27th Annual Convention

Facilitators and Speakers

Get to know the speakers and facilitators of the 2024 Friends Convention. They include stuttering experts, researchers, educators, artists, writers, therapists, and longtime members of stuttering self-help and support communities!

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.

Amanda Barkley

Amanda Barkley is a speech-language pathologist who works at Children’s Hospital Colorado and specializes in stuttering. She also supervises graduate students at University of Colorado Boulder as the co-director of the CO Speaks summer camp for teens who stutter and is a teaching artist for the stuttering organization SPACE Arts and Community Programs. Amanda is passionate about working with people who stutter to promote confidence in communication through holistic and individualized stuttering therapy. She works collaboratively with people to explore the intricacies of how stuttering impacts them and identify therapy goals that will make a meaningful difference in their life. Amanda holds the Ally of Stuttering™ Seal from Spero Stuttering, Inc. She also has an extensive background in the performing arts and enjoys integrating theatrical techniques into her practice as an SLP.

Jia Bin, M.A.

Jia Bin, M.A., is a doctoral student at Michigan State University. Jia earned her undergraduate degree in English Language and Literature at Chongqing Normal University in China, Master’s degree in Secondary Education at Oakland University, and Master’s Degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders at Michigan State University. Jia has been a language teacher (English & Mandarin Chinese) who has taught in China, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Jia’s own journey of being a person who stutters, and an inter-cultural communicator motivates her to pursue a doctorate in CSD to help the people who stutter and bring people from various cultural backgrounds together. Jia is currently a research assistant at Spartan Stuttering Lab. Jia is also a content creator and leader for the Chinese-speaking stuttering community and is active in the global stuttering community.

Nic Brow, MA, CCC-SLP

Nic Brow works as a speech language pathologist at the Sisskin Stuttering Center. He has conducted research on the experience of stuttering with both adults and teens, and worked as a graduate student clinical educator at Western Michigan University. Across multiple public schools settings, Nic has practiced as a speech therapist with students from the preschool to high school level. He frequently presents on acceptance-based therapy for stuttering both nationally and internationally. Within the framework of Avoidance Reduction Therapy for Stuttering (ARTS®), Nic predominantly works with young people who stutter and their families. In his free time, Nic enjoys surfing, pickleball, and spending time with family and friends.

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.

Lewis Brown

Lewis Brown III is a person who stutters and a high school student from Colorado. He has been part of the Friends community since 2018, and volunteers at conventions. The organization has had a massive impact on him and his family. He has a passion for connecting with people in the community and enjoys hanging out with his fellow stutterers!

Mike Caggiano

Michael Caggiano is an adult who stutters. He is a fire scientist who lives in Fort Collins Colorado with his wife and two children. He was introduced to the stuttering support world as a teenager, and his mother, Lee Caggiano co-founded Friends. Mike is passionate about helping people live well with and despite of their stutter.

Jason Cassell, LCSW

Jason Cassell, LCSW is a licensed psychotherapist, currently practicing in New York City where he treats adults, adolescents, and couples, including many clients who stutter. Graduating from the Columbia University School of Social Work, Jason has advanced training in psychoanalysis, trauma, and mindfulness. In the past he has conducted workshops for Friends, the National Stuttering Association, the American Institute for Stuttering, and New York University. He is married to Kristel, a lovely speech therapist who stutters.

Christopher Constantino

Christopher Constantino lives in Tallahassee with his wife, Megan, and sons, Augustine and Sebastian. He is a speech-language pathologist at Florida State University. He clinically supervises graduate students and researches how to improve the experience of stuttering. He teaches graduate classes on stuttering and counseling. Chris enjoys riding his bicycle.

George Daquila, PhD

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 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.

Catey Easters

Catey Easters is a wife and mother of two teenage girls named Lauren (17) and Mackenzie (15). Mackenzie is a person who stutters. Catey worked in Human Resources for over 20 years until recently retiring. In her free time Catey likes to hang out with family and friends, travel, play pickleball and watch college basketball. This is her third Friends Convention.

