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2nd Annual STARS Research & Education Conference
September 12, 2026
Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel
8am-4pm
Eligible for 0.55 ASHA CEUs and
5.5 CMEs at no cost!
ASHA CEUs offered by World Stuttering Network.
CMEs offered by St. Louis University.
This conference is financially-supported by STARS.
Non-clinicians are also welcome to attend.
Stuttering is an ICD classified disorder that affects about 8% of all children and greater than 1% of adults-yet stuttering treatment is largely ignored by the greater healthcare community outside of speech language pathology. Many physicians and health professionals encounter people who stutter but have limited formal training in the diagnosis, biological basis, clinical variability, and appropriate management of stuttering. As a result, patients may receive incomplete counseling, delayed referral, or inconsistent care.
Moving forward, collaborative care among physicians, speech language pathologists and other health care professionals will improve the lives of persons who stutter by delivering comprehensive, compassionate and evidenced-based treatments.
2nd Annual STARS Research & Education Conference
AGENDA
This course will include lectures on stuttering from psychiatrists, neurologists, speech-language pathologists and a panel with lived experience.
Location: Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, One Ritz Carlton Drive, Dana Point, CA 92629; Pacific Promenade
Course Directors: Gerald Maguire, MD & Shariar SheikBahaei, PhD
8:00 – 9:00 AM Registration & Breakfast (Pacific Promenade Lawn)
9:00 – 9:10 AM Introductory Remarks & Overview - Shariar SheikBahaei, PhD
9:10 – 9:15 AM Update on STARS - Gerald A. Maguire, MD
9:15 – 9:45 AM Neural subtypes in developmental stuttering – Ho Ming Chow, PhD
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9:45 – 10:15 am Circuit Biology of Stuttering – Shahriar SheikhBahaei, PhD
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10:15 – 10:45 am Panel Discussion - Shelly Jo Kraft, PhD, Per Alm, PhD, Soo-Eun Chang, PhD
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10:45 – 10:55 am Coffee Break
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10:55 – 11:25 am Speech therapy in Stuttering – Gonçalo Leal
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11:25 – 11:55 am Psychotherapy in Stuttering – Julia Unger, PhD, Steve Hoff, PhD
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11:55am –12:05 pm Questions & Discussions
12:05 to 1 pm Lunch
1:00 – 1:30 pm Pharmacological Treatment Considerations for Stuttering – Thomas Valente, MD
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1:30 – 2:00 pm ADHD in Stuttering – Greg Mattingly, MD
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2:00 – 2:30 pm Pediatrics & Stuttering - Andrew White, MD
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2:30 – 2:40 pm Coffee Break
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2:40 – 3:15 pm STARS Consensus Guidelines – Gerald Maguire, MD, Gonçalo Leal, Lisa LaSalle, PhD, Thomas Valente, MD, Anelise Bohnen PhD
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3:15 – 3:50 pm Lived Experience Panel – Maura Miles, Tony DeLaMora, Harris Young, Annie Hernandez, David Adams
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3:50 – 4:00 pm Questions/Concluding Remarks - Gerald Maguire, MD and Shahriar SheikhBahaei, PhD
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this conference, participants will be able to:
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​Describe the multifaceted symptoms of stuttering and its co-existing conditions
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Summarize comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic stages for stuttering
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Define the neurological basis of stuttering
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Identify various subtypes of stuttering
Presenters
Gerald Maguire, MD
Dr. Gerald Maguire, a psychiatrist and person who stutters, has dedicated his career to developing innovative treatments for stuttering and related neurological conditions. He is Chair and Director of Residency Training in Psychiatry at College Medical Center, Long Beach, California, and Faculty Director of Graduate Medical Education at the Maguire Neuropsychiatric Institute, Oroville Hospital. Dr. Maguire earned a BS in Biochemistry from UC Davis, obtained his MD from Saint Louis University, and completed his psychiatry residency at UC Irvine. He is Professor Emeritus at UC Riverside School of Medicine, where he served as Chair of Psychiatry (2014–2021) and previously as Senior Associate Dean at UC Irvine (2007–2014). A Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and Member of the American College of Psychiatrists, Dr. Maguire has held leadership roles in the National Stuttering Association and the International Stuttering Association. He has published over 75 journal articles and authored multiple books and book chapters on the neuroscience-based treatment of stuttering.
Financial Disclosures: I have received grant/research support from Emalex and Noema. I have also received consulting fees from Noema.
Non-financial Disclosures: Dr. Maguire serves as President of the STARS board of directors.
Shariar SheikBahaei, PhD
Dr. Shahriar SheikhBahaei is an Empire Innovation Assistant Professor of Neurobiology at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, and a person who stutters. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and his PhD from a joint program between University College London (UCL) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. SheikhBahaei’s research investigates how astrocytes interact with neurons to regulate voluntary motor behaviors, focusing on speech and respiratory circuits. Using genetic, optical, and electrophysiological tools, his lab aims to uncover the contributions of glial cells to motor behaviors and disorders such as developmental stuttering
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial disclosures: Dr. SheikBahaei serves as a scientific advisor for STARS.
Ho Ming Chow, PhD
Ho Ming Chow, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Delaware and serves as a co-director of the department’s PhD program. He is also affiliated with the University of Delaware’s Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Graduate Program, Center for Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, and Neurobiology of Speech & Language Lab. Dr. Chow’s research focuses on the neurobiology of speech and language, developmental stuttering, fluency and motor speech disorders, and the neural mechanisms underlying communication disorders. His work integrates multimodal neuroimaging, imaging genetics, computational approaches, and molecular biology to investigate how brain structure and function contribute to normal and disordered speech production. A major focus of his research program is identifying neural and genetic markers associated with persistent childhood stuttering and understanding the mechanisms underlying recovery.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial Disclosures: None
Shelly Jo Kraft, PhD
Shelly Jo Kraft, PhD, CCC-SLP is an Associate Professor at Wayne State University (Detroit, USA) and Director of the International Stuttering Project and the Behavior, Speech & Genetics Laboratory. Her research focuses on the biological and behavioral genetics of developmental stuttering, mapping gene expression to the mechanisms that shape speech production, regulation, and severity. With nearly two decades of work and an international team of experts and clinicians, Dr. Kraft’s lab has helped identify nearly 60 genes linked to stuttering, advancing how we understand and potentially treat complex speech conditions.
Financial Disclosures: Dr. Kraft has received grant/research support from NIH and NIDCD; she is employed by Wayne State University and owns Elan Speech Therapy; she is also the director of the International Stuttering Project.
Non-financial Disclosures: Dr. Kraft serves as a scientific advisor for STARS.
Per Alm, PhD
Per A. Alm, PhD, is a researcher and senior lecturer in neuroscience and speech science affiliated with Uppsala University in Sweden. His work focuses on the underlying mechanisms of stuttering, from background risk factors to brain processes and the nature of speech disruptions.Dr. Alm’s research integrates experimental methods and large-scale analysis of published data to advance theoretical frameworks for understanding stuttering, with the goal of informing future research and improving treatment approaches.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial Disclosures: Dr. Alm serves as a scientific advisor for STARS.
Soo Eun Chang, PhD
Dr. Soo-Eun Chang is Professor of Psychiatry and the Rosa Casco Solano-Lopez Research Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School. She is also affiliated with the University of Michigan Department of Psychology and the Neuroscience Graduate Program. Dr. Chang is the Director and Principal Investigator of the Speech Neurophysiology Lab, where her research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying speech motor control and developmental stuttering. Dr. Chang's research integrates multimodal neuroimaging and behavioral approaches—including functional and structural MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, EEG, and analyses of functional and structural brain connectivity—to investigate how the brain supports speech production and how these systems differ in individuals who stutter. Her work also examines speech motor control, timing and rhythm perception and production, and related neurodevelopmental processes. More recently, her research has incorporated questions concerning the interactions among speech, cognitive, and emotional brain systems in developmental stuttering.
Financial Disclosures: Dr. Chang receives a salary from the University of Michigan.
