Born in Berkeley, CA; educated at San Diego State University. Worked at local San Diego TV station KCST in various posts (e.g. video editor, news production coordinator) before forming the highly successful Amblin Entertainment with Frank Marshall and Steven Spielberg in 1984. Kennedy has since had a hand in most of the company's films, as well as on every Spielberg-directed feature from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) to INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (2008). To date, Kennedy has acted as producer or executive producer for over 70 films and TV series. She and Marshall (who are married) established their own production company, The Kennedy/Marshall Company, to develop projects for Marshall (ARACHNOPHOBIA, 1990; ALIVE, 1993; and CONGO, 1995) and other directors: Frank Oz (THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD, 1995); Doug Limon (THE BOURNE IDENTITY, 2002); Scott Elliott (A MAP OF THE WORLD, 1999); Richard Benjamin (MILK MONEY (1994); Gary Ross (SEABISCUIT, 2003); M. Night Shyamalan (THE SIXTH SENSE, 1999, and SIGNS, 2002); and Scott Hicks (SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS, 1999). Her twin sister is location manager/visual effects coordinator Connie Kennedy.

Nominated for Best Picture 1982: E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL - Producer at Universal (w. Steven Spielberg)  Nominated for Best Picture 1985: THE COLOR PURPLE - Producer at Warner Bros. (w. Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall & Quincy Jones)  Nominated for Best Picture 1999: THE SIXTH SENSE - Producer at Hollywood Pictures/Spyglass (w. Frank Marshall & Barry Mendel)  Nominated for Best Picture 2003: SEABISCUIT - Producer at Universal, DreamWorks/Spyglass (w. Frank Marshall & Gary Ross)  Nominated for Best Picture 2005: MUNICH - Producer (w. Steven Spielberg & Barry Mendel) 5 nominations