Townsend is best known for her roles as Wendy Reardon on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives (1994–96), and Greta McClure, Eddie's girlfriend on the ABC/CBS sitcom Family Matters (1995–98).
In 1997, she played the female leading role in the comedy film The Pest starring John Leguizamo.
[3] She has played guest-starring roles in Quantum Leap,In The Heat of The Night, Living Single, The Practice, Felicity, Walker, Texas Ranger, Friends, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Townsend again appeared in a recurring role on the short-lived UPN sitcom Grown Ups with Family Matters star Jaleel White.
In 2015, Townsend began starring as Kira Cooper, the mother of Zendaya's lead character, on the Disney Channel sitcom K.C.