Stringfield began acting in high school and later picked up a BFA in acting from the Acting Conservatory of SUNY at Purchase before moving to New York City. A few weeks after graduation, she was working in a theater box office when she was called in to audition for the role on "Guiding Light" which launched her career. In between tapings, she was able to make appearances in several Off-Broadway and Broadway productions. After leaving "ER", she taught acting at SUNY Purchase and was virtually unrecognizable in the small role of Steve Rubell's accountant in "54" (1998). The following year, she made a much ballyhooed return to NBC in the TV-movie "Border Line", which was executive produced by her former "ER" co-star Anthony Edwards. In a somewhat surprising move, Stringfield reprised her role of Dr. Susan Lewis on "ER" beginning in fall 2001.