Emily Blunt to Host American Institute for Stuttering's 11th Annual FREEING VOICES CHANGING LIVES Gala

Actress Emily Blunt, longtime supporter and enthusiastic American Institute for Stuttering (AIS) board member, will host the 11th annual Freeing Voices Changing Lives Benefit Gala on June 26 to be held at Guastavino's in New York City.

Emily will be returning from filming her most recent role, the iconic and lyrical character of "Nanny" in Mary Poppins Returns, to host the AIS gala and speak to the impact stuttering as a child had on her career trajectory; crediting acting as the outlet which helped her overcome stuttering. She is an instrumental voice in elevating public awareness of stuttering and is quick to offer words of encouragement to young adults confronting speech challenges as she once did.

American Institute for Stuttering, the leading not-for-profit organization whose primary mission is to offer state-of-the-art universally affordable speech therapy to people of all ages who stutter and guidance to their families, will honor Eric Dinallo, respected partner at the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton LLP, and Wayne Brady, five-time Emmy winner and Grammy nominee, with the Freeing Voices Changing Lives Leadership Award at the event.

The Freeing Voices Changing Lives Award is presented annually to individuals who have excelled in their chosen career without allowing their stuttering to hold them back and/or have had a positive influence on the lives of those who stutter through their personal and professional contributions.

Eric Dinallo is a highly respected lawyer who has won praise for his leadership in both the private and public sectors. He is a partner in the law firm of Debevoise and Plimpton, and is also a member of the firm's Financial Institutions Group. Eric served as the New York State Superintendent of Insurance from 2007-2009. The department he led became a model for insurance regulation and Eric became a national voice for ensuring consumer and policy holder protection. An active American Institute for Stuttering Board member, Eric has successfully managed stuttering throughout his life and has used his voice persuasively to effect change and to protect the rights of everyday citizens.

"Stuttering has been a challenge I have had to manage throughout my entire life, so when my son developed severe stuttering at a very young age, my wife and I took him to AIS, knowing that early intervention leads to the most successful outcomes," said Eric Dinallo, Partner at law firm Debevoise and Plimpton. "We are now lucky to say he no longer faces this challenge but unfortunately, there are many children in the world who do not have a support system with the financial means to access strong pediatric intervention. With the help of AIS and so many generous donors, we will work together to give children who stutter access to these therapies early on, ensuring that the voices of the next generation are heard."

Wayne Brady, five-time Emmy Award winner and Grammy nominee, is a true show biz renaissance man.

He has become a virtuoso in entertainment, earning acclaim as an actor, singer, dancer, comedian, and TV personality. Currently the host of CBS's daytime classic Let's Make a Deal, Wayne is also a five-time Emmy winner and received an Emmy for his highly praised improvisational skills as host of the popular show Whose Line Is It Anyway?. He has also earned himself two Emmys for Outstanding Talk Show Host of The Wayne Brady Show, his own syndicated talk/variety show, and an award for Outstanding Talk Show. Wayne earned a Grammy award nomination for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for his single titled "A Change is Gonna Come" off his debut musical album "A Long Time Coming." His multi-faceted career began in the theater, and he continually returns to his roots on stage, artfully mastering each role he embodies. Recently Wayne portrayed Aaron Burr in the Chicago production of the award-winning musical Hamilton, a role he was particularly proud to inhabit, and that continues to receive media praise.

Past recipients of the Freeing Voices Changing Lives Award include iconic action hero Bruce Willis, Grammy winning songwriter Ed SHeeran, Samuel L. Jackson, Vice President Joseph Biden, Oscar winner Colin Firth, NBA star Kenyon Martin, Carly Simon, baseball legend Tommy John, and actress Emily Blunt.

Gala Co-Chairs are two titans in the business world - Arthur M. Blank and Jack Welch. Arthur Blank is the owner of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and Co-Founder of The Home Depot and Jack Welch is one of the most influential CEOs in the world and former Chairman of General Electric. An expected sell-out crowd with guests from a range of industries including entertainment, business, sports, politics and the arts will enjoy a festive and educational event featuring a cocktail reception, awards presentation and dinner.

More than three million Americans and 60 million people worldwide stutter. It is a genetic and neurological disorder that is not, as many assume, caused by anxiety. Stuttering is often dismissed as a minor hindrance, when in fact it can govern a person's life, affecting their education, relationships, and career. Greatly misunderstood, stuttering is one of the few disorders that provoke undeserved shame by humiliation and even laughter by an uninformed public.

The American Institute for Stuttering serves children and adults who stutter with specialized speech therapy. Founded in 1998 by Catherine Otto Montgomery, its goal is to help clients achieve freedom and confidence in the face of stuttering. Their clients have come from across the United States and over a dozen countries around the world. The organization also trains speech-language pathologists in the expertise of stuttering therapy and engages and encourages people who stutter worldwide.

The American Institute for Stuttering (AIS) is a leading 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the United States that offers state-of-the-art speech therapy to people of all ages who stutter, guidance to their families, and much-needed clinical training to professionals. AIS offers a range of services, including early intervention therapy for children as young as two years old, support to school-age children (who are more often bullied than their peers), group therapy courses that accommodate diverse schedules, and unique two-week intensive treatment programs. AIS also provides training to speech-language pathologists, who traditionally are inexperienced in treating stuttering, to meet the great need for specially trained therapists. AIS is committed to advancing public understanding of stuttering and worked in Washington, D.C. to increase federal funding for research.

For more information about stuttering and AIS, visit stutteringtreatment.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos