<P> Friedman attended West Los Angeles Baptist High School and Santa Monica College . In 1992, she portrayed Amanda, the girlfriend of the character Charles "Corky" Thacher, on the TV show Life Goes On for two seasons . In 1993 she appeared in an episode of Baywatch, in which Mary Lou Retton organizes a Special Olympics - like event . She starred in the 1997 film Smudge as Cindy, a girl in a group home for people with disabilities who attempts to hide her puppy, Smudge . The film won the 1998 Humanitas Prize in the Children's Live Action category . </P> <P> Friedman voiced Ellen, a character with Down syndrome, in the Family Guy episode "Extra Large Medium", her first role as a voice actress . In the episode, Friedman's character stated "My dad's an accountant and my mom is the former Governor of Alaska", referencing Sarah Palin's son, Trig, who has Down syndrome . However, per Friedman, "Sarah Palin said that was insensitive and cruel" and Friedman felt "it was only a joke ." In an email concerning Palin's criticism of the episode, she said, "I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor ." She concluded, "In my family we think laughing is good . My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life ." </P> <P> Friedman also had main roles in episodes of Law and Order: SVU, "Competence", playing a pregnant young woman named Katie. and Walker, Texas Ranger, "Special Witness", where she played a young woman in the Special Olympics who witnessed Trent Malloy being stabbed . </P> <P> A 48 minute documentary about her life, A Possible Dream: The Andrea Friedman Story with narration by Joanne Woodward premiered in 2009 . As of 2010, Friedman had been working at a law firm, in the accounting department, for 20 years . She also occasionally works as an assistant teacher for the Pathway program in UCLA, where she helps teach students how to live independently . She has traveled to India and Japan, and speaks some Japanese . She also enjoys bowling and skiing . </P>

Who played katie on law and order svu