Khandi Alexander (born September 4, 1957) is an American dancer, choreographer, and actress. She is best known for the roles of Dr. Alexx Woods in the CBS police procedural series CSI: Miami, as LaDonna Batiste-Williams in HBO drama Treme, and as Catherine Duke in NBC sitcom NewsRadio. She also had a major recurring roles in NBC medical drama ER as Jackie Robbins, sister to Dr. Peter Benton, and as Maya Lewis, Olivia Pope's mother in ABC drama Scandal. Alexander also received critical acclaim for her performance in the HBO miniseries The Corner in 2000.

Early life

Khandi Alexander was born in New York City, the daughter of Alverina Yavonna (Masters), an opera and jazz singer, and Henry Roland Alexander, who owned a construction company. She was educated at Queensborough Community College. She appeared on Broadway, starring in Chicago, Bob Fosse's Dancin, and Dreamgirls. She was a choreographer for Whitney Houston's world tour from 1988–1992, and also appeared as a dancer in Natalie Cole's video for "Pink Cadillac" in 1988.