The Friends One-Day Conference is a wonderful opportunity for families to come together and learn more about stuttering, supporting their child, and to begin building community. Children’s programming is activity-based and focuses on exploring attitudes and emotions, increasing understanding of stuttering, and instilling a greater sense of confidence — while making FRIENDS! SLPs and students will learn more about stuttering, current therapies, and the support available for those who stutter.

Financial assistance is available. If you would like to attend this one-day conference but you are experiencing financial difficulties and find the cost prohibitive, please reach out to Sara MacIntyre at: sara@friendswhostutter.org 

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.  

Nora A. O’Connor LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker and a person who stutters.  She currently is serving as the Director of Behavioral Health Programs at Wesley Health Centers in Los Angeles and operates a private practice where she focuses on treating the emotional response to stuttering.  With over 20 years of involvement in the stuttering self-help movement, Nora finds immense fulfillment in engaging with children, teenagers, and parents affected by stuttering. She is passionate about providing hope and education, recognizing that stuttering can pose challenges but also believes in the power of shared experiences within the stuttering community to enhance one’s quality of life.

Naomi H. Rodgers, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is an assistant professor at the University Iowa. She directs the Iowa Stuttering Lab where her research team examines the cognitive, social, and emotional aspects of stuttering and communication differences more broadly. She teaches courses undergraduate and graduate in stuttering, counseling, and clinical methods for speech-language therapists. 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 inclusion and acceptance of stuttering.

Annie Bradberry considers herself very blessed to be a part of the stuttering community with her involvement spanning over 40 years. She served as the past Executive Director of the National Stuttering Association (NSA) (1993-2003), and past Board Chair of the International Stuttering Association. During that time Annie served on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) Specialty Board on Fluency Disorders, as the consumer representative. Continuing her passion for the stuttering community, she loves presenting workshops, providing in-service trainings to local universities and school districts whenever she can. With 30 years’ experience working in the non-profit sector, Annie’s full-time job is Executive Director of a national non-profit in Southern California.  

Mary Purpura, M.S. CCC-SLP is the owner of Mary Purpura Speech Pathology.  She co-chaired a Friends conference in 2017, where she had the opportunity to meet many children, teens, and adults who stutter and listen to their experiences.  She was motivated to become a therapist who considers the full communication experience and helps children who stutter gain confidence. 

Greg Scott, M.A. CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist who is the clinic director of the American Institute for Stuttering (AIS) in Los Angeles.  His approach puts an emphasis on radical self-acceptance which he has made the cornerstone of his practice. Prior to becoming clinic director, he worked as the official in-house Stuttering Consultant for Minneapolis Public Schools.  His stuttering-only private practice he founded was the first of its kind in the Twin Cities.  

Robin Sullivan, MS, LMFT, SEP is a licensed psychotherapist, somatic practitioner and person who stutters. She has masters degrees in Marriage and Family Therapy, and Rehabilitation Counseling, and works as a trainer and consultant in working with early/developmental trauma. In her online private practice, she provides therapy to individuals and families, with a focus on managing stress and developing resiliency.  She is a NSA chapter leader, past Stutter Social co-host, national and international workshop leader, presenter to SLP classes, and has been involved with the stuttering community for over 30 years.

Sophie Tabrizi, M.A. CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist, children’s book author, and person who stutters.  She works as a pediatric SLP in Southern California and has been involved in the stuttering community from a young age; attending and supporting planning for Friends conferences and events for the last 15 years.  Her passion and advocacy for stuttering started at a young age and with the support of her family, friends, and colleagues she recently published a book titled Ruby & Rhett Explore Stuttering.

Trisha Thapar, M.S., CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and is the owner of Adventures in Communication. She is passionate about working with the stuttering community and has collaborated on international research examining the benefits of early identification of stuttering and its benefits. She obtained her Masters of Sciences in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Chapman University. She also helped coordinate Camp SAY LA, a camp for young children who stutter through Stuttering Association for the Young.