JANINE TURNER, a native Texan, is probably best known for her role as 'Maggie O'Connell' in the Emmy Award-winning CBS series, "Northern Exposure" and in the top rated, hit Lifetime series, "Strong Medicine." And now she has joined the cast of NBC’s critically acclaimed, "Friday Night Lights" to star as the eccentric Katie McCoy. Always creating, she recently produced and directed the short film “Trip in a Summer Dress” which also starred her young daughter Juliette. She won the coveted Best New Emerging Director for a short film at the Deep Ellum Film Festival. She recently starred with Tom Wilkinson in the movie “Night of the White Pants” and also stars in “Primal Doubt” a film for Lifetime Television. And, she co-produced and stars in a yoga video, called “Christoga”, which combines yoga moves with Christian meditation and is sold through her website as well as on Amazon.com. She also sang an original song she wrote for the DVD. Both DVDs and CD are available through her website, www.janineturner.com

Janine can now add author to her resume. As a single mother since her daughter was born, she spent the last year researching twelve extraordinary single women from history who succeeded in life in spite of life. Her book “Holding Her Head High” has received national acclaim and made the Washington Post Bestseller List. She currently speaks around the country as an inspirational speaker, most recently at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in California and appears regularly on the Fox News Channel. You may see clips on her website www.janineturner.com and her book is available there or at local bookstores or at Barnes&Noble.com or www.Amazon.com.

Janine developed a love for the arts at a young age. When she was three, her family moved to Euless, Texas, where Janine began studying acting and dance. In junior high-school, she began an apprenticeship with the Fort Worth Ballet and established a successful modeling career in Dallas, which in turn led to her signing with the well-known Wilhelmina Modeling Agency in New York. At the young age of fifteen, Janine was the modeling agency’s youngest client.

Continuing to model in New York, she also attended the Professional Children's School, and only a year later, back in Texas, landed a recurring role on the hit television series, “Dallas,” portraying Lucy Ewing's best friend. It was then that Janine made the decision to graduate from high school a year early, give up modeling and move to Los Angeles in order to pursue her acting career.

New to Los Angeles, she landed a starring role on the late-night CBS soap "Behind The Screen," spent a year on the long-running, “General Hospital” as 'Laura Templeton,' and appeared in the feature film, "Young Doctors in Love." After leaving “General Hospital,” Janine attended Pepperdine University with an intention to major in political science. After a semister she was cast in one of the coveted roles, Shevaun Tillman in Dino DeLaurentiis’ “Tai-Pan. She traveled to China for ten weeks and upon completion of the film, moved back to New York City to continue her theatrical studies.

While in New York, Janine studied with Marcia Haufrecht of The Actor's Studio and began working off-Broadway. She starred in The Ensemble Studio Theatre production of "Full Moon and High Tide in The Ladies Room," and performed with the avant-garde theatre group, The Common Ground Theatre. During this time, she also held a supporting role in George Romero's "Monkey Shines," and had a memorable turn as Olympia Dukakis' niece, 'Nancy Beth Marmilion,' in the acclaimed feature film, "Steel Magnolias."

Janine then made a return to television with a co-starring role as “Maggie O’Connell” in the hit CBS series, "Northern Exposure” where she earned an Emmy nomination and three Golden Globe Award nominations for best actress in a drama series. During this time, Janine was named one of People magazine's “50 Most Beautiful People,” one of US magazine's “10 Sexiest Women,” and one of Esquire magazine's “Women We Love.” In 1992, she received the Women at Work Award from the National Commission on Working Women.

During hiatus from “Northern Exposure," Janine flew to the Italian Alps to play a starring role opposite Sylvester Stallone in Columbia Tri-Star's international blockbuster, "Cliffhanger." Additional film credits include a starring role in "Curse of the Inferno," and as 'June Cleaver' in Universal's "Leave It to Beaver” and in Robert Altman's feature film, "Dr. T and the Women."

Turner has also starred in a number of highly-rated films for television. She starred opposite Jamie Sheridan and Hal Holbrook in the CBS telefilm, "Beauty," a CBS movie "Stolen Women," "Circle of Deceit" for ABC, "Fatal Error," a TBS original film, and "Barbara Taylor Bradford's A Secret Affair."

Janine recently received a Presidential appointment and proudly serves on the President’s Council of Service and Civic Participation. She travels the country volunteering and acknowledging great volunteers with Presidential Volunteer Service Awards at places such as: the Walter Reed Hospital, the American Red Cross, The Boys and Girls Club of America and Single Mother outreaches such as, My Sister’s Place and Inwood House. She held her first, “Holding Her High Awards Ceremony” in Washington DC in 2008 honoring Single Mothers such as Congresswomen Kay Granger and Ellen Tauscher. Turner and her beloved daughter live on their ranch, Mockingbird Hill, in North Texas with their five dogs, cat, two birds, two gerbils, two horses and 28 Longhorns. They manage the ranch themselves!!