Catherine Pfeiler earned her undergraduate degree from Mankato State University in Mankato, Minnesota and her Master of Music degree in choral conducting from Arizona State University. She has taught at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin since 1984 where, together with Nancy Smirl Jorgensen, she runs a comprehensive choral program with an enrollment of over 400 students.

In addition to their teaching responsibilities, which include five concert choirs, a musical theater production, barbershop quartet singing, a music theater troupe, and a vocal jazz ensemble, Cathy and Nancy also have presented sessions at the Wisconsin State Music Convention, have served on music selection committees for the state of Wisconsin, and have published articles in the Choral Journal and Wisconsin Magazine. They have also co-authored two informative books, From the Trenches: Real Insights from Real Choral Educators and Things They Never Taught You in Choral Methods.

Under their direction, the Arrowhead Concert Choir has appeared numerous times at the Wisconsin State Music Convention, performed with the Waukesha Symphony Orchestra and appeared at the Carroll College Choral Festival. The group has also performed at the Dorian Choral Invitational and has produced numerous recordings.