Stuttering didn’t stop them from being successful! The NSA likes to highlight people who face the challenge of stuttering and acheive their goals. There are many people who stutter are great communicators, who are in the public eye, give presentations to large audiences, and can inspire you to step outside your comfort zone to achieve more. Here are a few of them, including people you may meet at NSA conferences, as well as super-celebrities.
People Who Stutter Inspire!
Other Notable, Famous, and Successful People Who Stutter
- Taro Alexander – Actor; teacher; founder of Our Time and Our Time Theatre Company
- Dennis Barsema – Silicon Valley executive
- P.F. Bentley – Award-winning photographer known for his photos of presidents
- Joseph Biden – Former U.S. Senator and Vice President of the United States
- Arthur M. Blank – Co-founder of Home Depot and owner of the NFL Atlanta Falcons
- Jeffrey Blitz – Award-winning film director, producer, and screenwriter
- Emily Blunt – Award-winning English-born actress
- Annie Bradberry – NSA member since 1979; Chapter Leader of one of the first chapters
- Ernie Canadeo – Founder and CEO of a successful advertising agency; past chairman of the National Stuttering Association
- Alex Carter – NFL cornerback
- Johnny Damon – All-star and two-time World Series champion outfielder for the New York Yankees
- Sander Flaum – CEO of Flaum Partners, a consulting firm serving the pharmaceutical and biotech industries
- Annie Glenn – Wife of astronaut and Senator John Glenn
- Sophie Gustafson – Winner of the 2009 LPGA tour title
- Ron Harper – Retired NBA basketball player
- Russ Hicks – Award-winning public speaker in Toastmasters
- Bo Jackson – Former NFL player
- Neal Jeffrey – Associate pastor of a mega-church in Dallas; former professional football player
- Marty Jezer – Writer and political activist
- James Earl Jones – Award-winning actor
- Scatman John Larkin – Jazz musician and poet
- Nobby Lewandowski – Successful businessman and motivational speaker, and former professional baseball player
- Bob Love – Legendary basketball star
- Gerald A. Maguire, MD – Professor and Chair of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at UC Riverside School of Medicine, Distinguished Fellow of the APA
- Walt Manning – Speech-language pathologist, professor at the University of Memphis, and author of textbooks on stuttering
- Kenyon Martin – First overall draft pick in the 2000 NBA draft; NBA all star in 2003-2004; member of Team USA
- John Melendez – Television personality and writer
- Larry Molt – Speech-language pathologist and director of the neuroprocesses laboratory at Auburn University
- Marilyn Monroe – Hollywood personality
- Jack Paar – Radio and television comedian
- Adrian Peterson – NFL running back
- Byron Pitts – Reporter for CBS News
- Bob Quesal – Speech-language pathologist, professor at Western Illinois University and prominent researcher on stuttering
- Alan Rabinowitz – Zoologist and conservationist known for his work in protecting endangered species
- Lee Reeves – Founded one of the first local stuttering support groups
- Peter Reitzes – Speech-language pathologist; co-founder of the StutterTalk podcast
- Matt Slauson – NFL guard and center
- Darren Sproles – NFL running back
- John Stossel – Emmy-award winner and former co-anchor for the ABC news show 20/20
- Mel Tillis – Legendary country singer and songwriter
- Herschel Walker – Former NFL player
- Jack Welch – Retired CEO of General Electric and authority on business leadership