The Seattle One-Day Event 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 event but find the cost prohibitive, please reach out to Nic Brow at: nic@friendswhostutter.org 

Abhishek Agarwal is a person who stutters (PWS) and is the co-chapter leader of the NSA Seattle Adult chapter. He is quite passionate about stuttering advocacy and his own stuttering journey has helped build confidence and break free from his inhibitions. Outside of the NSA, Abhishek is a cybersecurity specialist and enjoys hiking, playing the violin, and reading.

Andrew Chekerylla is a person who stutters (PWS) and co-chapter leader of the NSA Seattle Adult Chapter. He is passionate about supporting the stuttering community and leads local events while also attending national conferences like ASHA 2024 and NSA 2025. His own stuttering journey has helped shape his advocacy and leadership. Outside of the NSA, Andrew is a software developer with over a decade of experience. He holds degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Washington.

David Evans is a person who stutters, a speech-language pathologist, and an associate professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at Western Washington University. He teaches the graduate course on stuttering and provides therapy and clinical teaching at the WWU Speech, Language, and Hearing Center. He has been involved in stuttering self-help and support communities for over 20 years in various capacities.

Tiffani Kittilstved (she/her/hers) is a speech therapist specializing in stuttering and a stutterer herself. She is the owner and founder of RAIN Therapy Collective – a speech therapy collective in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. Additionally, she is actively involved in the stuttering community as the founder and chapter leader for the National Stuttering Association Seattle Family Chapter; a staff member at Camp More – an Oregon based summer camp for kids who stutter – and a frequent one-day event organizer for Friends. 

Melissa Kokaly is an Assistant Professor and Clinical Supervisor Lead for Stuttering, Cluttering, and related disorders at the University of Washington Speech and Hearing Department / Clinic. She teaches stuttering and counseling didactic courses and supervises stuttering practicum for graduate students as well as co-organizing stuttering camps/workshops and mentoring students and community speech-language pathologists to help them discover the joy of stuttering therapy.

Elyse Lambeth received her master’s degree from University of Redlands. She is board certified in stuttering, cluttering, and fluency disorders and is a past chair of the executive board. Elyse works with kids who stutter, cluttering, and have atypical disfluencies at Seattle Children Hospital, co-facilitates the Seattle Stuttering Camp for Teens, co-teaches the graduate stuttering course at University of Washington, and coordinates various workshops and stuttering events.

Jenny McGuire 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. 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 Grace. She also enjoys playing with her dog Pancakes, getting together with extended family, and laughing her head off with dear friends.