Caitlin Franchini

Caitlin Franchini is a speech-language pathology clinical fellow at the Arthur Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research in Atlanta. Caitlin is a person who stutters and is very passionate about working with and advocating for others in her community. Caitlin is passionate about implementing person-focused treatment that builds positive attitudes toward stuttering and confidence when communicating.

Before working at the Blank Center, Caitlin worked as a graduate research assistant for Georgia State’s Stuttering and Bilingualism Lab and as a counselor for the Stuttering Association for the Young. She has also presented about her experiences as an SLP who stutters at universities such as Rutgers and Georgia State.

Originally from Canton, GA, Caitlin graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She also holds a master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Caitlin loves to travel, hike, cook, and make homemade pasta in her spare time.

Why did you want to work for the Blank Center? 

I wanted to work at the Blank Center because of the unique philosophy and person-focused approach that the center has towards treating and interacting with people who stutter. I love that the Blank Center values helping its participants increase their communication skills and confidence, not necessarily their fluency. The team at the Blank Center is truly showing people who stutter all over the world that stuttering cannot stop them from achieving their dreams, and I wanted to be a part of it.

What does Dream Speak Live mean to you?

Dream. Speak. Live. reminds me to not let my stutter get in the way of how I want to live my life. People who stutter dream big and can do anything they set out to do, whether they are “fluent” or not. I refuse to let my stutter be a limitation and stop me from living the life I want and being heard.