Quinn was born in Yardley, Pennsylvania, United States, to a theater-actress mother (from whom she drew the inspiration to also become an actress). She was raised in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. . Quinn was[when?] a swing (covering multiple orphan roles) in the Broadway company of Annie before moving on to the title role at age 10 in the film production of Annie (1982). Quinn graduated in 1994 from Drew University, receiving a BA (with Honors) degree. She worked for a short time as a translator, but took a role in the touring company of Fiddler on the Roof Quinn performed[when?] in the National Tours of Peter Pan, in Fiddler on the Roof and in Saturday Night Fever as Annette.

Quinn hosted Generation Gap, an interactive sitcom used to teach kids how to resolve conflicts. It was written and directed by filmmaker Edna Harris and aired on PBS in 2004. Quinn is slated to play a minor role in the upcoming film Multiple Sarcasms, starring Timothy Hutton and Mira Sorvino.[citation needed] Quinn is an adjunct theater professor at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, New Jersey.[citation needed] (Monmouth University is coincidentally the same site of the film version of Annie, in which Quinn performed as the title character.)

Quinn is also currently a Spanish, Drama and Dance teacher at Hudson Catholic Regional High School in Jersey City, New Jersey.