Are

FRIENDS is a 501 (c)(3) national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing support and education to young people who stutter, their families, and professionals, through annual conferences, one-day workshops, and outreach. FRIENDS events provide workshops for children, adolescents, parents and adults who stutter. Some topics addressed during our workshops include self-advocacy, self-disclosure, navigating middle school, navigating high school and college, bullying, teasing, successful academic outcomes, successful career outcomes, navigating employment issues, interviewing skills, diversity in the workplace, educating our peers in academic and employment environments. Workshops for parents include discussing how best to support your child, advocating for your child, working with schools to ensure academic success, how to talk about stuttering with your child, family, school and extended families. Our vision is to help build a world in which all young people who stutter feel empowered to communicate whenever, wherever, and however they want to. FRIENDS is directed by Lee Caggiano, the mother of a son who stutters and a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP).

Our Story

In 1997, FRIENDS was founded by John Ahlbach and Lee to meet the need for organized support and education for young people who stutter and their families. Over the years, we have expanded into a national organization that hosts a large annual convention each July and many regional one-day conferences around the country throughout the year. We primarily serve young people and their families, but also provide invaluable education to SLPs and graduate students and welcome adults who stutter into our community as volunteers.

Executive Director, Co-Founder

Lee Caggiano, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-F

Lee is the Director of Stuttering Therapy and Resources of Northern Colorado and treats children, adolescents and adults who stutter. Lee is the mother of a son who stutters and is co-founder and Director of FRIENDS: The National Association for Young People Who Stutter. She is committed to providing a high level of parent education and training and has developed and coordinated workshops for children who stutter, families and professionals for the past several years. She has presented at local and national conferences regarding the needs of young people who stutter and their families. Lee serves as a consultant to many school districts as well as teaching the graduate level fluency courses at New York University, Queens College, and Long Island University-Post.

Co-Founder

John Ahlbach

I co-founded FRIENDS in 1997 with Lee to provide young people and their families with their own space, their own identity within the stuttering community. I have loved every minute of it with all my heart!

Board Members

Caryn Herring

Caryn Herring

Chair Person of the Board

Caryn Herring, M.S. CCC-SLP is a person who stutters and a speech-language pathologist, currently pursuing her PhD at Michigan State University. Caryn’s research interests include the process of desensitization for people who stutter, reducing adverse impact, and the role of voluntary stuttering. She has also taught and clinically supervised

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graduate students at MSU, The University of Pittsburgh, and Duquesne University. Caryn has been involved in stuttering support since 2007 and is proud to currently serve as the Friends chairperson.
 

Stavros Ladeas

Stavros Ladeas

Vice Chair Person

Stavros Ladeas is a PWS, a proud father and software engineer based in Providence, RI. He spent a decade in NYC where he met my amazing wife and became involved in the stuttering advocacy community. His work challenges him and helps him grow, and he enjoys being a new parent in his free time.

Arin Sheeler

Arin Sheeler

Secretary

Arin Sheeler is a proud parent of a young boy who stutters. Her family found FRIENDS through The Ohio State University One-Day Conference in 2018, and attended their first Annual Convention in Chicago in 2019. Her husband and 3 children live in Columbus, Ohio, and both Arin and her husband work for The Ohio State University. She is a Speech

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Language Pathologist specializing in adults with acquired neurogenic communication disorders. Arin works part time as a Clinical Supervisor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences and at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in the Rehabilitation Hospital. Her family fell in love with FRIENDS because of the fantastic people that we have met and the welcoming community. Her son especially has felt a real sense of belonging in the FRIENDS family, and she is excited to be a part of helping FRIENDS continue to flourish!

George Daquila

George Daquila

Treasurer

George Daquila has stuttered his whole life. He found the stuttering community later in life at the age of 28, he loves being part of it and the broader disability community. George is an Engineering Manager at Google, where he is also a member of the disability community and a leader of the stuttering group. George is a fierce advocate for equality of

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people with disabilities in the workplace. He believes his experiences with stuttering make him a more effective and empathetic manager. George holds a PhD in physics from Virginia Tech.
 

