Cara Townsend is a graduate of Christopher Newport University with her Bachelor's of Music.  She has worked at Bruton High School since 2001 and was awarded 2005 Teacher of the Year.  Prior to Bruton, she taught at Tabb Elementary School.  She was awarded a "YCSD Golden Apple Teaching Award from the YCSD Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Stephen Staples.  Mrs. Townsend's  professional organizational groups include Music Educator Nation Association and Virginia Band and Orchestra Director Association.  As a clarinetist, she has performed Bb clarinet and bass clarinet with the VA Beach Symphony and the Peninsula Community Players in the show "Oklahoma".  She studied clarinet with Fran Goldman and Dr. Marvin Western.  Her conducting instructors include Percy Ironmonger and Dr. Mark Reimer.   During the summers, she has worked for the Hampton Roads Marching Band Academy as the head drum major instructor as well as drum major instructor at the Christopher Newport University Marching Band Camp.   She also has worked and currently works with local drum majors and student band leaders such as Tabb HS, Grafton HS, York HS, Menchville HS, Churchland HS. 

Mrs. Townsend is the Fine Arts Curriculum leader for Bruton HS and oversees all aspects of the band program at Bruton such as the "Marching Panthers", the Symphonic Band, Pit Orchestra, Jazz Band, Color Guard, various ensembles and Pep Band, as well as instructs the music theory program.  While at Bruton, she has lead the band to full competitive status with their marching, jazz and concert band.   Mrs. Townsend has created a documented history of excellence at Bruton HS.  The Bruton HS Band has received consistent excellent and superior ratings while under her baton at the state level and as well as in Canada, Florida, New York, Myrtle Beach, and Georgia.  Bruton HS music department received the VA Blue Ribbon Music Award and recently was named the 2011 CNU Honor Band. In her career, Mrs. Townsend is an active adjudicator in both marching and concert festivals.  She has also had the privilege of being the guest conductor for honor bands in Richmond, Newport News and Hampton Public Schools. 

Mrs. Townsend enjoys working with her students.   Her hope is that her students will leave Bruton with a great appreciation for music as well as a foundation for leadership skills and hard work.   Music is a very powerful thing.   Her thoughts are the same as those of  Ludwig Van Beethoven as he stated, "Music can change the world".   A band is something that can bring all types of people together for one common goal to make music.  Her goal is to help develop creative hardworking goal seekers. 

During her time away from Bruton,  one could find her spending time with her wonderful husband Howard, son Howard, and daughter Gabriella.