Gates McFadden is Chief Medical Officer Dr. Beverly Crusher, who is in charge of the medical units aboard the Enterprise. Crusher and Riker are second in rank to the Captain. Dr. Crusher's husband, a Starship captain, was killed on a mission saving Captain Picard, so her relationship with Jean-Luc is powerfully charged. She also is the mother of "Wes" (Wil Wheaton), the Enterprise's brilliant young ensign, who is currently attending the Starfleet Academy.

Gates made her television directorial debut on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" this season with the episode entitled "Genesis" making her the first female cast member to direct an episode of the series. Beyond "Star Trek: The Next Generation" this season, Gates recently played The Devil in Stravinsky's "L'Histoire du Soldat" under the direction of Kent Nagano at the La Jolla Chamber Music Festival.

During the show's sixth season, Gates embarked on a four-city tour, appearing with fellow cast members Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, and Colm Meaney, in the Stoppard drama "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour." Also during the sixth season. Gates guest-starred on an episode of HBO's "Dream On" and while on hiatus, narrated Saint-Saens' "Carnival des Animaux" with Katia and Marielle Labeque and the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Leonard Slatkin.

During the third season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Gates was seen in "Beyond the Groove," a British television production, written by and starring the late actor David Rappaport. During the show's third season hiatus, Gates starred in the world premiere stage production of Derek Walcott's "Viva Detroit" in Los Angeles and was cast in the feature film "Taking Care of Business," co-starring Charles Grodin and Jim Belushi. Gates also had a part in the feature film "Hunt For Red October."

Prior to joining the cast of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Gates worked extensively on the New York stage, both acting and directing. Her acting credits include leads in the New York productions of "To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday," "How to Say Goodbye," "Cloud 9" and "Emerald City" by David Williamson. Gates, who also appeared in "The Muppets Take Manhattan," continued to work with Jim Henson for several years, serving as director of choreography and puppet movement on the film "Labyrinth."

Raised in Ohio, Gates served on the faculties of several theater arts training programs around the country including New York University Graduate School of the Arts, Brandeis University and the University of Pittsburgh. She earned her B.A. cum laude in Theatre Arts from Brandeis University and studied with Jacques LeCoq in Paris for several years. Two years ago, Gates gave birth to a next generation of her own, James Cleveland McFadden- Talbot.

McFadden on her favorite episode:

“I liked “The Host” because it introduced a very different species and asked the question "what is love?" in a very different way. The most fun I've ever had was directing Genesis, and I loved any moment that I was able to do comedy. And I'm sure the last two episodes will be the most memorable."