Students Starting Strong: A conversation with President Penniston

Cathy Penniston is a court reporting teacher and independent broadcast captioner from Waukee, Iowa. Penniston worked as an official court reporter for the state of Iowa before transitioning into her broadcast captioning and teaching career. Cathy has also worked as a free­lance reporter and a CART captioner.

Penniston holds a Master of Arts Degree in Education, a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Business Administration, and an Associate’s Degree in Court Reporting. Penniston holds the national professional certifications of Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) and Certified Reporting Instructor (CRI).

At the national level, Penniston has served on numerous NCRA committees. She has served as a member of the NCRA Board of Directors since 2018, including serving as Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President and President-Elect.

At the state level, Penniston has served as president of the Iowa Court Reporters Asso­ciation. She is a recipient of the Roy Voelker Memorial Award for Distinguished Service for the court reporting profession of the state of Iowa, the Indian Hills Com­munity College Vision Award for Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014, and the Educational Excellence Award by the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International in May of 2024.

Margary Rogers, RPR, CRI, is a dedicated leader and advocate in the court reporting profession.  With 25-plus years of experience across freelance, official, and CART reporting in Washington, D.C., she is passionate about preserving stenography and advancing the mental and physical health of court reporters.

A strategic thinker, Rogers brings innovation and solutions to support the profession. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Court Reporting, an Associate of Science in Legal Assisting, and a Concentration in Psychology. She graduated from the D.C. Courts’ Management Training Program in Washington.

Rogers served as Director, Secretary, President-Elect, and President for two terms of the Maryland Court Reporters Association. An NCRA member for 28 years, she is the current chair of NCRA's Student/Teacher Committee, previously chaired NCRA's Membership Committee, and served on several NCRA committees. Rogers advocated at four NCRA Leadership & Legislative Boot Camps to protect our profession on Capitol Hill.

Rogers is a community builder who has pioneered initiatives like CRR Practice & Prep, Steno Karaoke, and the Steno Fitness Challenge. The first recipient of the NCRF Carl Sauceda Grant, Rogers shares her knowledge with students and stenographers by helping them advance their skills.

Brenda is an El Paso based movement specialist, Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT), and 500-hour certified Pilates instructor known for her accessible, functional approach to mobility. As a bone cancer survivor who rebuilt her strength after six major surgeries, Brenda specializes in adapting movement to fit real bodies and high-demand daily routines.