AFA Teens Advisor Named 2010 Rose Queen

AFA Teens Advisory Board member Natalie Innocenzi of Arcadia, CA was named the 92nd Rose Queen by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses on October 20.

Eric J. Hall, AFA’s president and CEO, extended his warmest congratulations to Natalie.

“Natalie has an enormous heart and community spirit. Her community involvement to further the cause of Alzheimer’s disease has been extremely commendable,” Hall said.

As part of her efforts with AFA Teens, the California teenager led an Alzheimer’s Awareness week at her school, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, last winter that included planting forget-me-knot seeds in the school garden and an educational assembly for all her classmates.

“[My grandmother] is someone I have always looked up to. She has given me the strength to hopefully be able to make a change and increase awareness of Alzheimer's,” said Natalie, 16.

She hopes to give back to the Alzheimer’s community even more when she studies occupational or physical therapy with an emphasis in gerontology in college.

Natalie will be crowned by Tournament of Roses Acting President Jeff Throop at a November 4 coronation ceremony at the Pasadena Convention Center.

The Rose Queen and the six new princesses will attend more than 150 events during the rest of the year, leading up to the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1 and the 96 th Rose Bowl Game.

The young ladies were selected based upon a combination of qualities, including public speaking ability, poise, academic achievement and community involvement.

“2010 Rose Queen Natalie Innocenzi and our six princesses are perfect ambassadors for the Tournament of Roses, and the city of Pasadena. They are talented, graceful and stellar examples of what it is to be A Cut Above the Rest,” said Throop.