08 May CP State mourns the loss of Natalie Katz Rogers

CP State mourns the loss of longtime advocate Natalie Katz Rogers.

At 103 years old, Natalie advocated for people with disabilities until the very end. Natalie was a founder of Queens Center for Progress and laid the groundwork for the Cerebral Palsy Association of NYS. QCP’s Natalie Katz Rogers Training and Treatment Center will celebrate is 50th anniversary in 2024.

Natalie’s bright smile and sense of humor were fixtures at the CP State Annual Conference for many years, where she orchestrated musical numbers, recited original (and often satirical) poetry, and generally lit the room up when she entered.

“Natalie was an extraordinary person who stretched the role of board members and shaped the disability field since the 1950’s with her leadership at CP State and at her Affiliate Queens CP,” said CP State CEO and President Mike Alvaro. “The amount of energy, advocacy, and passion she packed into 103 years would be enough for several lifetimes. Her lifelong commitment has benefitted generations of people with disabilities and their families, and the world is certainly a better place because of her.  She was a rare, extraordinary person and anyone fortunate enough to know her is thankful for her sharing her wit, drive, and no-nonsense approach to getting things done, but we’re also saddened because there’s no doubt there will never be anyone else like her.”