Mackenzie Easters

Mackenzie Easters is a 15 year old person who stutters. Her family recently moved from Evans, Georgia to Raleigh, North Carolina where she will start ninth grade in the fall. She loves art, plays travel volleyball and just started learning to play the drums. She spends her free time hanging out with friends or listening to very loud rap music! This is her third Friends convention and she is very excited to be around other people who stutter.

Emily Figliomeni

Emily Figliomeni is a clinical SLP at the Center for Stuttering Therapy, working primarily with children and adults who stutter. She has years of experience working as a school-based SLP, treating children in pediatric home-health settings, and supervising clinical fellows. Additionally, Emily is a clinical educator and adjunct faculty at the University of Northern Colorado, where she supervises graduate students in clinic, and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses, including language development, language disorders, and articulation and phonology disorders. Clinical interests include working with people who stutter, focusing on quality-of-life outcomes.

Julie Gasway

Julie Gasway is a Speech Language Pathologist and an ASHA Board Certified Specialist in Fluency and Fluency Disorders. She has a passion for working with children and adults who stutter, and their families and friends. She has a private practice specializing in fluency and fluency disorders. She has taught and clinically supervised undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. She had the pleasure of working with Lee Caggiano at several Friends Conferences and U of Iowa Speaks Camps. Julie is the mother of four children and the grandmother of three grandchildren and loves to cook Sunday dinners for them! She is VERY excited to be attending the Friends Convention in Denver and meeting many new friends!

Adam Giannelli

Adam Giannelli is a writer and stutterer. He is the author of Tremulous Hinge (University of Iowa Press, 2017), winner of the Iowa Poetry Prize. His poetry has appeared in the Kenyon Review, Atlantic, New York Times Magazine, and elsewhere. He is an assistant professor of English at the United States Naval Academy and deeply values his involvement in stuttering communities.

Cheryl Goettsche

I am the mother of an adult who stutters. This led me to becoming a speech language pathologist and discovering Friends when my son was 10 years old. This was a changing moment for our family, to be amongst other young people and families in the stuttering community. Each time I am part of a Friends activity it fills me with joy to see old friends and to make new ones. Friends continues to be an amazing support to my family, and I am blessed to be able to give back.

Ben Goldstein

Ben Goldstein is a speech-language therapist and stuttering consultant for Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland and an associate clinician at the Sisskin Stuttering Center in the Washington D.C. area. He is also an adjunct professor at Gallaudet University, teaching the graduate level stuttering course. Ben has presented on Avoidance Reduction Therapy for Stuttering (ARTS®) at international and national conferences, speech therapy graduate school programs, and to school-based speech therapists in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Katie Gore, MA, CCC-SLP

Katie Gore, MA, CCC-SLP is the Director of Talent Programming at Macmillan Publishers. She is also the founder of speech IRL, a speech therapy education and consulting firm specializing in topics related to communication and inclusive therapy approaches. Katie’s clinical specialties are stuttering, executive function, social communication. Katie is an adjunct faculty member at Rush University where she teaches coursework in stuttering and fluency disorders. She is a former member of the Board of Directors of the National Stuttering Association, the co-founder of Shared Voices Chicago, and an active participant in the stuttering community.

Heather Grossman, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-F

Dr. Heather Grossman is one of a small number of speech language pathologists holding a PhD in fluency disorders who works primarily in a clinical setting. For more than 25 years, she’s worked tirelessly to help people who stutter to speak freely and live fearlessly.

Caryn Herring, M.S., CCC-SLP

Caryn Herring is a person who stutters, a speech-language pathologist, and the Executive Director of Friends. She met Lee in 2010 and has been active with Friends since then, serving as the Board Chairperson for five years. Caryn is also a doctoral candidate at Michigan State University. Her research interests include desensitization, reducing adverse impact, and making voice-activated AI accessible to people who stutter.

