Communication, Language and Speech
Dr. Elsa Marta Soares
Head of Research and DevelopmentI am a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) with 15 years of experience in dealing with children’s and adults’ communicative, language and speech challenges. I also have extensive academia and research background, having co-authored books, papers and resources for speech and language intervention.
Stuttering
Dr. Gonçalo Leal
Co-founder and iStutter's Clinical Director.My whole academic and professional life has been devoted to help people who stutter and their families. In the last 15 years, I have been globetrotting the world addressing the most varied audiences (Universities, Speech Therapy Associations and Scientific Societies, Medical Congresses or Advocacy Groups), co-authoring articles with highly esteemed peers and working on integrating different approaches in my team’s methodological intervention.
Executive Team
Farah Al Qaissieh
MANAGING DIRECTORCo-founder of Stutter UAE, support and advocacy platform that encourages people who stutter to meet and interact. Winner of the Abu Dhabi’s award in 2018, the emirate’s highest civilian honour, for positively impacting lives and raising awareness on stuttering. Elected one of the “Game Changers”, women in the Arab world who are shaping the workforce of the future. Her role as social activist and entrepreneur was portrayed in the documentary “Just Another Accent” (2016), screened in Cannes and Malmo Film Festivals.
Advisory Board
Gerald A. Maguire
GLOBAL MEDICAL DIRECTORProfessor Emeritus and Founding Chair of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine; Chair of Research and Development of the World Stuttering Network; Chair of Psychiatry at Doc1 Healthcare; former Chair of the National Stuttering Association and Vice Chair of the International Stuttering Association; Recognized by peers as one of the “Best Doctors in America” annually since 2009; Areas of Expertise and Research: His research on the pharmacologic treatment of stuttering has appeared in numerous scientific journals; Author of book “Without Hesitation: Speaking to the Silence and the Science of Stuttering”, National Stuttering Association, 2009.
More team members
Communication, Language and Speech
Dr. Elsa Marta Soares
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Speech and Language Therapist, post-graduated in Early Childhood Intervention, PhD in Child Studies – Special Needs. Coordinator of the Fluency Department of the Portuguese Society of Speech Therapy, since 2013. Adjunct Professor of the School of Health Sciences – Polytechnic of Leiria (2014-2021) and Adjunct Professor of the School of Health Sciences – Polytechnic of Porto (2021-2022). Coordinator of the Department of Health Sciences and Technologies – Polytechnic of Leiria (2016 – 2020). Author of scientific papers and coauthor of books and book chapters.
Nicole Agrela
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Nicole Agrela is a Speech Language Therapist with 7 years of experience in clinics and educational institutions, with a focus on the pre-school and school community. She holds a Doctorate in Cognitive and Language Sciences from the Institute of Health Sciences of the Catholic University of Portugal (ICS-UCP) and, among other collaborations, is a guest lecturer on the Master’s Degree in Neuropsychology at the ICS-UCP.
Nicole holds positions as a member of the board of the Portuguese Speech Therapy Journal (RPTF) and the Fiscal Council of the Portuguese Speech Therapy Association (APTF), and is the author and co-author of various scientific publications at national and international levels
Stuttering
Dr. Elsa Marta Soares
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Speech and Language Therapist, post-graduated in Early Childhood Intervention, PhD in Child Studies – Special Needs. Coordinator of the Fluency Department of the Portuguese Society of Speech Therapy, since 2013. Adjunct Professor of the School of Health Sciences – Polytechnic of Leiria (2014-2021) and Adjunct Professor of the School of Health Sciences – Polytechnic of Porto (2021-2022). Coordinator of the Department of Health Sciences and Technologies – Polytechnic of Leiria (2016 – 2020). Author of scientific papers and coauthor of books and book chapters.