Rick Arenas

Rick Arenas

Rick Arenas is a person who stutters and a parent of a child who stutters.  He works at the University of New Mexico as an associate professor where he teaches and conducts research in the area of stuttering.  He is honored to be able to be part of FRIENDS.  The organization does an amazing job supporting young people who stutter and their families.  

Adannaya Brown

Adannaya Brown

Adannaya Brown (she/her) is a parent of a person who stutters, dedicated advocate, friend, and student of the stuttering community. A relentless chaser of joy, her favorite pastimes are reading, dancing, and staring at the sky. She lives with her husband, four children, and two dogs in Aurora, Colorado.

Eric Jackson

Eric Jackson

Eric Jackson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is a person who stutters, speech-language pathologist, and Assistant Professor at NYU, where he conducts research on stuttering. He is a long-time supporter and volunteer for FRIENDS.
Joel Korte

Joel Korte

Joel Korte is a person who stutters and the owner of Chase Bliss, a Minneapolis based company that designs and manufactures guitar pedals.

Sara MacIntyre

Sara MacIntyre

Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP is the director of YouSpeak, a private practice in Philadelphia, where she works with individuals of all ages who stutter. She is also the Director of Programs and Education for The Stuttering Foundation and an Adjunct instructor at Teachers College, Columbia University. Sara previously served as the Friends

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One-Day Conference Director and is passionate about continuing to grow access to local support opportunities. Sara is a person who stutters herself and has the support community to thank for shifting her thoughts, creating hope, and showing her that you can succeed, and be someone who stutters. 

Roisin McManus

Roisin McManus

Róisín McManus is stutterer, nurse practitioner and mother. She has been involved with Friends since 2010, and still gets chills witnessing its impact on kids, families, adults and therapists. She works as a nurse practitioner specializing in palliative care, and lives in Providence, RI with her husband, daughter and extended family. 

Mark O'Malia

Mark O'Malia

Mark O’Malia, M.S., CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and person who stutters. He is a full-time clinician at The American Institute for Stuttering (AIS) in NYC, working with people who stutter across the lifespan. 

Ryan Pollard

Ryan Pollard

Ryan Pollard, Ph.D. CCC-SLP BCS-F is a stutterer, speech-language pathologist, and clinical professor at the University of Colorado Boulder where he trains graduate students and teaches courses in stuttering, disability studies, counseling and other areas. Over the past several years he’s volunteered or worked for FRIENDS, the Stuttering

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Association for the Young (SAY), the Stuttering Foundation, and the American Institute for Stuttering (AIS).

Anthony Saleh

Anthony Saleh

I am the proud parent of a daughter who stutters and eternally grateful to the entire Friends organization for providing so much support, knowledge, and comfort to our entire family. Friends has been life changing for us and we are so privileged to be part of this phenomenal organization!!

Development and Advancement Board

Haley Warner

Haley Warner

Co-Chair

Haley Warner, M.S. CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and currently pursuing her PhD in the stuttering and vvariability (savvy) lab at New York University. She attended her first FRIENDS Annual Convention in Chicago in 2019 and is passionate about the important work FRIENDS does.

Jackie Winter

Jackie Winter

Co-Chair

Jackie Winter is a long-time member and supporter of the FRIENDS community. She and her husband, Paul, are the proud parents to Ray, a 20-year-old adult who stutters, and to Lily, a 23-year-old and an amazing sibling to her baby brother. Jackie is a VP and Senior Operations Manager at First American Title Insurance Company.

Ernie Canadeo

Ernie Canadeo

Kate Popovich-Gargiulo

Kate Popovich-Gargiulo

Kate has been involved with FRIENDS since 2005. After her first 3 day conference which she attended with her family, she was inspired and knew immediately FRIENDS would always be a part of her life. She is the proud mom of three children, two of whom stutter. All of her children have remained active in the organization and have made lifelong friendships.

