Actress Amy Carlson attended Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, where she became active theater productions of Fifth of July, Noises Off, A Lie of the Mind, and School for Scandal. In 1992, she landed a small role in the film The Babe and then gradually acquired TV gigs through shows like Missing Persons, The Untouchables and Another World, where she played Josephine Watts from 1993 to 1998. In 2000, Carlson joined the cast of Third Watch and became a household name thanks to her role as Alex Taylor. She also played Katie Owen on Peacemakers and A.D.A. Kelly Gaffney on Law & Order: Trial by Jury. In 2010, she became part of the CBS police drama Blue Bloods as Linda Reagan.