Runnels was originally a make-up artist for CNN from 1985 to 1991, where she worked on Larry King's make-up.[1] On the weekends, she did makeup for the wrestlers of Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP).[4] When the company was purchased by Ted Turner in 1988 and renamed World Championship Wrestling (WCW), she moved to Atlanta and continued doing make-up for some of the wrestlers.[3] Booker Ole Anderson eventually asked her to become part of the roster as a manager.[3] Runnels debuted in 1990 as Alexandra York, a laptop-carrying accountant who led an alliance known as the York Foundation, a group of wrestlers with finance-themed gimmicks.[3] The York character was created over a lunch with Tony Schiavone, one of WCW's announcers.[4] She worked at WCW for two years.[3]