Growing up, I always wanted to work in public service to help make my community a better place. I know it might be baffling that a skinny kid with a speech impediment would want to join a profession that hinges on strong public speaking skills, but I was — and am still — determined to not allow it to have an impact on what I want to do.

I have stuttered my entire life. I remember driving to my first meeting 13 years ago as a newly-elected 22-year-old member of the Rockland School Committee realizing that I’d have to say something that would be broadcast live on our public access television channel. I was overwhelmed by the thought.


Former vice president Joe Biden has always been my example, not only for his decency and grit, but for the inspiration he’s provided to all of us who stutter — especially those like me who work in public service. That’s why Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ tweet mocking Biden for stammering during the recent Democratic debate was so reprehensible. Her half-hearted apology claiming not to know about Biden’s stutter only days after John Hendrickson’s recent in-depth piece in The Atlantic made it worse.

From school to college, and throughout my professional career, I have had to continue confronting what could be perceived as my biggest weakness. I’ve worked tirelessly to transform my public speaking skills into those that could be viewed as more of a strength than a deterrent.

It’s never been easy, but I continue to make progress.

Those first few months on the school committee and beginning my first job out of college as an aide to a local state representative were among the most challenging of my life, but Biden’s example got me through them.

I’ve learned to rehearse presentations, prepare for interviews, and practice remarks countless times to identify words that I know in hopes of making my speech impediment a little less noticeable. I regularly compensate for my stuttering by changing words mid-sentence based on certain sounds in words that I know will make me stutter. I often disguise these efforts by saying “ah,” “um,” or “like” while I rack my brain for a word I know will be presented fluently. I focus on coordinating my breathing with my speech. I also use various strategies ingrained in me by the countless speech therapists who have provided me with boundless confidence over the years.


There is no question that I have always had to work harder than my peers to prove myself and my abilities — and I have.

I’ve been able to serve in various roles as an aide in the Massachusetts State Legislature, as chief of staff to the former Mayor of Brockton, as a trade association advocate for private special education schools, and now as a county administrator for Norfolk County and as a selectman in my hometown. I never let my speech impediment become a factor when presenting proposed operating budgets, discussing high-profile and controversial issues at a local town meeting, or simply calling in to our local news radio program. But if you had asked me 15 years ago, I never could have imagined doing any of it. I just hadn’t yet gained the confidence.

I had the opportunity recently to speak about these experiences during a career day at Learning Prep School, a private special education school in West Newton for students with language and learning challenges. I spoke about how I embraced my speech impediment even though it has always been one of my biggest challenges. I encouraged students to do the same in facing their own hurdles.


As the event concluded, a student introduced himself. He also had a stutter and he shared that he had one of the same speech therapists who helped me more than 25 years ago. We talked about Joe Biden; he thanked me for sharing my story and told me he also wanted to pursue a career in public service.

I had the opportunity to meet Biden at one of his Democratic presidential campaign events in Boston earlier this year. While I support him,I wasn’t interested in attending the event for the politics, but to thank him for giving me, that student and all of us who stutter, the confidence, hope, and inspiration to step up and speak out in our communities through noble public service.

And that means more than Sarah Huckabee Sanders can ever begin to fathom.

Michael Mullen Jr. serves as the county director for Norfolk County and as a member of the Rockland Board of Selectmen.