From July 2, 1999 to September 18, 2009, she played complex villainess/anti-heroine Olivia Spencer on "Guiding Light". The role of Olivia was initially only intended to be a short-term role, but Chappell's portrayal was so popular she was signed to a contract. She won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama for her work as Olivia in 2002 and was nominated again in the same category in 2005 and 2006. In 2007, she earned her first nomination in the Outstanding Lead Actress category.