Non-financial Disclosures: None
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Goncalo Leal
Gonçalo Leal is the co-founder and Clinical Director of the Speechcare & iStutter Center (Portugal, Spain, UAE). He serves as a professor and mentor in the “Specialization in Fluency Disorders” program at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Concepción, Chile, and as a guest professor at the University of Ghana. A founding member of the Portuguese Society of Speech Therapy, he also served as coordinator of the Ethics Committee of the Portuguese Association of Speech Therapy. Gonçalo collaborates with leading technology companies to develop digital speech therapy solutions and continues to engage in research, contribute to international conferences, and mentor students worldwide. He also delivers clinical training for Speech and Language Pathologists across Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial Disclosures: Mr. Leal serves as a scientific advisor for STARS.
Julia Unger, PhD
Julia Unger is a bilingual, ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist (SLP) with licensure in several states as well as Germany. Julia holds international degrees including a graduate degree from the University of Colorado-Boulder and a Ph.D. from the University of Education Heidelberg in Germany. Julia has spent over a decade in higher education most recently serving at the rank of Associate Professor. In her faculty role, she has worked with hundreds of graduate students, providing clinical education, teaching graduate courses and guiding research projects. As a clinician, Julia has focused on providing evidence-based, holistic care for people who stutter for the majority of her career. She has presented her research at conferences globally and has published in the Journal of Fluency Disorders and the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial Disclosures: None
Steve Hoff, PhD
Steve Hoff is a licensed psychologist in MA, NY, and CT. He obtained his doctoral degree in Child/School Psychology from New York University. Prior to the Invivo Institute, he co-founded Barrington Psychology Inc. in Great Barrington, MA, a practice which specializes in child and adolescent mental health. Steve brings extensive experience in academia, having spent a significant part of his career as a graduate school professor in professional training programs. He has published articles in the journals Psychology in the Schools, Perspectives, and in the National Association of School Psychologists’ monthly professional newspaper. He has presented internationally on the topic of youth mental health. He left his native Queens, NY, over 25 years ago and now lives in the Berkshire Mountains with his wife, boys, and dog Hazel.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial Disclosures: None
Thomas Valente, MD
Thomas Valente, MD, is a double board–certified adult and geriatric psychiatrist with more than 30 years of experience in private practice and community-based mental health care. He holds faculty appointments at the University of South Florida and the University of Central Florida Colleges of Medicine and serves as a clinical preceptor for medical and physician assistant trainees. For over 25 years, Dr. Valente has served as Chief Medical Officer at LifeStream Behavioral Center, where he provides direct patient care, supervises multidisciplinary teams, and supports clinical education. He is also a principal investigator in multiple clinical trials and has been active in pharmaceutical research since 2001.
Financial Disclosures: Dr. Valente serves on the Speakers Bureau for Otsuka, Abbvie, Teva, Janssen, Myriad, Neurocrine, Alkermes, and Luye.
Non-financial Disclosures: Dr. Valente serves as a medical advisor to STARS.
Greg Mattingly, MD
Gregory W. Mattingly, MD, is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and CEO of the Midwest Research Group. He is a nationally recognized expert in psychopharmacology with more than two decades of experience in clinical research and medical education. Dr. Mattingly has served as a principal investigator in over 500 clinical trials and currently serves as President of the American Professional Society for ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD). His work focuses on advancing evidence-based treatments for neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Financial Disclosures: Dr. Mattingly receives consulting fees and/or research/grant support from: Abbvie, Acadia, Akilli, Alkermes, Angelini, Axsome, Aytu, Biogen, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cerevel, Cingulate, Click Therapeutics, Corium, Emalex, Idorsia, Intracellular, Ironshore, Janssen, Karuna, Liva Nova, Lumos Labs, Lundbeck, Medgenics, Neurocrine, NLS Pharma, Redax, Relmada, Roche, Sage, Sirtsei, Sky Therapeutics, Sumitomo, Sunovion, Supernus, Takeda, Teva, and Tris Pharma.
Non-financial Disclosures: Dr. Mattingly serves as a medical advisor to STARS.