Ezra Horak

Ezra Horak (they/them) is from Portland, Oregon, is a lifelong stutterer and is the founder of Stutterology, a digital content platform that educates about stuttering through a neurodiverse and trauma-informed lens and empowers people with speech differences. Their work is used to educate speech therapists, loved ones of people who stutter, and fellow stutterers about the systemic issues faced and how to promote true inclusivity. They have additionally volunteered with various stuttering organizations over the last 10 years and currently serve as the co-Chair of the Board for SPACE.

Eric S. Jackson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP | Keynote Speaker

Eric S. Jackson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is a person who stutters, speech-language pathologist, associate professor, and director of the stuttering and vvariability (savvy) lab at NYU, where he conducts research on stuttering. He is a long-time supporter and volunteer for Friends. Read about Eric’s journey with stuttering here.

Cole Johnson

Cole Johnson is a PWS based in Brooklyn, originally hailing from Alaska. He currently works as a Product Design Manager at the New York Times, supporting designers in making tools and software for one of the biggest newsrooms in the world.

Elizabeth Kapstein

Elizabeth Kapstein is a person who stutters and a clinical social worker who co-founded Passing Twice, a network of LGBTQIA people who stutter, and Manhattan Stuttering Group, NYC’s first self-help stuttering community. She presented at the International Fluency Association conference in San Francisco, “Can You Hear Us Beyond Our Stutter?” Elizabeth has been featured in National Public Radio’s segment on Stuttering Theater and Margo Adler’s Stuttering Convention as well as featured in “Finding the Words; How Some Stutterers Are Talking Their Way Out of Isolation,” David L. Ulin, Chicago Tribune Magazine. Elizabeth works as a psychotherapist specializing in trauma- and addictions-informed therapy using expressive therapies in NYC at www.ektherapy.com.

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.

Kristel Kubart, M.A., CCC-SLP

Kristel Kubart, M.A., CCC-SLP is a passionate speech-language pathologist who stutters and who has cerebral palsy. She works with kids, teens, and adults who stutter. Her goal is to help people who stutter embrace their stuttering and learn to trust their voice. In addition to specializing in stuttering, Kristel has worked as a school based speech therapist with kids who have a variety of speech and language disorders for 14 years. She has presented seminars and workshops on neurodiversity and on stuttering therapy both nationally and internationally, published research on stuttering in the Journal of Language, Speech and Hearing Services in Schools, has a chapter published in the book Stammering Pride & Prejudice: Difference, not Defect and developed a disability pride club in her school.

Nicole Kulmaczewski

Nicole is a speech-language pathologist in New York working with the early intervention and preschool population. She is the co-director of Myspeech, a digital resource platform enabling you to access resources, affordable speech therapy, and community support. She is passionate about spreading awareness about stuttering as well as spreading awareness about the importance of counseling within the field of speech-language pathology.

Allison Ladavat, MA, CCC-SLP

Allison Ladavat is a person who stutters, a speech-language pathologist, and the mother of 3 children. She lives in Pittsburgh, PA, where she provides holistic stuttering therapy to people of all ages. She has previously worked as a clinical instructor at Duquesne University. Through the Friends organization, Allison helped to develop a partnership with the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, coordinating unique experiences at each Penguins home game for local children who stutter.

Stavros Ladeas

Stavros Ladeas is a PWS, a proud father and software engineer based in Providence, RI. He spent a decade in NYC where he met his 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.

Allegra Ludwig, M.A. CCC-SLP

Allegra Ludwig (she/her) is a Speech-Language Pathologist, clinical supervisor, and private-practice owner based in Boulder, CO who specializes in stuttering therapy. She is passionate about supporting people who stutter, not just as a speech therapist but also as someone who hopes to empower and uplift stuttering voices. Her blog, Cadence Speech, celebrates the lived experience of stuttering with stories and profiles of individuals who stutter. In her speech therapy practice, she embraces a holistic, client-centered therapy approach that promotes confidence, joy, and ease in speaking. Outside of speech therapy, you can find Allegra performing on stages throughout Colorado as a professional actor and violinist. She is also a mom to two teenage daughters and loves being outdoors with her family, including hiking, biking, camping, and traveling. Allegra feels that she has gained more from the stuttering community than she could ever hope to contribute in return, and she is profoundly grateful to be a part of the Friends national convention this year!

Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP

Sara MacIntyre, M.A., CCC-SLP is the One-Day Conference Director for Friends. Sara owns YouSpeak, LLC where she provides stuttering therapy in Philadelphia and virtually, as well as consulting services. Sara is an adjunct instructor at Teachers College, Columbia University in their graduate program and is the producer and moderator for Virtual Learning by Stuttering Foundation and the Stuttering Foundation Podcast. She is a board member for Friends: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter.

Leor Manelis

Leor Manelis is a parent of a child who stutters and has been an advocate and part of the Friends community for 5 years. Leor and his daughter first attended the Friends conference in 2019 in Denver, CO. “The first time we attended the conference, my daughter and I were nervous but it has been one of the best decisions we have ever made.” Leor and his family live in Boulder, CO where Leor works as a full time musician and the Director of Support at Output Inc.

Loryn McGill, M.S., CCC-SLP

Loryn McGill, M.S., CCC-SLP is the owner of OC Stuttering Center in Costa Mesa, CA providing therapy exclusively for people who stutter and at University of Southern California she is an Adjunct Professor and teaches the graduate course in Fluency Disorders. She is the co-developer of the Childhood Stuttering Screening for Pediatricians (CSS-P) and has conducted international research examining the benefits of early identification of stuttering and its benefits as well as researched the use of medication in the treatment of stuttering. She has been involved with various stuttering support organizations planning conferences, support groups and camps for children who stutter.

Jenny McGuire

Jenny is a PWS and an art therapist turned stuttering community advocate. She lives in Lafayette, CO, and unlike literally everyone around her, she is not an avid skier. She does really enjoy taking long walks while listening to podcasts which allows her to introvert–yes, that’s a verb–and recharge. When not working and volunteering with stuttering non-profits, Jenny can be found hanging out with her wonderful husband Seth and two amazing daughters, Danby and Auden. She also enjoys playing with her dog Pancakes, getting together with extended family, and laughing her head off with dear friends.

Grace McMahon

Grace McMahon is a person who stutters and has been involved in the Friends community since attending her first convention in 2009. Grace is a dogwalker and pet sitter in New York City, and specializes in reactive/aggressive dog care. In her free time, Grace enjoys reading, playing video games, and live music.

Róisín 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.

Hallie Mintz, M.S. CCC-SLP

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 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, M.S., CCC-SLP

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

Gianna Parisi

Gianna Parisi is a person who stutters and the child of a parent who stutters. A long-time client of Lee, she has been actively involved with Friends since 2010. She studied environmental policy at Boston University and Columbia University and currently works at the New York City Mayor’s Office, where she oversees the Department of Environmental Protection.

Lauren Plemmons

Hello, my name is Lauren. I am 18 and a senior in high school. Next year, I intend to study speech pathology at the University of Northern Iowa and to try to make my stutter a big part of my life.

Ryan Pollard

Dr. Ryan Pollard is an associate clinical professor at CU Boulder. He teaches undergraduate courses in speech disorders, speech science, and disability studies, as well as graduate courses in fluency disorders and counseling. Clinically, he supervises individual therapy for stuttering and cluttering, an adult stuttering support group, and a summer camp for adolescents who stutter. A lifelong stutterer himself, he’s been involved with Friends and other stuttering organizations for many years. In his free time he writes and publishes literary fiction about disabled characters.

Shelby Potts M.S. CCC-SLP

Shelby Potts M.S. CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist working in private practice in Raleigh, NC. She is a person who stutters. Her practice, Oak City Speech and Language Therapy, focuses on the holistic evaluation and treatment of children, teens, and adults who stutter, clutter, and/or have other fluency differences. She has presented at local, state, and national conventions and is involved in local support communities.

