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 

Joseph Donaher, Ph.D., is the Academic and Research Program Director of the Center for Childhood Communication at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and an adjunct associate professor of Otorhinolaryngology at The University of Pennsylvania. He is a Board-Certified Specialist in Stuttering, Cluttering and Fluency.

Nic Brow works as a speech language pathologist at the Sisskin Stuttering Center. Nic completed his undergraduate training at the University of Vermont, followed by a Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Iowa. Throughout his education, he conducted research on the experience of stuttering of adults and teens. He has worked as a clinical educator at Western Michigan University and as a speech therapist across multiple public schools with students from the preschool to high school level. Nic frequently presents on acceptance-based therapy for stuttering both nationally and internationally. He predominantly works with youth who stutter and their families, within the framework of Avoidance Reduction Therapy for Stuttering (ARTS®). In his free time, Nic enjoys surfing, pickleball, and spending time with family and friends.

Ceil Hendrickson RN is the proud parent of John Hendrickson, a PWS, and the author of the acclaimed book, ” Life On Delay, Making Peace with a Stutter”. Ceil retired in 2016 after working for 45 years as a Registered Nurse. Her career covered the gamut of positions from School Nursing, to Intensive Care Nursing, Pediatric Trauma, Patient Education, Medical/Surgical Nursing and even the occasional summer off, working as a Camp Nurse in various states, and in Greece. Ceil is an active supporter of FRIENDS and had the pleasure of participating in the 2023  FRIENDS convention held in Chicago. Ceil currently volunteers in The Family Caregiver Center at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

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.

Carolyn Hirshenhorn, MA CCC-SLP is an outpatient speech-language pathologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Center for Childhood Communication. Carolyn’s areas of interest and specialty include fluency and stuttering, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), and supporting children with complex communication needs, and their families.

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.

Mark O’Malia, M.S., CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and person who stutters. He is the Assistant Executive Director 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).

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. 

Jordan Siegel, MS, CCC-SLP is a pediatric, outpatient, speech-language pathologist in the Center for Childhood Communication at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and adjunct assistant professor in Temple University’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders where he teaches the stuttering course.

Sarah Vogel, MS CCC-SLP is a speech language pathologist at CHOP’s Center for Childhood Communication where she provides assessment and treatment for children and teens with communication disorders.  Her specialties include Stuttering, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Cleft Palate Speech. She is an adjunct professor at West Chester University where she teaches the stuttering course.