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.