Young was raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. She earned her BFA from Scripps College (in Claremont, California) and continued her acting at the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in London. She began sculpting in 1977 at Scripps College, learning her craft under the tutelage of renowned sculptor Aldo Casanova. In Italy, she expanded her talents by working in Carrara marble with Italian artisans. In 2006, four of Dey's pieces were selected as Los Angeles County Museum's Special Projects and exhibited on the Art and Architecture Tour. This honor was again bestowed in 2012. In 2011, her work was selected by the National Sculpture Society to be featured online in their "LOVE" exhibition. On celluloid, she may be best-known for her roles in Pretty Woman (1990), Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979), Spaceballs (1987), Melrose Place (1992), and various Star Trek series, to name a few. She is a lifetime member of The Actor's Studio.