Naomi H. Rodgers, PhD, CCC-SLP

Naomi H. Rodgers, PhD, CCC-SLP is an assistant professor at the University Iowa. She directs the Iowa Stuttering Lab where her research team examines the psychological and social aspects of stuttering and communication differences more broadly. She teaches courses in stuttering, counseling, and clinical methods. Her work is inspired by her experiences as a person who stutters, clinician, and advocate in the stuttering support community. She is deeply committed to the mission of Friends and is honored to be part of our collective journey towards greater understanding, inclusion, and acceptance of stuttering.

Mandy Rodstrom

Mandy Rodstrom lives in Westerville, Ohio outside of Columbus where she grew up. She is a person who stutters and a 19-year school based speech-language pathologist. After 30+ years of living as a covert stutterer, Mandy began her journey to meet and embrace her stutter and her fellow stuttering community members. Professionally, this has propelled her to become a stuttering specialist. She is a part time clinical supervisor and adjunct professor at Western Michigan University, specializing in stuttering. Mandy is also a proud volunteer for Friends, Spero Ally of Stuttering, and SPACE Community and Arts. She enjoys attending as many stuttering community events as she can! In addition, Mandy is a STARR Certified Trauma and Resilience coach and specialist. Some personal fun facts about her include: she is married to her college sweetheart and they have three children. When not engaged in all things stuttering, you can find her spending time with her family, enjoying the outdoors, going on long walks, reading, cooking/baking, listening to music, exercising, traveling, watching The Office or Parks and Rec on repeat, or having a family dance party in the kitchen!

David Roney, M.A., CCC-SLP

David Roney is a person who stutters and has been attending the Friends Convention since 2012. In 2023, he graduated with his Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Colorado. Currently, he works at a private practice in Colorado with children and adults with a variety of communication disorders, including stuttering. He looks forward to continuing his involvement in the stuttering community and making a difference in the lives of people who stutter. David is a former collegiate golfer and avid skier, and spends much of his free time enjoying his beautiful state.

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!

Aidan Sank

Aidan is the Executive Director and co-Founder of SPACE, a nonprofit organization creating a more inclusive and accessible world for people who stutter (spacetostutter.org). As an enthusiastic ally of the stuttering community for over a decade, Aidan is particularly passionate about the intersections between stuttering and the arts. He believes that when we are able to tell the stories of people who stutter in their own words, real magic happens. In addition to his experience working directly with the stuttering community, he has a background in arts education, theater, film and teaching artistry. Aidan will be forever grateful for the lessons in vulnerability, communication and listening that he has learned from so many exceptional people who stutter – many of whom he has had the pleasure of collaborating with to develop SPACE. A native of Vancouver, Canada, Aidan is a lover of plants, birds and the Pacific Ocean. He can often be found grinning in the rain or marveling at the way a hummingbird sticks out its tongue.

Jeff Shames

Jeff Shames is a psychotherapist who has been active in the stuttering support world for more than 30 years, mainly with Friends. He co-founded the Manhattan Stuttering Group in 1994, and later co-produced the award winning personal documentary film Spit It Out. A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Jeff lives in New York City with his wife, Elisa DeCarlo.

Arin Sheeler

I am the proud parent of a young boy who stutters. Our family found Friends through The Ohio State University One-Day Conference in 2018, and we attended our first Annual Convention in Chicago in 2019. My husband and 3 children and I live in Columbus, Ohio, and both my husband and I work for The Ohio State University. I am a speech language pathologist specializing in adults with acquired neurogenic communication disorders. I work 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. We fell in love with Friends because of the fantastic people that we have met and the welcoming community. Our son especially has felt a real sense of belonging in the Friends family, and I am excited to be a part of helping Friends continue to flourish!

Bennie Storey

Bennie Storey is a 16-year old person who stutters, who is from just outside of Seattle, Washington. Bennie has stuttered ever since the age of six years old, and has been going to Friends for four years (including this year), in addition to a few regional one-day conferences around the Seattle area. Bennie is passionate about sports, languages, and music, and he loves attending any stuttering-related events that he can.

