Randy Panzarino ’16 ’19 ‘21MA, originally from Melbourne Beach, Florida, graduated from UCF with a bachelor’s in psychology in 2016, a bachelor’s in communication sciences and disorders in 2019 and a Master of Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2021. During his time at UCF, Panzarino was highly involved in both academic and extracurricular activities. He was a Burnett Honors Scholar, conducting research on the cognitive aspects of stuttering, which led to his undergraduate thesis and, later, his master’s thesis on the relationship between affective, behavioral and cognitive aspects of stuttering and psychological distress. His research under the mentorship of Pegasus Professor Martine Vanryckeghem resulted in multiple peer-reviewed publications and led him to receive the prestigious UCF Award for Outstanding Master’s Thesis in 2021. Panzarino also excelled academically, earning the President’s Honor Roll for six consecutive semesters and actively participated in the UCF Surf Club, serving as vice president and risk management officer. He presented his research at numerous national and international conferences, including the American Speech-Language & Hearing Association’s National Convention and the World Congress on Stuttering and Cluttering.
Currently based in Dana Point, California, Panzarino works as a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) for the Capistrano Unified School District, where he serves elementary school students and supports the district with stuttering assessment and treatment. Panzarino also maintains a side practice in home health and private evaluations. His passion for stuttering treatment extends beyond his clinical work; he leads the Orange County, CA, chapter of the National Stuttering Association, providing support to adults who stutter, and has served as a counselor at Camp SAY, a summer camp for children with disfluent speech. Panzarino remains committed to continuing his research and education, having recently presented additional findings from his master’s thesis at the 2024 World Congress on Stuttering and Cluttering in Austin, Texas, and hopes to present further data at upcoming conferences. Panzarino looks forward to the opportunity to give back to UCF through guest speaking and mentoring future students and invites students and faculty to reach out to him directly with opportunities to reconnect and collaborate.
