This week on Proud Stutter, we’re joined by Louise Escher, a language teacher, violinist, and host of Did They Stutter?—a podcast exploring stuttering representation in film, TV, and literature. Louise shares her journey from covert stuttering to finding her voice, and how starting a podcast helped her challenge stigma and build community. We talk about the importance of authentic media portrayals, what covert stuttering looks like on screen (or doesn’t), and why her own podcast was born out of ...
Jun 20, 2025•36 min
This week on Proud Stutter, Maya is joined by Ismaele Tortella, a filmmaker and cinematographer based in the Norwegian Arctic whose upcoming documentary Arctic Blue explores his personal relationship with stuttering through nature and silence. In this powerful 100th episode, Ismaele and Maya talk about using art to process shame, navigating everyday challenges as covert stutterers, and how speaking openly about stuttering can lighten the emotional weight it carries. They reflect on vulnerability...
Jun 06, 2025•52 min
Maya, Caitlin, and Elliot recap the thrilling finale of Survivor Season 48, celebrating Mitch's incredible journey and the great representation of the stuttering community. They discuss the season's most memorable moments, strategic plays, and emotional highlights, including Kyle and Camilla's secret alliance, Mitch's social game, and Eva's perseverance. They also reflect on the portrayal of stuttering in the show and its impact on the stuttering community. In this episode Get early bird tickets...
May 25, 2025•47 min
Andrew Flint is a 16-year old and a person who stutters. Andrew's powerful essay in The Washington Post sparked conversation in his school, family, and beyond. In this episode, he shares what it was like to write and publish such a personal story—and how it’s helped others around him understand stuttering more deeply. We talk about misconceptions, daily challenges, and how good it feels to speak your truth. You can read Andrew's personal essay here. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.co...
May 16, 2025•25 min
This episode is Part 2 of our series “What We Can Learn from the Rare Disease Community.” Last week, we heard from Bobby Glen about navigating the healthcare system as a parent of a child with HNRNPH2. Today, his wife Nicole—who is also a pediatrician—joins us to share how raising a child with a rare disease has shaped the way she practices medicine, approaches patient advocacy, and supports families navigating speech and communication challenges. Event Alerts: Docs on Stuttering – May 8 (Use "P...
May 02, 2025•37 min
Bobby Glen shares his family's journey, from getting a diagnosis to participating in a clinical trial, and the importance of early screening and community support. This is Part 1 of a two-part series about raising a child with HNRNPH2, a rare disease that affects speech and motor skills. Part 2 will feature his wife, Nicole, who reflects on how this experience has shaped her work as a pediatrician and her views on patient advocacy and communication differences like stuttering. If you'd like to r...
Apr 25, 2025•32 min
Maya, Caitlin, and Elliot are back to discuss stuttering on Survivor Season 48, Episode 8, and the latest twists and turns in the episode. From alliances and drama to strategic plays and surprise advantages, they break down all the key moments you won't want to miss. In this episode Register for Proud Stutter's Stuttering Awareness Week event on May 8 Use promo code PROUD25 at checkout for a free ticket. ----- Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh ...
Apr 19, 2025•36 min
Maya is back with Caitlin Dietz and Eliot Goldstein to talk about Episodes 6 and 7 of Survivor Season 48. Highlights include discussions about Mitch, a contestant on the show who stutters, his social game and personal story, as well as strategic plays and alliances forming among the castaways. In the episode Save the date for Proud Stutter's Stuttering Awareness Week event happening in San Rafael, CA on May 8 . Details will be released soon! Check out the recap of Proud Stutter's latest event in...
Apr 12, 2025•47 min
Maya is joined again by friends Caitlin Dietz, her childhood friend, and Eliot Goldstein, friend and person who stutters to talk about stuttering on the current season of Survivor! Check out our feed for a recap of Episode 3! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Mar 29, 2025•40 min
Maya interviews Philip, a contestant from Deal or No Deal Island, who shares his experience with stuttering on the reality TV show and how stuttering has impacted his life and career. Philip talks about the audition process, navigating gameplay, and forming relationships with other contestants, including Survivor's Parvati. He also touches on his background as a first-generation American and educator, his transition to becoming a personal trainer, and his aspirations in motivational speaking. Ca...
