Cathy was born and raised in Minnesota, majored in music at Occidental College in Los Angeles, and played in local symphonies and studio orchestras while in college. She attended medical school at USC, and practiced Rehabilitation Medicine in Denver, and Seattle, where she continues with a limited medical practice. Her main passion and professional activity these days, however, is music.
Cathy has a wonderful time presenting concerts that take you 'down home' to the Pacific Northwest with delightful warmth and humor and musical freshness. She plays everything from traditional fiddle tunes to celtic airs to classical pieces, popular songs, and beautiful original tunes on the autoharp, hammered dulcimer, and bowed psaltery. Cathy was a finalist in the 1998 National Autoharp Championships in Newport, PA, and was pleased to win Second Place in the International Autoharp Championship in Winfield, KS, in 2002 and 2003. She is nationally renowned for her clean quick fiddle tunes and lyrical airs and waltzes on the autoharp. The immense fun she has playing her music spills over to audiences in an infectious way. She has performed in "concerts in the park", performing arts camps, private parties, and schools, as well as ttraditional concert settings. She has also been invited to present concerts and workshops at numerous music festivals, including Northwest Folklife Festival, Oregon Folklife Festival, Willamette Valley Autoharp Gathering, and Mountain Laurel Autoharp Gathering, the Whidbey Island Folk Festival, the Alaska State Music Educators Convention, and the Tumbleweed Music Festival. She also greatly enjoys providing background music for dinners, receptions, exhibitions and other events. She performs alone or sometimes teams up with other folk musicians for performances. Cathy also plays string bass with "Chordwood", a popular Seattle contra dance band.

Cathy is also a nationally recognized autoharp teacher and a classically trained clarinetist, with experience teaching woodwinds at the elementary and high school level. She starts at the beginning, making certain that the student has a well-functioning, easily playable instrument. She will also work with students prior to purchase of an instrument to assist in obtaining an appropriate instrument at a reasonable price. Cathy develops teaching around the student's interests, using music and playing styles that the student wants to learn. She will teach music literacy and sight-reading if the student wants to learn it, or will teach entirely "by ear" if the student wants to learn that way...or both. She has published two autoharp books; one for adults and one for children, and a teaching CD-ROM, and is a highly sought-after workshop leader for general and educator participants. Cathy's philosophy of teaching is, "Let's have some fun!"

Cathy is married to Jon Britell, also a physician, and they are the parents of two grown sons, Patrick and Scott. Cathy attended last year’s California Autoharp Gathering and generously taught a splendid autoharp workshop. This will her second visit to our festival.