# Kirsten Nelson

Kirsten Nelson (born October 3, 1970) is an American actress and director best known for her role as police chief Karen Vick on the TV series Psych.

## Early life and education

Kirsten Nelson was born in Enid, Oklahoma and raised in Chicago. Nelson grew up playing the piano and singing, and has said "I wanted to be a concert pianist at Carnegie Hall, that is what I wanted to do from really early on." Nelson graduated from Northwestern University.

## Career

Nelson was a founding member of Chicago's Roadworks Theatre Ensemble before moving to Los Angeles in 1995.
She is known for her starring role as Police Chief Karen Vick on Psych.
Nelson's career includes roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (as Lorraine), The O'Keefes (as Ellie O'Keefe), Baby's Day Out, The Fugitive, Frasier, Ally McBeal, The West Wing, Just Shoot Me! and Boy Meets World. She played Danielle Bishop in four episodes of 2018's K.C. Undercover.

## Personal life

Nelson is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She married in 1995 and has two children.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1993 | The Fugitive | Betty | |
| 1994 | Baby's Day Out | Woman in Park | |
| 1997 | Three Women of Pain | Lani | Short |
| 2004 | Larceny | Della | |
| 2005 | War of the Worlds | Businesswoman | |
| 2017 | Limelight | Liz Chance | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | The Untouchables | Daisy | Episode: "The Last Gauntlet" |
| 1996 | Ned and Stacey | Wife | Episode: "The Other End" |
| 1997 | Chicago Sons | Lisa | Episode: "Love in the Time of Cicadas" |
| 1997 | Temporarily Yours | Chrystle | Episode: "Independence Day" |
| 1997 | The Practice | Judy Burke | Episode: "The Civil Right" |
| 1999 | The Pretender | ATF Agent Beth Swik | Episode: "Flesh & Blood" |
| 1999 | Boy Meets World | Jessica | Episode: "Cutting the Cord" |
| 1999 | Thanks | Polly Winthrop | Main role |
| 2000 | Pensacola: Wings of Gold | Sgt. Carol Davis / Davidson | Episode: "Answered Prayers" |
| 2001 | Just Shoot Me! | Helen | Episode: "Sid & Nina" |
| 2001 | The West Wing | Dolores Landingham (young) | Episode: "Two Cathedrals" |
| 2002 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Lorraine Ross | Episodes: "Doublemeat Palace", "Normal Again" |
| 2002 | Providence | Kim | Episode: "Limbo" |
| 2002 | Ally McBeal | Connie Dekumbis | Episode: "Tom Dooley" |
| 2003, 2005 | Everwood | Ellie Beals | Episodes: "Three Miners from Everwood", "Where the Heart Is" |
| 2003 | The O'Keefes | Ellie O'Keefe | Main role |
| 2004 | Frasier | Ellie | Episode: "Match Game" |
| 2004 | Stuck in the Suburbs | Susan Aarons | TV film |
| 2005 | Without a Trace | Ms. MacPherson | Episode: "Party Girl" |
| 2005 | Malcolm in the Middle | Jeanie | Episode: "Mrs. Tri-County" |
| 2005 | Mrs. Harris | TV Interviewer | TV film |
| 2006 | The Ant Bully | Hova / Generic Ant (voice) | Video game |
| 2006–2014 | Psych | Karen Vick | Main role |
| 2008 | Eli Stone | Dana Asbury | Episode: "Heartbeat" |
| 2010 | Ghost Whisperer | Sarah Davidson | Episode: "Lethal Combination" |
| 2012 | Parenthood | Mrs. Ellis | Episode: "It Is What It Is" |
| 2012 | NCIS | Beth Banks | Episode: "Psych Out" |
| 2012 | Warehouse 13 | Judy Giltoy | Episode: "No Pain No Gain" |
| 2014 | Saint George | Ms. Sloan | Episode: "School's Out" |
| 2015 | Bones | Nina Slocum | Episode: "The Donor in the Drink" |
| 2015 | NCIS: New Orleans | Vivienne Lambert | Episode: "Confluence" |
| 2017 | Psych: The Movie | Karen Vick | TV film |
| 2017 | Versus | Paige | TV series |
| 2018 | K.C. Undercover | Danielle Bishop | Episodes: "The Domino Effect", "Domino: Parts 2–4" |
| 2019 | This Is Us | Dr. Green | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Bluff City Law | Emma Sutton | Episode: "You Don't Need a Weatherman" |
| 2020 | Psych 2: Lassie Come Home | Karen Vick | TV film |
| 2021 | Psych 3: This Is Gus | Karen Vick | TV film |