Cátia Catita
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Vast professional experience in the evaluation and intervention in the areas of stuttering, oral language and written language; Speaker and trainer in the areas of communication, oral language and stuttering; Currently enrolled in the European Specialization in Fluency Disorders (Stuttering and Cluttering) at Thomas Moore University (Belgium); Graduated in Speech-Language Therapy at the Higher School of Health of the Polytechnic Institute (Setúbal, Portugal)
Susana Belo
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Extensive professional experience with people who stutter – adults, adolescents and children; European Clinical Specialization in Fluency Disorders (Stuttering and Cluttering) at Thomas More University (Belgium); Bachelor’s Degree in Speech and Language Therapy by School of Health of IP Setúbal (Portugal & Brazil); Postgraduate Degree in Orofacial Myofunctional Sciences (EPAP – Portugal); Certified speaker and lecturer
Ana Andrade
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Stuttering Treatment Center’s Regional Coordinator; Teacher in the technical-scientific area of Speech Therapy at the School of Health of the Polytechnic Institute of Porto. PhD candidate in Early Childhood Stuttering in the Education and Behaviour Sciences Program (Vigo – Spain); Certified in Neurolinguistic Programming and Coaching; Certified and accredited Trainer in the field of Health Education; Trainer in the area of professional voice; Specific training for Parent-Child Interaction Therapy.
Maria Pía Coscueta
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Experienced professional in the field of stuttering; Member of the Board of Directors of the Argentine Stuttering Association; Lecturer at the Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Language on the topic of Fluency Disorders (Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina), European Clinical Specialization in Fluency Disorders (Stuttering and Cluttering) at Thomas More University (Belgium); Specialization course on Stuttering (Universidad de Concepción, Chile). Graduated in Speech-Language Therapy (UNC, Argentina)
Executive Team
Rita Carneiro
Co-Founder and Head of Operations
Co-founder and Operations and Human Resources coordinator at Speechcare/ Stuttering Therapy Center; License in Speech Therapy at School of Health Technology of Porto, Portugal; Certified Trainer as Specialist in Speech and Orofacial Motricity, in São Paulo, Brazil; Participation in scientific meetings as a Trainer and Speaker in the field of Speech Pathology; Professional experience in Geriatric Units, Fisiatrics clinics and private practice.
Ricardo Augusto
Co-Founder and Head of Digital
CTO with more than 15 years of experience in developing, architecting and leading teams in Web/Mobile Based Projects, such as the most popular B2C Daily Food Ordering Platform in Portugal (that serves more than 40 thousand customers per day); Team leader in portals with more than 200 thousand users in the entertainment area (e.g., former SAPO.pt, today Altice); Helped in the hyper-growth of HelloFresh one the biggest foodbox businesses in Germany (leading to a €1,7Bn IPO); Holds a License in Engineering – Electronics and Telecommunications at University of Aveiro (Portugal).
Bernardo Aguiar
Co-Founder and Head of Business Development
Elsa Marta Soares
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Speech and Language Therapist, post-graduated in Early Childhood Intervention, PhD in Child Studies – Special Needs. Coordinator of the Fluency Department of the Portuguese Society of Speech Therapy, since 2013. Adjunct Professor of the School of Health Sciences – Polytechnic of Leiria (2014-2021) and Adjunct Professor of the School of Health Sciences – Polytechnic of Porto (2021-2022). Coordinator of the Department of Health Sciences and Technologies – Polytechnic of Leiria (2016 – 2020). Author of scientific papers and coauthor of books and book chapters.
Nicole Agrela
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Nicole Agrela is a Speech Language Therapist with 7 years of experience in clinics and educational institutions, with a focus on the pre-school and school community. She holds a Doctorate in Cognitive and Language Sciences from the Institute of Health Sciences of the Catholic University of Portugal (ICS-UCP) and, among other collaborations, is a guest lecturer on the Master’s Degree in Neuropsychology at the ICS-UCP.
