An "army brat" born to American parents in Germany, Kimberly was raised in Minnesota and in New York. After high school, she became a bunny at the New York City Playboy Club, which led to her becoming the September 1984 Playmate of the Month. A few acting roles followed, most notably as the sexy foreign exchange student Inga in the raunchy comedy Porky's Revenge (1985). She also had starring roles in the comedy The Big Bet (1985), the strip club drama Kandyland (1987) and the thriller Kidnapped (1987).