New York, NY (June 13, 2023) Last night in New York City, actor and advocate Emily Blunt hosted the American Institute for Stuttering's (AIS) 17^th Annual Gala which raised funds to support AIS's mission to provide free or low-cost therapy to underserved people who stutter. The evening honored Dr. Philip O. Ozuah, President and CEO of Montefiore Einstein, who helms its 13 member hospitals and 7.5 million patient encounters per year.

The inspiring evening which drives increased public awareness about stuttering featured remarks by Executive Director Dr. Heather Grossman, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-F, Board Chair and Chair of Debevoise & Plimpton's insurance regulatory practice, Eric Dinallo, along with 11-year-old Ailyn Wood who spoke of her struggles with stuttering and learning to navigate life and elementary school thanks to the help of AIS.

Guests in attendance included New York Giants' Joshua Ezeudu, and TikTok influencer and actor Marc Winski, along with America's Got Talent semi-finalist, Amanda Mammana who performed two original songs about the power of perseverance and overcoming obstacles to the audience consisting of AIS board members, staff members, clients, philanthropists, and friends.

"Stuttering has touched our lives in some way. This genetic and neurologic condition might affect us, our child, or another relative, a friend, or even a work colleague. Though no one's experiences are ever the same, we all share one thing in common; it is a hard and often painful road to learn how to live with and manage your speech. And for those who surround us, it's often difficult to know just what to do and how to support a person who stutters," said Emily Blunt. "AIS works with families to understand how to help. And, they offer groups for peer cohorts so that common experiences can be shared and learned from. For over half of its clients, AIS's services are free, or at a very reduced price, because it believes that no one should have to bear the burden of stuttering alone. Everyone deserves a chance to speak freely, and to have their voices heard."

About AIS

AIS is a leading nonprofit organization whose primary mission is to provide universally affordable, state-of-the-art speech therapy to people of all ages who stutter, guidance to their families, and much-needed clinical training to speech professionals wishing to gain expertise in stuttering.

The AIS mission extends to advancing public and scholarly understanding of this often-misunderstood disorder.  For more information, visit stutteringtreatment.org