Mar 18, 2025•45 min
Maya is joined by friends Caitlin Dietz, her childhood friend, and Eliot Goldstein, friend and person who stutters to talk about stuttering on the current season of Survivor! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Mar 14, 2025•49 min
Elia Powers is a professor, podcast reporter and the author of 'Performing the News, Identity, Authority, and the Myth of Neutrality' exploring how journalists from historically marginalized groups navigate unspoken norms in the industry. Elia shares his personal journey as a journalist who stutters and his research on how the media landscape is changing, particularly through the inclusivity offered by podcasting. The conversation delves into the challenges and opportunities faced by journalists...
Mar 07, 2025•34 min
Gavin Szilvasi is the founder and chairman of the Tia Maria Foundation. He's also a freshman in college at Villanova University. Gavin talks about his early challenges with speech, the impact of bullying, and the mental resilience he developed. The Tia Maria Foundation supports students in Elizabeth, New Jersey and is awarding its first scholarship at the foundation's upcoming gala on February 28, which you can learn about here . Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/excl...
Feb 21, 2025•22 min
Ben Miller is a videographer and person who stutters. Ben spent most of his childhood in speech therapy. His mother is a speech-language pathologist. Maya met Ben at Sundance at the Proud Stutter event during the Festival. They both saw Ricky, which ended up winning the Jury Grant Prize for Best Director. How does a stutter impact one's personality? This is just one of the many questions Ben and Maya dissect in a thought provoking conversation between two media artists who stutter. They explore ...
Feb 07, 2025•42 min
Cody Dew is a professor, researcher, and person who stutters. Cody's research focuses on how perceived communication skills influence stereotyping of people who stutter in the workplace. How can disclosing your stutter help? What are some strategies to make work environments more inclusive for people with speech differences? Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle....
Jan 24, 2025•42 min
Proud Stutter is going to Sundance! Join our creative team behind our upcoming documentary for a special event on January 25 at 5pm in Park City featuring award-winning filmmaker Reid Davenport (I DIDN'T SEE YOU THERE and LIFE AFTER). Get your free tickets today before they sell out! In this episode Dave Rodriguez is an experimental filmmaker who stutters. He made his way into filmmaking through the Miami punk scene and his areas of interest include the intersection of stuttering and experimenta...
Jan 10, 2025•46 min
Kurt Kessler is a class action attorney who stutters from San Francisco. Kurt is not the only member of his family who stutters. How did that impact him growing up? What's it like going through law school with a stutter? Kurt is currently doing advocacy work with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's nonprofit, which is aimed at improving positive outcomes for people who stutter. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brand...
Dec 27, 2024•31 min
Elisha Boxer Magnifico and David Catlin are both professors at Northwestern University. Together, the developed "Break The Blocks," an improv program developed at the university to help build confidence in young people who stutter. They delve into the program’s conception, its structure, and the profound positive impact it has had on participants, parents, and student leaders. For anyone interested in signing up for the improv workshop, they can either call: 847-491-3165, email NUCASLL at nucasl...
Dec 13, 2024•46 min
Puneet Singh is a disability inclusion advocate with personal experiences of stuttering, dyslexia, and dyspraxia. Puneet shares his challenges and triumphs, including the creation of his nonprofit and his latest initiative, Green Disability, focusing on the intersection of disability and climate change. Open Call! Submit an essay for inclusion in “Still Speaking: A Collection of Essays on Navigating Life with Atypical Speech” Follow Puneet on LinkedIn Sign up for Puneet's newsletter. More on Gre...
Nov 29, 2024•34 min
In part 2 of our conversation with Raphael, we talk about our shared passion of filmmaking. Raphael shares his journey in photography, his involvement with PBS Hawaii, and more creative projects. We’re grateful to Raphael for sharing his story with us. ----- Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Dustin Wells, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Paige McGill, Wayne Engebretson, Swathy Manavalan, and Martha Horrocks. PU...
