She is 57 and is married with two grown-up sons. She was the Liberal Democrat candidate in Westminster and Scottish Parliament elections for Moray in 2001, 2003 and 2005, and increased her vote each time.

She is a local Moray Councillor and chairs its social inclusion working party. She runs her own small business and is a former board member of both the Grampian Society for the Blind and the Scottish National Federation of the Blind. Her interests include art and craftwork.