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 Nic Brow at: nic@friendswhostutter.org 

Nic Brow M.A., CCC-SLP works as a speech language pathologist at the Sisskin Stuttering Center and as an Adjunct Faculty at George Washington University. He has worked as a speech therapist within multiple public schools with students from the preschool to high school level. Nic frequently presents on stuttering affirming therapy 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.

Caryn Herring Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a person who stutters, a speech-language pathologist, and the executive director of Friends. Caryn first became involved with Friends in 2010, serving as the Friends Board of Directors Chairperson for 5 years. She graduated with her PhD from Michigan State University, her MS from Purdue University, and her BA from the University of Pittsburgh. Caryn’s research interests include the process of desensitization, reducing adverse impact, and enhancing accessibility for people who stutter. Caryn has presented at conferences and Universities across the country as well as taught and clinically supervised undergraduate and graduate students at Michigan State University, The University of Pittsburgh, Gannon University, and Duquesne University. 

Shelby Potts M.S. CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF 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. She is a Board Certified Specialist in Stuttering, Cluttering and Fluency Disorders and serves as Social Media Director on the Executive Board of the American Board of Stuttering, Cluttering and Fluency Disorders. In addition to her clinical work, Shelby is passionate about reading, needlepointing, and fostering dogs for a local rescue organization. 

Rita Thurman M.S. CCC-SLP, BCS-SCF received her MS degree Utah State University. She has worked in the schools and in clinical settings in Utah, Idaho, Illinois, Montana, Virgina and South/North Carolina. She has been in private practice in Raleigh, NC since 1985. Her practice focuses on the evaluation and treatment of children, teens and adults who stutter. She is a Board Certified Specialist in Stuttering, Cluttering and Fluency Disorders and served as Chair on the Executive Board of the American Board of Stuttering, Cluttering and Fluency Disorders. Ms. Thurman was awarded the NC Clinical Achievement Award in 2012, the NSA SLP of the year in 2015 and the NSA Chapter of the year in 2021–all for her work to improve services for children and adults who stutter. Ms. Thurman has presented workshops on fluency disorders for the NC Department of Public Instruction, the NC Speech-Hearing & Language Association, the ASHA Fluency Leadership Conference and the National Stuttering Association and has presented several workshops at ASHA. She has participated in the International Stuttering Awareness Day online conference and contributed a chapter in the book: Stuttering–Inspirational Stories, Professional Wisdom. She is a National Stuttering Association Adult and TWST (Teens Who STutter) Chapters leader, and sponsors an annual Friend’s Workshop in North Carolina.

Barry Yeoman is a person who stutters and a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Guardian, National Wildlife, Sierra, Discover, The Nation, Audubon, and many other publications. He also teaches journalism at Duke University and Wake Forest University. He has been involved in the stuttering self-help movement for more than 30 year and co-founded Passing Twice, a network of LGBTQ+ people who stutter and their allies. He lives in Durham, North Carolina.