While studying at Chapman University she wrote, produced, directed, and acted in a number of short films and stage plays and graduated in 2008 with a BFA in theatre performance.

[4] In 2014, McKendrick wrote, produced and starred in the pop musical web series Destroy the Alpha Gammas.

[11] In 2022, McKendrick wrote, directed and starred in the feature film Scrambled, about a broke, single 34-year-old woman that decides to freeze her eggs following a breakup.

[14] In February 2023, it was announced that McKendrick was writing a sequel to the 1997 slasher I Know What You Did Last Summer for Sony Pictures.

The film will star Jennifer Garner and will be produced by Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter for Hello Sunshine.