Cerebral Palsy Strong — We are #CPstrong

Katy brings over a decade of community engagement experience to Cerebral Palsy Strong. She believes in the importance of using lived experience and collective storytelling to fuel social change and a sense of belonging.
She knows what it’s like to navigate the murky waters of disability beyond childhood, which inspires her to work toward new levels of community impact and elevate the needs of her peers.
Before founding CPstrong, she spent the last five years working in both for-profit and non-profit spaces, developing brand strategy and marketing communications. Katy holds a BA in Liberal Arts from Soka University of America as well as an MA in Media and Public Engagement from University of Colorado, Boulder.
She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Joshua and their dog, Beck.
- Katy is an identical twin to Sara, who does not have CP. They were born at 27 weeks weighing only 2lbs each.
- She has left spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy and was diagnosed at three years old.
- She has worn the ExoSym device since November 2016 which has helped to reduce bone pain, fatigue, and fall-risk as well as improve alignment, walking speed, stability, and more.
- She camped and drove the length of South America in 2017 in a Toyota Land Cruiser with her then-boyfriend, now-husband, Joshua.
- They adopted a dog named Beck in February 2020 and he’s kept them active ever since.

As a competitive climber on the U.S. Paraclimbing team and a marketing communications professional, Megan is passionate about using storytelling to raise awareness, foster belonging, and drive societal change.
Megan has been a fan of Cerebral Palsy Strong ever since she found out it existed. She has cerebral palsy and has witnessed firsthand the power of bringing people with CP together, both online and in person - it’s how she discovered the prosthetic-orthotic she wears and in a roundabout way, how she was introduced to the world of paraclimbing - and she’s excited to watch the CP community continue to grow.
She holds a BA in French Language and Literature from Whitman College.
- She thought she had spastic hemiplegia for most of her life until she was classified for paraclimbing and learned she had triplegia (spasticity in both feet and one arm), causing a mild CP identity crisis
- Like Katy, Megan is also an ExoSym user and first found out about the device through Cerebral Palsy Strong’s Instagram account!
- She spent a year teaching English in Riga, Latvia
- She placed 4th at the Paraclimbing World Championships in Seoul, South Korea during her first competition season (2025)

Benny is the Director of Development at the National Down Syndrome Society. He's a disability rights advocate and community builder, with more than 20 years experience working to facilitate connection and engagement within disability communities. Previous professional stops include Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation, The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, GiGi's Playhouse NYC, and NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center.
He's excited to bring his experience to help CP Strong serve the community.
- Benny lives in Long Island, NY with his partner Beth and nephew Robby.
- In his spare time, you can find Benny at the beach playing volleyball.

Elizabeth has cerebral palsy, and while it is a huge positive aspect in her life, it's the least interesting thing about her. With eight years in the higher education industry, Elizabeth brings her skills as an academic advisor and a career coach to the disability social justice movement in hopes to help others navigate college and the working world as a disabled person. She has hosted panel discussions, workshops, and co-facilitated an awareness week centered on disability in her role at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School.
Additionally, she is a leading member of the Santa Barbara Volunteer Chapter for Canine Companions, a non-profit from whom she received her service dog in 2022.
She holds BAs in Literature and Writing from Point Loma Nazarene University and an MA in Educational Leadership from California State University Channel Islands.
- She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia) at 6 months old and has used a walker since she was 15.
- Since she is the only person in her family with a disability, she began to connect to others with CP online in high school, which is how she met Katy and learned about Cerebral Palsy Strong.
- She loves to travel and has been to 10 states and 5 countries, with Greece, Croatia, and Portugal being next on her bucket list.
- Elizabeth lives in Camarillo, CA with her service dog, Edge, and her cat, Binx.
- She loves spending time at the beach, farmers market, and wineries with her friends, family, and her boyfriend

Cassidy is Head Content Writer at The Disability Download for Cerebral Palsy Strong, and loves any opportunity to share her own stories, and tips and tricks she’s learned about making life with cerebral palsy easier.
She is passionate about sharing her own experiences, and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the University of Iowa in 2022. Her experience of studying a variety of conditions and adaptive life hacks, combined with her own CP diagnosis gives her a unique perspective on living with a disability.
Cassidy grew up in Southern California, and currently lives with her family just outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
- Cassidy is a twin, but her brother, Tyler, does not have CP. They were born on the first day of the 26th week and spent 3 months in the NICU
- She has right spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy and was diagnosed at 13 months
- Along with her CP, Cassidy has hydrocephalus and has had three brain surgeries
- She is a Christian and is very passionate about her faith
- She loves dogs, and has two Lab/German Shepherd mixes, Scout and Sadie