Dr. Alan Rabinowtiz is Director for Science and Exploration for the Wildlife Conservation Society, an international lecturer on behalf of wildlife, and author of several books and hundreds of scientific articles (see the National Geographic PBS special, "In Search of the Jaguar," which aired in November 2003). We meet Alan at 19 years of age at the beginning of a residential summer speech therapy program. We observe his effortful struggle to express himself and hear about his efforts to find relief. By the end of the summer he developed the ability to speak smoothly. But Alan reminds us that while he enjoys the feeling of talking smoothly, he feels most connected to his inner being when he just speaks freely and allows himself to stutter. After speech therapy, it took another 25 years to make peace with stuttering and discover his gift of powerful, soulful communication. Ironically, after running away from people and into the world of animals he became an eloquent and internationally recognized spokesperson on their behalf.

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