Susan Brashear (Co-Program Director/CTE, Drama Instructor) attended Interlochen Arts Academy (Michigan) throughout her high school education studying theatre, dance and music. She has a BFA in Acting from Goodman Theatre (Chicago), and attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London for further classical training.

Susan began her acting career in the Bay Area where she worked at Berkeley Shakespeare Festival, California Actors Theatre, Eureka Theatre, Marin Shakespeare Festival, Theatre Artists of Marin, Unconditional Theatre and extensively at Marin Theatre Company during its formative years when she and her husband, Will Marchetti, were instrumental in developing the professional theatre company we have today in Mill Valley. Other professional work includes independent film work, industrials and television. She also worked for two years in Dallas with the Dallas Theatre Company under the Artistic Director, Adrian Hall.

Upon returning to California, Susan completed her MA at SFSU in Counseling and her teaching credential through Sonoma State. Susan began part-time teaching with Daniel Caldwell, CTE's founder, and then moved quickly into full-time 15 years ago.

Acting awards include the Sarah Siddons Award (Chicago), Stevie Award (Texas), a Bay Area Critics Award (Lizzie in The Rainmaker) and most recently a Dean Goodman Award (Gertrude in Hamlet). Susan and Ben Cleaveland have been awarded the Golden Bell Award for "Outstanding Program" and recently the prestigious Milley Award for significant artistic contribution to the Mill Valley community.

Susan lives in San Rafael with her husband, Will, a revered Bay Area actor, and has a grown son, Mario Marchetti, who is a Music Producer in Los Angeles where he founded Marchetti Music Productions. Susan's mother resides at The Redwoods and regularly brings groups of seniors to CTE productions.

Favorite hobbies include traveling, cooking, museums, hiking, music and horseback riding on her horse, Scarlett.