Dougie Storey

Dougie Storey is a person who stutters and has been coming to Friends for 4 years. He is 16 years old and lives near Seattle, Washington State. Dougie started stuttering at the age of 4 and has been an advocate for the stuttering community for nearly a decade. He has met many friends and made lots of new connections through Friends, and the organization has changed his life for the better in a variety of ways.

Rita Thurman

Ms. Thurman has worked with children and adults with communication disorders for over 40 years and is a Board Certified Specialist in Fluency Disorders. She received her Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders in 1977 from Utah State University. Ms. Thurman has worked in the public schools, private clinics and hospitals in Utah, Idaho, Illinois, Montana, Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina, and has been in private practice in Raleigh since 1985. Ms. Thurman is an NSA Adult and Teen Chapter leader, in addition to sponsoring an annual, state workshop of Friends: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter.

Ava Towvim

Ava Towvim is 18 years old. She’s a person who stutters and this is her 9th convention. She loves to read, shop with friends, eat good food, and binge watch Netflix. She’s so happy to be a part of teen panel this year and she can’t wait until the Friends convention!

Josette Tugander

Josette Tugander is a person who stutters, New York State certified school psychologist, and doctoral student in the School Psychology PsyD program at St. John’s University. She has been involved in Friends for over a decade and was one of the original founders of the virtual groups during the height of the pandemic. Friends has introduced Josette to some of her biggest mentors and greatest friends, and she has loved every minute of being involved in this incredible organization.

Meghan Walton

Meghan Walton received her B.A. in Speech-Language Hearing Sciences and Psychology from the University of Colorado at Boulder in May 2014 and her M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Northern Colorado in May 2019. During her graduate program, Meghan presented research at the ASHA (American Speech-Language and Hearing Association) convention on the effectiveness of combining speech management skills and cognitive behavioral therapy with a group therapy component for school-age children who stutter. Meghan has earned her Ally of Stuttering Seal from Spero Stuttering. Additionally, Meghan has been an active member of Friends: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter for most of her life. Meghan also works for a home health company where she provides speech-language therapy services for adults with acquired speech, language, and cognitive impairments.

Patty Walton, M.A. CCC-SLP BCS-F

Patty Walton, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCS-F, received her master’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1985, and is a Board Certified Specialist in Fluency Disorders. She opened her private practice, the Center for Stuttering Therapy (Denver office) in 1992, where she has focused her full-time clinical work in the diagnosis and treatment of stuttering in children and adults. Patty is adjunct faculty at the University of Northern Colorado where she teaches the graduate classes in Stuttering Disorders and provides clinical education for students working with clients who stutter. She is also a clinical educator at the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she provides clinical education for diagnostic practicums in stuttering. Patty co-authored Fun with Fluency for the Young Child (1998) and Fun with Fluency for the School-Age Child (2013). Patty has presented on the local, state, national and international levels on topics related to stuttering. She has attended and facilitated workshops at 25 Friends Conventions and facilitated 7 one-day workshops in Denver.

Barry Yeoman

Barry Yeoman is a person who stutters and the co-founder of Passing Twice, a network of LGBTQ+ people who stutter and their allies. He’s an award-winning freelance journalist and teaches journalism at Duke University and Wake Forest University.

Tricia M. Zebrowski, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Tricia Zebrowski is a long-time volunteer with Friends and has been a presenter and facilitator for many annual conventions, one-day workshops and virtual parent groups. In recent years she organized the Graduate Student Training Program at the annual convention. Tricia is a speech-language therapist and Professor Emerita in Communication Sciences and Disorders at The University of Iowa. Her research, teaching and clinical work focused on the nature and treatment of stuttering across the lifespan, particularly stuttering in adolescence. From over 20 years Tricia directed UISPEAKS for Teens, a summer residential program for teenagers who stutter, held at The University of Iowa.