Do you remember when you first began to stutter?
I remember at a very young age having a stutter. I went to speech therapy classes all through elementary school.

Does it run in your family?  Who else stutters?
No one else in my family stutters.

Did you seek treatment? Did it help?
I did have speech therapy in school and it was helpful. It taught me different techniques to try and help minimize my stutter.

Tell us about your experience with stuttering as a child.
It was difficult in school when trying to ask questions or having to read aloud in class. I would at times not ask a question in fear that I would stutter. I was a decent athlete growing up so playing sports was a way for me to express myself without having to do too much talking. It can be very lonely and hard when you know what you want to say but the words just won’t come out. I know before I even speak if I am going to stutter on a word, which would stop me from speaking in groups.

Has your stuttering gotten worse or better since you were younger? How?
My stuttering has gotten better as I have gotten more confident in myself and less concerned about what others think. I have used my platform to let other stutterers know that anything is possible even with a stutter.

How does stuttering affect you in your career?
Stuttering was a challenge at first as I was nervous about all the media obligations that I had to do. The anxiety that would take over as I was waiting to get interviewed before or after a game. It took me a couple years to just be comfortable with who I am and understand this is how God made me different. I would also let the media know that I do have a stutter so they would not be caught off guard.

How is your stuttering today? What do you do to control or manage it, if anything?
My stutter is much better today but I still do have times where it is more noticeable than others. I did go to our speech pathology department here at the University of Louisville a couple times and they just told me that I am very good at word changing.

What are the biggest challenges of stuttering?
The biggest challenge was becoming confident enough with being a stutterer and not worrying about what others said or thought. I know that is easy to say at the age of 52 because I know how cruel kids can be to each other.  I always wanted to be a head coach and I knew that my stutter would be one of my biggest hurdles for me to overcome.

What is your greatest accomplishment with regard to stuttering?
Getting to a point in life to not worry about what others think or say! I am a stutterer and will always be one. Once I got confident in myself, my stuttering has gotten better and I feel much more confident when I have to go speak to large or small groups.

Based upon your experiences, what would you like to tell children who stutter?
Stuttering is how God made us different! Don’t be embarrassed by your stutter, embrace it. I know how cruel and mean other kids can be but don’t let others define who you are.  Stay positive and understand that you will have some good and bad days with your stutter and that is ok. Your true friends and family will look at who you are as a person and judge you by how you treat others and what you do in life, not by your stutter.

Based upon your experiences, what would you tell parents of children who stutter?
I would tell them to be patient with your child and support them. They don’t want to stutter and try so hard not to. Don’t finish their sentences for them and give them the confidence to know it’s OK to be a stutterer. Have compassion and understanding for your child. I promise they would do anything to not have a stutter.

About Me:
I currently live in Louisville, Kentucky. I am the Head Women's Basketball Coach at the University of Louisville.

About My Family:
I have two older brothers and a younger sister. We were all very active in athletics growing up. We have wonderful parents who supported us.

My Hobbies and Passions:
I love working around the house, playing tennis and golf, snow skiing, and spending time with my family. I also enjoy coaching basketball, and traveling.

My Career Success:
I have been successful in my career with hard work, surrounding myself with great people, and never being satisfied.

From the Fall 2024 Magazine