My Background
I was born in Chesham in Buckinghamshire, where I attended school and achieved O levels and A levels. I knew at an early age that I wanted to be a scientist and attended the University of Liverpool to study Biochemistry and Medical Cell Biology. After graduation I moved to the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine to study for a Masters degree in Parasitology and Entomology. I then worked at the Royal Liverpool Hospital on a Hepatitis C testing project, before moving to the Institute of Cancer Research in Surrey to work on HPV. I spent a couple of years at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on a malaria vaccine project before deciding to pursue my PhD. I moved to Imperial College where I studied and gained my doctorate in the Genetics of Autoimmune disease. I stayed for 10 years in the end, teaching undergraduates and postgraduates, and carrying out medical research.
I moved to the Isle of Man in 2005 and was invited to teach at Castle Rushen High School, and then at the University College of Man. My subjects were Biology, Applied Science and Environmental Science at A level and research skills and disease control on the Public Health Science degree. At the same time, the family business was getting busier so I left College to concentrate on developing the business further.
My husband and I are directors of Irish Sea Diving &Marine Services which trades as Discover Diving, and we work together in the business. Running a dive centre is a great challenge, and no two days are the same. As well as a busy training and diving schedule, there's boat maintenance, the retail shop, visiting tourist dive trips to arrange and cylinder testing to be done. I have a wide range of transferable skills in communication, planning, marketing, finance and budgeting as a result. I enjoy scuba diving and snorkelling and feel privileged that I am able to visit the beautiful underwater world. I spend a lot of time in the cellar dressing people in black rubber suits - but I prefer to call it wetsuit-fitting!
In 2016, I was elected to Port St Mary Commissioners and I became the Chair in 2018. The problems faced by PSM Commissioners have been well documented, but by the end of my tenure, I had helped steer through many changes in policy, introduced new policies to deal with problematic issues and the Board was back on a stable financial platform, with tight controls on budgets and spending. Local government was an excellent introduction to the workings of national government and our legislature. It has also given me insight into various department of Government especially DoI and DEFA. I decided not to stand for re-election in 2021 because I knew I wanted to be a candidate for the General Election.
I currently live with my family 'over the shop' in Port St Mary. I have 3 sons, one working in the UK, one at university and one still in school. We have one ageing dog called Tilly who would do anything for someone to throw a ball for her.
I moved to the Isle of Man in 2005 and was invited to teach at Castle Rushen High School, and then at the University College of Man. My subjects were Biology, Applied Science and Environmental Science at A level and research skills and disease control on the Public Health Science degree. At the same time, the family business was getting busier so I left College to concentrate on developing the business further.
My husband and I are directors of Irish Sea Diving &Marine Services which trades as Discover Diving, and we work together in the business. Running a dive centre is a great challenge, and no two days are the same. As well as a busy training and diving schedule, there's boat maintenance, the retail shop, visiting tourist dive trips to arrange and cylinder testing to be done. I have a wide range of transferable skills in communication, planning, marketing, finance and budgeting as a result. I enjoy scuba diving and snorkelling and feel privileged that I am able to visit the beautiful underwater world. I spend a lot of time in the cellar dressing people in black rubber suits - but I prefer to call it wetsuit-fitting!
In 2016, I was elected to Port St Mary Commissioners and I became the Chair in 2018. The problems faced by PSM Commissioners have been well documented, but by the end of my tenure, I had helped steer through many changes in policy, introduced new policies to deal with problematic issues and the Board was back on a stable financial platform, with tight controls on budgets and spending. Local government was an excellent introduction to the workings of national government and our legislature. It has also given me insight into various department of Government especially DoI and DEFA. I decided not to stand for re-election in 2021 because I knew I wanted to be a candidate for the General Election.
I currently live with my family 'over the shop' in Port St Mary. I have 3 sons, one working in the UK, one at university and one still in school. We have one ageing dog called Tilly who would do anything for someone to throw a ball for her.