Nov 15, 2024•13 min
Raphael Stark is the founder and president of the nonprofit CHATS. Raphael wanted to meet other teens who stuttered in his community but realized there wasn't an organization to help him so he started his own. Find out how Raphael balances being a teen founder and school. This is Part 1 of our conversation. Stay tuned for Part 2 in two weeks! We’re grateful to Raphael for sharing his story with us. Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pab...
Nov 01, 2024•36 min
Randy Panzarino is a clinician, researcher, and person who stutters. He's also a surfer. Randy shares his journey through the challenges and anxieties associated with stuttering and how he found his passion for speech language pathology. Randy has studied stuttering-related anxiety and life partners of people who stutter. He also talk about the therapeutic role of surfing in his life and underscores the importance of embracing one's stutter and the positive impact of authenticity. We’re grateful...
Oct 18, 2024•36 min
Ryan Cowley is the author of All the Right Words: My Journey as a Sportswriter Who Stutters. He talks about his early experiences with stuttering, his journey through speech therapy, and how he found his passion for sports writing. Ryan shares his struggles and triumphs, including his initial apprehensions about verbal communication, particularly over the phone, his experience with speech therapists, and his successful career as a writer. He opens up about his motivation behind writing a book, g...
Oct 04, 2024•26 min
Maya and Tessa share their experiences from 10 days of filming in New Jersey for their documentary. They discuss the challenges and rewards of the project, the impact of stuttering on their interactions, and the support they received from the local community. The episode provides insights into their creative process and the emotional journey of capturing the lives of a family navigating stuttering and parenthood. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/proud-stutter/exclusive-content Adv...
Sep 20, 2024•27 min
A new study published in Brain has identified a specific brain network hub that plays a key role in stuttering. The author Professor Catherine Theys explains the research and what it means for the stuttering community and others with similar brain activity. We’re grateful to Catherine for sharing her story and research with us. Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Dustin Wells, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan Reiss, Pai...
Sep 06, 2024•22 min
LeRon L. Barton is a TEDx speaker and author who stutters. What events in his life led him to becoming a confidence public speaker? They also talk about the importance of representation and share personal anecdotes about dating and disclosing their stutters in professional settings. We’re grateful to LeRon for sharing his story with us. Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Dustin Wells, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbig, Jonathan R...
Aug 23, 2024•31 min
Joe Saul-Sehy is the creator and co-host of The Stacking Benjamins Show. Joe has a successful career in finance and podcasting while living with a covert stutter. In this episode 02:32 Who is Joe Saul-Sehy? 03:03 Joe's Stuttering Journey 09:46 Overcoming Challenges in Public Speaking 16:49 Transition to Podcasting 20:26 The Stacking Benjamins Show 29:52 Embracing Vulnerability We’re grateful to Joe Saul-Sehy for sharing his story with us. Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jenni...
Aug 09, 2024•40 min
Adrian Ernesto Cepeda is a bilingual poet who stutters. His latest book is 'La Lengua Inside Me.' Adrian turned to writing at a young age as a form of expression. His bilingual poetry is inspired by his Colombian heritage, experience as a person who stutters, and Sylvia Plath's work. In this episode Follow Adrian on IG Get a copy of Adrian's book(s) Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Dustin Wells, Alexandra Mosby, Ingo Helbi...
Jul 26, 2024•33 min
Ty Ellis, a person who stutters, wears many hats. He is an optimal performance coach, a public speaker, and a former professional basketball coach. Ty talks about the mental challenges he faced growing up and the pivotal role of his grandmother played in building his confidence as a stutterer. How did his stutter contribute to his success in sports and coaching? Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry Slaff, Josh Compton, Pablo Meza, Dustin Wells, Alexandra Mosb...
Jul 12, 2024•36 min
What's it like to balance the identities of stuttering and cerebral palsy? In this episode, Dom and Sean Kelly of New Disabled South discuss how they view their stuttering experience is different than their experience with CP. They also touch on the importance of cross-disability solidarity and the differing societal perceptions of their disabilities. We’re grateful to Dom and Sean Kelly for sharing their stories with us. Big thanks to Proud Stutter's recurring supporters: Jennifer Bolen, Jerry ...
Jun 28, 2024•39 min
