She was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and raised in Vancouver. Walsh earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Alberta and started her career appearing on stage across Canada and in the United States in many classics. For Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing she won a Dramalogue Award - Best Actress for her portrayal of Beatrice. Her first appearance on screen was in a 1984 TV movie of Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe.