A native of Seattle, Washington, Bissett began her career in front of the camera at the age of 12 as a model in print advertisements and television commercials.
By that time, she had adopted her mother's maiden name as her stage name, after her original surname Heutmaker was found too difficult for agents to pronounce.
In 2009–10, Bissett made guest appearances in two episodes of The CW's updated version of Melrose Place, reprising her role as Jane Andrews-Mancini.
She starred in the Lifetime Television original film The Other Woman, based on the novel by Joy Fielding and directed by Jason Priestley.
She also hosted the PBS educational special Teach More, Love More which follows four families, each with a child in a stage of early childhood development.
Ronald Harnois, a convicted bigamist serving a 20-year sentence for trying to kill his first wife with a car bomb, was charged in 1998 with the murder-for-hire of Petrin and her Burger King co-worker.
[5] She has appeared on several magazine covers, including TV Guide, Rolling Stone,[6] Entertainment Weekly, Shape's Fit Pregnancy and New Woman.