Cathleen won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in Manchester whilst reading English at the University. She has taken many principal roles with Burnley Light Opera; St. Stephens, Todmorden Operatic, Burnley G & S and Pendle Opera including Marian (Music Man), Kate (Kiss me Kate), Ottoline (White Horse Inn), Prince Orlovsky (Die Fledermaus) and Princess Matilda (Quaker Girl).

With Pendle Opera her roles include Violetta (La Traviata), Adina (L’Elisir d’Amore), Frasquita (Carmen), The Queen of the Night (The Magic Flute), Orestes (La Belle Helene), Fenena (Nabucco), Lady Macbeth (Macbeth), Amahl’s Mother(Amahl & The Night Visitors), Adele (Die Fledermaus), Margarita (Faust), and Isolier (Count Ory).