Change & Impact Advisory Committee

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is a professional American basketball player who has played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) since 2012. As a person who stutters, Kidd-Gilchrist serves as an ambassador to the stuttering community. In 2021, he founded Change & Impact, Inc. a stuttering initiative with a mission to improve access to healthcare and expand services and resources for those who stutter. He regularly appears nationwide as a guest speaker at camps and healthcare associations focused on stuttering, and colleges and universities offering Communication Sciences and Disorders programs to visit colleges, universities, hospitals, camps and support groups both nationally and internationally.

Joseph Donaher, Ph.D., is the Academic and Research Program Director of the Center for Childhood Communication at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Donaher is an Assistant Professor of Otorhinolaryngology at The University of Pennsylvania. He is a Board Certified Specialist in Fluency and Fluency Disorders. Currently Dr. Donaher serves as treasurer on the American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders. His clinical and research interests focus on the assessment and treatment of school-age children who stutter and disfluency patterns secondary to neurological conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Kristen M. Peifer is a seasoned marketing and communications strategist with over 25 years of experience. She has developed integrated public relations and marketing campaigns that have successfully launched and cultivated brands through strategic partnerships and community engagement. Her national and international media relations experience has successfully increased brand awareness and equity while building strong, positive reputations for clients. As Founder and CEO of LiftU Public Relations, she serves as advisor and publicist to high-profile celebrity clients, executives and corporations.