Andrew White, MD
Dr. Andrew J. White is a pediatric hospitalist, rheumatologist and immunologist, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of rare childhood diseases. With nearly two decades' experience solving medical mysteries, he is one of a handful of pediatricians in the world who cares for children with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), also known as Osler-Weber-Rendu disease. HHT is a genetic disorder that leads to abnormalities of the blood vessels, causing frequent nosebleeds, vascular changes of the skin, lips, tongue and fingers, and abnormalities called arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the lungs, brain and other organs. Dr. White studies outcomes and complications related to HHT, JIA, lupus, and dermatomyositis. He is a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, where he serves as department chair. He is a member of the Global Research and Medical Advisory Board of the HHT Foundation International and its HHT Guidelines Expert Panel.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial Disclosures: None
Lisa LaSalle, PhD
Dr. Lisa LaSalle is a professor at California State University-Monterey Bay, where she teaches and supervises graduate clinicians in the Speech-Language Pathology Master’s program. With over 30 years of experience, she has held tenure-track positions at the University of Redlands and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, specializing in stuttering within the field of communication sciences and disorders. Dr. LaSalle’s research and publications focus on preschoolers who stutter, as well as cluttering, stuttering and phonological complexity, and pharmacological considerations for stuttering treatment. Through her teaching, supervision, and applied research, she continues to contribute to advancements in fluency disorders and speech-language pathology.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial Disclosures: Dr. LaSalle serves on the Board of Directors for STARS.
Anelise Bohnen, PhD
Dr. Anelise Junqueira Bohnen is a leading expert in fluency disorders with a PhD in Applied Linguistics and a Master’s in Speech and Language Pathology. She specializes in stuttering, trained by the Stuttering Foundation of America and Northwestern University. As President of the Brazilian Fluency Institute (IBF) and a member of multiple international advisory boards, she contributes to fluency research, policy, and education worldwide. A professor, author, and speaker, Dr. Bohnen has published extensively and presents nationally and internationally on fluency disorders.
Financial Disclosures: none
Non-financial Disclosures: Dr. Bohnen serves on the Board of Directors for STARS.
Maura Miles
Maura Miles is a Special Education teacher in Southern California with a master’s degree in Moderate to Severe Special Education. Informed by her lived experience as a person who stutters, she advocates for individuals with visible and invisible disabilities. She has appeared alongside Dr. Maguire on The Doctors, contributed a personal synopsis to his book Without Hesitation: Speaking the Silence and Science of Stuttering, and participated in research studies focused on the lived experiences of people who stutter, promoting acceptance, inclusion, and the importance of every voice.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial Disclosures: Ms. miles serves as a community advisor for STARS.
Tony De La Mora
Tony De La Mora is a cybersecurity professional, U.S. Air Force Reserve Staff Sergeant, and a global advocate for people who stutter. A lifelong person who stutters, he works with Dr. Gerald Maguire to turn clinical research into practical support for the stuttering community. Through insights on emerging therapies and personal strategies, Tony aims to help others navigate the condition with confidence.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial Disclosures: Mr. De La Mora serves as a community advisor for STARS.
Harris Young
Meet Harris, an awesome kid who stutters! Like every child, he brings his own unique personality, strengths, experiences, and perspectives to the therapy process.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial Disclosures: None
Annie Hernandez
Annie Hernandez graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, specializing in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. She currently works as a Research Assistant at the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology in Jupiter, Florida, conducting inflammation experiments. Stuttering since early childhood, she has been actively involved in the stuttering community, and in 2024 presented as a keynote speaker at several international conferences for people who stutter. When she isn’t conducting inflammation experiments at Scripps, Annie enjoys singing and songwriting, kayaking, and paddleboarding with her family and friends. As a dedicated STARS member, Annie is committed to leveraging her biomedical expertise and passion for supporting individuals who stutter to enhance their quality of life.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial Disclosures: Ms. Hernandez serves as a scientific advisor for STARS.
David Adams
David Adams is a former University of Notre Dame football player and nationally ranked high school recruit recognized as an Under Armour All-American. As a person who stutters, he understands the challenges stuttering can present and is passionate about advancing treatment options. Through his personal and professional journey, David hopes to inspire others who stutter to pursue lives that are successful, fulfilling, and meaningful.
Financial Disclosures: None
Non-financial Disclosures: Mr. Adams serves as a community advisor for STARS.
Participants will be eligible for 0.55 ASHA CEUs if they complete the following:
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register for ASHA CEUs
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attend the STARS conference in its entirety (no partial credit will be provided)
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complete the course assessment consisting of 2 reflection questions, as well as the course feedback form. These will be provided upon completion of the course.