Cathleen is an award-winning artist and educator. She has earned the title "Outstanding Leader in Peace" from the Peace Museum (Chicago); received a "Certificate of Leadership in Racial Justice" from the YWCA in DuPage County; and is one of the "100 Women Making a Difference" according to Today's Chicago Woman Foundation.
Cathleen has a Master of Arts in Teaching Degree with a focus on Secondary Education: English/Language Arts from Northeastern Illinois University with a middle school speech/theater endorsement. Cathleen worked as a staff reporter for the campus newspaper, managed the campus radio station, and served as president of the Illinois Education Association Student Program during graduate school at NEIU.
Community involvement includes "The Beach Poets" which she founded and has hosted since 1990. Global altruism was her goal when she served as the coordinator of the video for the Int'l Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect in 1996.
She was awarded the Jane Addams Scholarship in the Spring of 2009 and awarded a scholarship from the Berner Charitable Scholarship in 2011. Her poem titled "Visions From John Lennon" was included in a show titled "Divided We Speak" by artist Miroslaw Rogala at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Cathleen is married to musician Peter C. Bartels.
Personal Statement: My passion and love of the theater is a delight to all. Theater is a valuable tool to every aspect of our culture - from fast food workers to corporate executives, from artists to firemen - because the balance of healthy self-care and the ability to work well with others is essential to its existence. My primary ambition as a theater artist is to empower and educate people to learn to trust their instincts, to learn to make sound decisions - to be in a moment and experience it fully - these are the goals of my art.
Personal Motto: work hard, tell the truth and persevere - joyfully - because attitude is everything.