Shannon Cochran

Shannon Elaine Cochran She graduated from Page High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. She attended Wake Forest University but left to go into acting. She graduated from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 1982.

Career Cochran has performed in multiple theatres in the US and Europe. She began acting professionally in theaters in Cincinnati and Memphis, and in 1984 she toured with a revue whose stops included the Bahamas, Boston, California, and Miami.

She played Pam Beesly's mother in The Office episode "Sexual Harassment" (later replaced by Linda Purl).

Personal life Cochran married actor Michael Canavan.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1992 The Babe Flapper Seinfeld SheilaEpisode: "The Parking Space" Empty Nest StacyEpisode: "It's Not Easy Being Green"1993 L.A. Law D.D.A. Ms. SchiffEpisode: "F.O.B."1993–1994 NYPD Blue Lois Snyder 4 episodes1994 The Untouchables Episode: "The Last Gauntlet" Star Trek: The Next Generation Kalita Episode: "Preemptive Strike" The Haunting of Seacliff Inn Sheriff Tomizack TV movie Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Kalita / Sirella 2 episodes1995 Full House Morgan Episode: "Michelle Rides Again"1997 Chicago Hope Linda Kellerd Episode: "Colonel of Truth" Saved by the Bell: The New Class Ms. RichardsEpisode: "Her Brother's Keeper"1998 ER Mrs. KlingmanEpisode: "Masquerade"1999 Witness Protection Psychologist TV movie2000 Any Day NowEpisode: "It's a Mother-Daughter Thing" Grosse Pointe Julie's Mom Episode: "Satisfaction"2001 Touched by an Angel Val Episode: "I Am an Angel" Gilmore Girls Meena Episode: "Like Mother, Like Daughter"2002 The Ring Anna Morgan Star Trek: Nemesis Senator Tal'aura 2003 Frasier Bank Manager Episode: "Roe to Perdition" Charlie Lawrence Newscaster Episode: "A Vote of Confidence"2004 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Cindy Cramer / Sarah Episode: "Charisma"2005 Without a TraceDr. Witmer Episode: "Volcano" The Office Helene Beesly Episode: "Sexual Harassment"2006 Grey's AnatomyMary Singleton Episode: "Begin the Begin" The Substance of Things Hoped For Dr. Drury The Bold and the BeautifulProsecutor Gilmore 2 episodes Close to HomeMeredith Episode: "Legacy"2007 The Unit Capt. Lisa Episode: "In Loco Parentis"2009 Numbers Doctor IversonEpisode: "The Fifth Man"2010 Fringe Patricia Van Horn Episode: "Do Shapeshifters Dream of Electric Sheep?"2011 Off the Map Marian Cooper Episode: "It's a Leaf" The Perfect Family Mary Donovan Desperate HousewivesMeg Butler Episode: "The Lies Ill-Concealed"2012–2013 Scandal Attorney General Susan Sawyer 3 episodes2014 NCIS Mallory Linn Episode: "Bulletproof"2015 NCIS: Los Angeles Dr. Susan Rathburn Episode: "Citadel"2016 Modern Family Nancy Decker Episode: "Grab It"2019 Captive State Cathy Mulligan2025 Ballard Paula HopkinsonEpisode: "Beneath the Surface" The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Rosanna