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 the Chair of The Newfoundland and Labrador Stuttering Association (NLSA), a non-profit which he helped co-found in 2018. In 2017, Greg returned to his home province of Newfoundland following a career with the City of Toronto. While in Toronto, Greg had availed of speech therapy services of The Speech and Stuttering Institute in Toronto (SSI). Those services, developed from evidence-based research, helped Greg manage his severe stuttering and also helped change his life personally and professionally.
To give back and to pay it forward, in 2012 Greg organized an annual …”a million things I need to say” 1K/5K Walk, Run and Roll in Toronto to not only raise money for the SSI but to also raise awareness about stuttering and stuttering treatments. This annual Walk, Run and Roll, is now held in Newfoundland.
Michelle Delahunty
Vice Chair
As a speech-language pathologist, Michelle has been working with persons who stutter, of all ages, for more than 20 years. She is currently a partner at Speech Language Pathology Private Practice in St. John’s. Michelle is committed to helping persons who stutter access the supports they need to meet their own personal goals. She is excited to see the difference that the NLSA is already making to increase support for people who stutter (and their families) and awareness of stuttering in our community.
Jon Garcin
Jon is a Speech-Language Pathologist who stutters. He is from Corner Brook and currently resides in Springdale Newfoundland where he works in the school system. Jon struggled with stuttering most of his life and received extensive speech therapy in his early 20’s. With the support and guidance of his therapist, undergraduate thesis supervisor, and close family and friends, Jon decided to pursue a career in Speech-Language Pathology. Fluency enhancing techniques work quite well in establishing fluent speech, however “acceptance” is key. “Acceptance” is achieved through the support of family,friends, and other people who stutter. The NLSA is one of the greatest things to happen to the stuttering community in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Andrea Power
Andrea works full time at Sunrise Animal Hospital and 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, Andrea 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.
Brent Foote
Brent is a professional in community recreation and sport services from Mount Pearl. Diagnosed with a severe fluency disorder as a child, he received extensive speech therapy in his school years. As an emerging advocate, Brent is driven to raise awareness about stuttering through meaningful connections and lifelong learning opportunities.
April Kennedy
April Kennedy is the proud mother to a Person who stutters (PWS). She has three young adult sons, one of whom has been a stutterer since the age of 8. April is passionate about educating people about the family supports available and how stuttering is a family issue.
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
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.
Events
Registration is FREE, with a suggested minimum donation of $10 for attendees. For those who choose to donate, please do so at Canadahelps.org.
5th Annual Run & Walk Awareness
September 25, 2022
Stuttering Support Group
The third Thursday of each month
virtually from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Come out to support and spread the awareness of stuttering.
Resumes on October 20, 2021.
Resources & Support
Newfoundland & Labrador Stuttering Association is a non-profit charity organization.
To show your support, we welcome
A short-documentary, recently produced by Dr. Paul De Decker, Associate Professor, Linguistics Department Memorial University of Newfoundland and his team as part of a larger research project with the Newfoundland and Labrador Stuttering Association (NLSA).
Greg O’Grady discusses the Collaborative Surveys with Out of the Fog (Lynn) Cullen O’Connor talking about the Collaborative Surveys on Wednesday, October 20, 2021.
SSL! focused is on promoting stuttering awareness, acceptance and education in Newfoundland and Labrador. The podcast mission statement states that “SOME STUTTER, LUH! aims to rebuild confidence and hope for people who stutter by dismantling stuttering myths, stigma, stereotypes and barriers.” Each week, we post an episode where we interview people who stutter, speech-language pathologists, or researchers/specialists in the field.
Daniele Rossi designed the logo. To learn more how Daniele came up with the idea, click here.
Paddy Daly, from radio station VOCM, interviews Greg O’Grady, to discuss Newfoundland & Labrador Stuttering Association. Click below to listen.
Contact Us
100-44 Torbay Road, St. John’s, NL, A1A 2G4