Nicole holds positions as a member of the board of the Portuguese Speech Therapy Journal (RPTF) and the Fiscal Council of the Portuguese Speech Therapy Association (APTF), and is the author and co-author of various scientific publications at national and international levels
Elsa Marta Soares
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Speech and Language Therapist, post-graduated in Early Childhood Intervention, PhD in Child Studies – Special Needs. Coordinator of the Fluency Department of the Portuguese Society of Speech Therapy, since 2013. Adjunct Professor of the School of Health Sciences – Polytechnic of Leiria (2014-2021) and Adjunct Professor of the School of Health Sciences – Polytechnic of Porto (2021-2022). Coordinator of the Department of Health Sciences and Technologies – Polytechnic of Leiria (2016 – 2020). Author of scientific papers and coauthor of books and book chapters.
Cátia Catita
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Vast professional experience in the evaluation and intervention in the areas of stuttering, oral language and written language; Speaker and trainer in the areas of communication, oral language and stuttering; Currently enrolled in the European Specialization in Fluency Disorders (Stuttering and Cluttering) at Thomas Moore University (Belgium); Graduated in Speech-Language Therapy at the Higher School of Health of the Polytechnic Institute (Setúbal, Portugal)
Susana Belo
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Extensive professional experience with people who stutter – adults, adolescents and children; European Clinical Specialization in Fluency Disorders (Stuttering and Cluttering) at Thomas More University (Belgium); Bachelor’s Degree in Speech and Language Therapy by School of Health of IP Setúbal (Portugal & Brazil); Postgraduate Degree in Orofacial Myofunctional Sciences (EPAP – Portugal); Certified speaker and lecturer
Ana Andrade
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Stuttering Treatment Center’s Regional Coordinator; Teacher in the technical-scientific area of Speech Therapy at the School of Health of the Polytechnic Institute of Porto. PhD candidate in Early Childhood Stuttering in the Education and Behaviour Sciences Program (Vigo – Spain); Certified in Neurolinguistic Programming and Coaching; Certified and accredited Trainer in the field of Health Education; Trainer in the area of professional voice; Specific training for Parent-Child Interaction Therapy.
Maria Pía Coscueta
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Experienced professional in the field of stuttering; Member of the Board of Directors of the Argentine Stuttering Association; Lecturer at the Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Language on the topic of Fluency Disorders (Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina), European Clinical Specialization in Fluency Disorders (Stuttering and Cluttering) at Thomas More University (Belgium); Specialization course on Stuttering (Universidad de Concepción, Chile). Graduated in Speech-Language Therapy (UNC, Argentina)
Rita Carneiro
Head of Operations
Co-founder and Operations and Human Resources coordinator at Speechcare/ Stuttering Therapy Center; License in Speech Therapy at School of Health Technology of Porto, Portugal; Certified Trainer as Specialist in Speech and Orofacial Motricity, in São Paulo, Brazil; Participation in scientific meetings as a Trainer and Speaker in the field of Speech Pathology; Professional experience in Geriatric Units, Fisiatrics clinics and private practice.
Ricardo Augusto
Head of Digital
CTO with more than 15 years of experience in developing, architecting and leading teams in Web/Mobile Based Projects, such as the most popular B2C Daily Food Ordering Platform in Portugal (that serves more than 40 thousand customers per day); Team leader in portals with more than 200 thousand users in the entertainment area (e.g., former SAPO.pt, today Altice); Helped in the hyper-growth of HelloFresh one the biggest foodbox businesses in Germany (leading to a €1,7Bn IPO); Holds a License in Engineering – Electronics and Telecommunications at University of Aveiro (Portugal).
Bernardo Aguiar
Head of Business development and Community Engagement
Senior Public Affairs and Communications consultant with 10 years of experience in the representation of listed companies, public authorities, think tanks, start-ups and SMEs vis-à-vis the European Union and European-wide stakeholders, in Brussels; From 2015-2018 worked as the Brussels’ delegate of the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Holds a License in Media Studies at Nova University of Lisbon (Portugal), a Master of Arts in EU International Relations and Diplomacy at College of Europe, Bruges (Belgium) and an Executive MBA at Vlerick Business School, Brussels (Belgium).