She was raised in upstate Geneva, New York. She graduated from Geneva High School with the class of 1981 where she was a cheerleader.

One of her best known film roles was as Mary Swanson, Lloyd Christmas' love interest in the movie Dumb & Dumber. She also achieved popularity as Police Officer Maxine Stewart in the long-running TV series Picket Fences. In 2005 she joined the cast of NCIS as Director Shepard.

Lauren's father is an English literature teacher at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, so it was no wonder when she graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1985 with a B.A. degree in that field of study. Both her parents were teachers, her mother being an art history teacher at the University of Rochester.

Lauren has been married three times: Francis Greco (March 10, 2001 - present) 3 children, Jim Carrey (September 23, 1996 - July 29, 1997) (divorced), Danny Quinn (1991 - 1993) (divorced).