Lauren Potter

An inspiration to all, Lauren Potter has proven herself to be a woman of strength and character. When professionals told her she “couldn’t” or “wouldn’t,” she worked harder – sometimes to the point of exhaustion. Barriers and limitations put before her became a personal challenge to let people know she is worthy of high ideals and capable of great expectations. She was appointed by President Barack Obama as a member of the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, which provides advice about intellectual disabilities to the president and the secretary of Health and Human Services.

Potter made her acting debut in the movie Mr. Blue Sky where her impressive performance caught the attention of the producers of the hit FOX television series, "Glee," on which she played the spunky character ‘Becky Jackson’ for six seasons. She was nominated for a SAG Award in the category of “Ensemble in a Comedy Series” for her work on "Glee."

Potter was also honored with the SAG/AFTRA Harold Russell Award at the Media Access Awards for this series. She has since starred in and executive produced the independent drama Guest Room, which made its debut at the 2015 SXSW Film Festival. Most recently, Potter has guest-starred on "Chicago Med" (NBC), "Veep" (HBO), and "Switched At Birth" (Freeform).

Potter serves as an advocate for those with disabilities through organizations including AbilityPath, Best Buddies International, the Down Syndrome Association, the American Association of People with Disabilities, and Special Olympics. She has worked with the non-profit in conjunction with Special Olympics’ “R-Word: Spread the Word to End the Word” anti-bullying campaign. She is thrilled to be using her voice to speak out for other people with disabilities who may not have the same opportunities.