Strong was born in Brightwood, Oregon and grew up near Portland, Oregon, graduating in 1978 from Sandy High School in Sandy, Oregon. She later moved to Arizona to attend college. She graduated from Arizona State University with Bachelor of Music in musical theatre. Strong was crowned Miss Arizona in 1980. Strong stands 5' 11 1/2".

Her first break after college was a spot in Billy Crystals 1984 music video You Look Marvelous. Her first television appearances began in 1985 with brief stints on St. Elsewhere, MacGyver, and Cheers. She also made guest appearances on Matlock, Murphy Brown, Herman's Head, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Blossom, as well as a recurring role on the cult favorite Twin Peaks.

By the mid-90s, she was a regular guest player on dozens of series, with prominent recurring roles on 3rd Rock From the Sun and Party of Five. Strong also appeared on ER, Picket Fences, Silk Stalkings and Dawson's Creek.

One of Strong's most prominent roles during the 1990s was a recurring stint as Elaines nemesis Sue Ellen Mischke, the "bra-less wonder" and candy bar heiress, on several episodes of the hit sitcom Seinfeld.

She is well known to viewers for recurring roles on Sports Night, in which she played Sally Sasser, the nemesis of Felicity Huffman's Dana Whitaker. She also guest starred on The WB's popular 7th Heaven, Gilmore Girls and Everwood. While working for The WB, she also managed to squeeze in guest appearances on Ally McBeal, Nip/Tuck, CSI, Malcolm in the Middle, and the short-lived The Lyon s Den.

Strong appeared in movies such as Spaceballs, The Deep End of the Ocean, Red Dragon, Exposed, (film),Starship Troopers and Starship Troopers 2. More recently, she can be seen in the dramatic Lifetime movie Family in Hiding which premiered on August 6, 2006 as well as Curb Your Enthusiasm where she plays the love interest of Larry David.

As a certified yoga instructor and fertility expert, Strong has experience teaching at UCLA's Mind/Body Institute. She is currently working on her first book about yoga and the woman's journey.

She married Tom Henri in July 1989 and they have a child together, Zak Henri.