Majored in Art History at Wellesley College and studied Film at MIT
Started out as an editor on the film "Hollywood Boulevard" in 1976 and also worked as an assistant to Martin Scorsese on "Taxi Driver" the same year
Wrote, produced, and directed her first film, the comedic horror flick "The Slumber Party Massacre," in 1982
Quote: "(On film editing): "It really suited my sensibility․ I like things to move․ To this day, I'm always thinking, why didn't I lift that out, why didn't I move it along? I like to take an audience on a journey and go․""
Is the creator and executive producer of the TV series "Black Box․"
Best known as the writer of "Mystic Pizza," "Indecent Proposal," and "Beethoven․"
Had a bit part as a clerk in the 1978 Robert Corman comedy film "Piranha․"