Our Mission

There are 1.6 million people in Manhattan; so statistically speaking that’s enough people who stutter to pretty much fill up all of Madison Square Garden. But unfortunately not everyone out there knows about the National Stuttering Association and the great community we are building here. You’re one of the lucky ones for finding out about this great organization. And thanks to some recent media coverage, public perception seems to be slowly changing for the better with how stuttering is being viewed. It’s a good time to be alive. So if you’re thinking about attending a meeting, come join us so we can empower each other and have our voices be heard in more ways than one. And of course, everyone is welcome regardless of what borough or city you may live in. We hope to see you soon. - NSA Manhattan Chapter Leaders

the Chapter Leaders

Chaya Goldstein

Chaya Goldstein

Co-leader

Chaya is a speech-language pathologist who stutters. She works at the American Institute for Stuttering (AIS) in New York City and teaches graduate courses in Fluency Disorders. Chaya co-leads the National Stuttering Association Adult Manhattan chapter and coordinates the FRIENDS “Stepping Up” Mentorship program for children and teens who stutter. Chaya cares deeply about stuttering advocacy in the schools, workplace, and across the global community. 

Stavros Ladeas

Stavros Ladeas

Co-leader

Stavro is first-generation American from Greek parents who grew up in the nearby Poconos. He started attending the NSA Brooklyn chapter soon after moving to NYC in 2011. He has gone from covert stutterer to stuttering much more openly, at times allowing himself to stutter his face off with family and friends who have known him as a fluent speaker for all of his life. As co-leader of this NSA Manhattan chapter, he is continuing his journey and hopes to help others with theirs.

Spring Kwok

Spring Kwok

Co-leader

Spring, originally from Houston, Texas, graduated from NYU in 2016, and is currently pursuing a career in Fashion Merchandising. She is first-generation Chinese American, and enjoys reading, knitting, and astrology. She still deals with remnants of past shame, but has found it incredibly therapeutic to identify with mutual stuttering experiences. As a co-leader, she is committed to listening, learning, sharing, and growing more with everyone and with herself.

Chani Markel

Chani Markel

Chapter SLP Liaison

Chani is a person who stutters, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and a certified children’s yoga instructor. She currently works as an SLP in a public school in Harlem and for The Stuttering Association for the Young (SAY). Chani went to speech therapy for the first time as a senior in high school which helped her embrace her stuttering. Discovering the NSA in graduate school enabled her to gain an even greater acceptance of her stuttering. As the SLP Liaison, she is focused on creating spaces for SLPs and the stuttering community to connect.