Mission Statement
The mission of the NSA Duluth Chapter is to provide people who stutter and those with an interest in stuttering an environment to support one another, learn more about stuttering and socialize in an open and non-judgmental space. Our monthly meetings include a mixture of people who stutter, family members and supporters of people who stutter as well as professionals and students with an interest in stuttering.
Chapter Leaders
Kathryn “Kay” Wallis – I am a speech-language pathologist with a special interest in stuttering and other fluency disorders. This interest prompted me to become a Board Certified Specialist in Fluency through the American Speech and Hearing Association. I am an instructor at UMD in the Communications Sciences and Disorders department, and I teach graduate and undergraduate courses in fluency disorders. I also have an active clinical practice in working with people who stutter, as well as other communication impairments. I started the NSA Duluth chapter in 2012 to provide a way for people who stutter and people who are interested in stuttering to get together in a friendly environment. It has been extremely gratifying to see significant growth in our chapter over the past 5 years. In addition to my professional life, I enjoy getting outside and enjoying our beautiful area via hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing, dragon boat and xc skiing.
Derrick K. – I am an electrical engineer that likes to travel, learn new things, meet new people, and stay active while spending time outdoors (hiking, mountain biking, golf, kayaking, snowboarding, snowshoeing, etc.). I am also a person who stutters. I attended my first suttering support group meeting while living in Vermont, where I met many inspiring and supportive people. These new friends helped me to “find my voice” and be more comfortable with my stutter. Now that I’m living in the Duluth area, I am excited to be part of this group. I look forward to learning from other members of the group as well as sharing my own knowledge and experiences.