Angelica Barnabe, PhD student in the School of Communication of Science and Disorders (SCSD), spoke at the National Stuttering Association (NSA) conference in Denver, Colorado. The conference was held from July 2-4, 2025, and Bernabe presented “Empowering Students who Stutter,” where she delved into the philosophical side of stuttering therapy.

The NSA is well-known in the stuttering community for their work in curating life changing programs for those who stutter. As a speech-language pathologist, Barnabe saw the conference as a pathway to speaking to other pathologists like herself.

“Receiving an invitation to speak at their professional event was a huge honor. It was also a great opportunity to connect with other speech-language pathologists who are equally committed to supporting the stuttering community,” Barnabe said.

Barnabe’s presentation comes from the perspective of validating stuttering rather than treating it as something that must be rectified. Having this reframe in mindset can be essential when approaching stuttering through a lens of empowerment rather than one of shame.

“I chose this topic because I’m passionate about shifting the narrative around stuttering and helping young people see their voices as strong and worthy, exactly as they are,” Barnabe said.

Regarding the impression of her work on students in the community, Barnabe hopes to continue celebrating and supporting stuttering as a “part of natural human diversity.” This viewpoint allows students to be in an environment where they feel they can truly succeed and go through their own personal growth.

“This perspective can empower students and their families by fostering confidence, encouraging self-advocacy, and building a sense of pride,” stated Barnabe.