Our Mission

2018 NLASLPA Executive 1st NL Walk & Run

The Newfoundland and Labrador Stuttering Association (NLSA) is dedicated to advocacy for people who stutter.

Our Purpose

The Newfoundland and Labrador Stuttering Association (NLSA) was established in 2018 and is a recognized not for profit organization in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It provides support, friendship, and information to the stuttering community, instilling a sense of self-worth, which is often missing in the lives of people who stutter. The NLSA consists of a passionate team of volunteers who are dedicated to bringing hope and empowerment to children, adolescents, and adults who stutter, their families, and professionals, through advocacy and support.

Our Team

Greg O’ Grady

NLSA Chair

Greg O’Grady is a person who stutters. Greg was born in Gander NL. After retiring in 2017 from the City of Toronto Long-Term Care Homes and Services Division after a thirty five year career as a senior Manager, Greg returned home to NL and settled with his family in Mount Pearl. Greg is a strong advocate of stuttering awareness and raising funds for treatment of stuttering. To ‘give back’ to the clinic that successfully treated him for his severe stutter which hadhelped change his life for the better, The Speech and Stuttering Institute in Toronto, Greg developed, ‘a million things I need to say’ 1K/ 5K Walk and Run for Stuttering Awareness and Fundraiser in 2012. This event is now an annual event. Shortly after relocating to Mount Pearl, Greg expanded and held the 1st NL, ‘a million things I need to say’ 1K/5K Walk and Run for Stuttering Awareness and Fundraiser in 2018. Since the NL event, Greg has been fortunate to work with a passionate and committed Team of volunteers, who through their dedication and desire to bring hope and empowerment to children, adolescents, and adults who stutter, in 2018 founded the Newfoundland and Labrador Stuttering Association (NLSA), a recognized not for profit organization in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Greg’s life’s Mantra is: giving back and paying it forward to the community has no expiration date.

Andrea Power

Andrea Power is a Councillor with the City of Mount Pearl. She also works full time at Sunrise Animal Hospital. Andrea became involved with the NLSA when she attended the first annual Walk/Run “A Million Thing I have to Say”. Through conversations with founder Greg O’Grady she developed a great interest in the cause and joined the planning committee for the NLSA Conference being held in November 2019. Andrea is proud to be a founding member this organization and is honoured to serve as a board member. She believes that organizations such as this one foster stronger communities. She also believes that education, awareness and support is vital and will do everything she can to advance the work of the NLSA.

Allison O’Brien

Allison O’Brien is a person who stutters. She became a founding member and board director of the NLSA to make a difference. Her goals are to increase awareness, education, and respect for people who stutter. To reduce bullying by children, adults, and employers. To make therapy more accessible and to make society more accepting. Not only for her child but for all children. For the next generation of people who stutter and for every child who is different.

Ronan Corr

Ronan Corr has stutter all his life. He has been in speech therapy for all of his youth. Taken the Precision Fluency Shaping Program in the late 1990’s proved to be the most successful. Afterwards, he joined a Person Who Sutter Toastmaster club to help maintain his speech. Today he is a web developer who enjoys creating Web Sites and helping individuals get their idea online using WordPress.

Ronan helped put together this website along with the websites for the Stutter Walk and Run campaigns.

Personal Stories

Allison’s Story

What do we do Together?

Provide the general public with the most up-to-date information about stuttering.
Support research into the causes and treatments of stuttering.
Increase public awareness and understanding of stuttering.
Ensure that the VOICE of people who stutter is heard by influencing and advancing issues relevant to people who stutter at all political levels.
Support speech-language pathologists and allied health professionals who work with those who stutter.

Educate employers understanding of stuttering to help them refrain from making misconceptions and negative stereotyping about a person who stutters qualifications based on stuttering.
Organize annual fundraising events to help in the treatment of stuttering.
Raise awareness, education and understanding of the potential emotional and psychological impact that Stuttering can have on the lives of people who stutter, which goes beyond the speaking challenges of stuttering.
Organize an annual conference for people who stutter, their families, friends, and professionals.
Organize monthly support groups that will provide a safe, empowering, and supportive environment for people who stutter and their families, friends and significant others where they can meet and learn from each other and realize that they are not alone.