Reaching Out to the World

32 Countries Represented at IFA's World Congress

Lisbon, Portugal, is one of the oldest cities in the world. But this summer it was also the location for discussing some of the newest research on stuttering.

The International Fluency Association’s 8th World Congress on Fluency Disorders was held in July in Lisbon. The event, which also marked the 25th anniversary of the organization, drew participants from 32 countries.

The Stuttering Foundation co-sponsored the pre-conference, which included topics such as How to Work with Preschool Children presented by Marie-Christine Franken and Ellen Laroes, Basic Skills in Working with a School-Aged Child with a Fluency Disorder by Elaine Kelman, and Management of Stuttering with Adolescents and Adults with Walt Manning.

During the main conference, keynote speakers included Ken St. Louis, Per Alm, Michael P. Boyle, David Ward, and Kate Watkins. This year’s theme was Embracing Our Differences, Sharing Perspectives on Stuttering and Cluttering.

The Stuttering Foundation was represented by Jane Fraser and board member, Celia Gruss.

From the Fall 2015 Newsletter

CELEBRITY FOCUS

John Melendez

He is a talented musician, actor, and comedian. Listen to a podcast.

Bruce Willis

While the world knows Bruce Willis as an A-list actor, few know that he struggled with stuttering throughout his first 20 years.

Walter Bruce Willis was born in 1955 in West Germany to his German mother, Marlene, and his American GI father, David Willis. The family settled in David’s hometown of Penns Grove, New Jersey in 1957, and the couple has three other children.

Ken Venturi

As much of the nation watches the U.S. Open Golf Championship, it is impossible not to think about our late friend Ken Venturi. Ken overcame many challenges to win the Open at Congressional in 1964 and go on to become the voice of golf for more than three decades.

However, Ken faced no bigger obstacle than stuttering. Ken Venturi was a champion to those who stutter, going out of his way to share his personal experience when consulted by a colleague, friend, or child who stutters.

James Earl Jones

Actor James Earl Jones, a Broadway, television and movie star, is well-known for his voice as Darth Vader in Star Wars and his book Voices and Silences. Jones has spoken some of the most memorable lines in the history of American film, but the man known for his voice was once afflicted with a severe stutter.

Dave Taylor

Dave Taylor has been on the Stuttering Foundation's list of Famous People Who Stutter for many years, but probably few people know all of the unique accomplishments of this former hockey great who was born on December 4, 1955, in Levack, Ontario.