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She is a retired registered nurse who is passionate about the support and empowerment FRIENDS provides for not only children who stutter but their families as well. Kate is also an active board member of SAY. ( The Stuttering Association for the Young). She is honored to be on the board of FRIENDS to help this truly one of a kind organization continue to thrive and spread support to more children , their families, teachers, therapists and the general public.
 

Anthony Saleh

Anthony Saleh

I am the proud parent of a daughter who stutters and eternally grateful to the entire Friends organization for providing so much support, knowledge, and comfort to our entire family. Friends has been life changing for us and we are so privileged to be part of this phenomenal organization!!

Friends Committees

Noura Embabi

Noura Embabi

Administrative Assistant & Bookkeeper

I am a PhD student in sociology and a former speech-language pathologist passionate about stuttering support and advocacy. I attended my first Friends conference in 2014 and feel proud to be a part of the wonderful Friends community.

Allison Ladavat

Allison Ladavat

One-Day Conference Program Director

Allison Ladavat, MA, CCC-SLP is a person who stutters and a speech-language pathologist. She currently works at Duquesne University as the clinical adjunct instructor for the stuttering clinic. She is dedicated to educating SLPs

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and students, so they feel confident working with individuals of all ages who stutter.

Hallie Mintz

Hallie Mintz

Social Media Coordinator

Hallie Mintz, M.S. CCC-SLP is the owner of Philly Speech Services, a private practice in the greater Philadelphia area, where she works with children of all ages and abilities. Hallie has a passion for supporting children and adolescents who stutter by

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encouraging confident communication. She has attended several FRIENDS one-day conferences and is excited to be more involved with this amazing organization! In her free time, Hallie enjoys yoga, crafting, cooking new recipes, and spending time outdoors with her husband and dog. 
 

Mark O’Malia

Mark O’Malia

Stepping Up Program Coordinator

Mark O’Malia, M.S., CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and person who stutters. He is a full-time clinician at The American Institute for Stuttering in NYC, working with people who stutter across the lifespan. Mark is actively involved in the stuttering

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self-help community, frequently facilitating and presenting workshops at national conferences for both Friends and the National Stuttering Association (NSA).
 

Lisa Robinson

Lisa Robinson

Grant Writer

Lisa Robinson, PhD is a freelance writer based in East Brunswick, New Jersey. In addition to 14 years of experience as a full-time grant writer at the Juilliard School, she has worked with organizations including the Curtis Institute of Music, Mayo Performing Arts

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Center, and George Street Playhouse. She looks forward to working with FRIENDS to help identify and secure new sources of institutional support.
 

Ed Samp

Ed Samp

Convention Scholarship

My son Eddie is a stutterer. Our family attended the 2nd annual FRIENDS convention in 1999 in Boston when Eddie was 9. It changed our lives. Over the years, we’ve enjoyed staying connected with our FRIENDS family through the annual conference. Our

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Scholarship Program helps others afford the expense involved in attending our annual convention and conferences.

Professional Advisors

Joe Donaher

Joe Donaher

PhD, CCC-SLP, Board Certified in Fluency Disorders

I am a speech-language pathologist, and live outside of Philadelphia with my wife and 2 children. I became involved with Friends after sitting next to Lee Caggiano for several days at a stuttering workshop in 1998.
Heather Grossman

Heather Grossman

PhD, CCC-SLP, Board Certified in Fluency Disorders

I am a speech therapist who became involved with FRIENDS in 1998 because I was inspired by Lee Caggiano and working with CWS! It has become a second family to me that I can’t wait to visit each year.
Tricia Zebrowski

Tricia Zebrowski

PhD, CCC-SLP, Board Certified in Fluency Disorders

I am a university professor and SLP with a special interest in working with teenagers who stutter. My involvement with FRIENDS over the years has helped me to be a better therapist, teacher and researcher.

FRIENDS

FRIENDS: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter is a non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organization under section 501(c)3.

Contact Us

FRIENDS
23429 County Road 1
Berthoud, CO 80513

friends@friendswhostutter.org

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