Liz was born in Dublin and educated at Villiers School in Limerick, before relocating to England as a teenager where she attended Newlands School in Maidenhead. Inspired by an A-level supply teacher who devoted a term to food chemistry, she went on to study chemistry at third level. Between leaving school and university she worked as a Colour Technician for Imperial Chemical Industries Dulux Paints, Slough. She studied in Liverpool, taking a Bachelor of Science in Applied Chemistry and a Master of Science in Instrumental Chemical Analysis. During this time, she also worked for Liverpool City Council, initially as a Laboratory Technician and later as a Senior Chemist at Liverpool City Analyst Laboratory where she tested food for composition and contaminants, consumer products, environmental analysis and forensic toxicology; it was in this latter role that she became interested in the role of public analyst, working on such diverse things as testing dyes, water, cement and post-mortem samples. In 2006, she was awarded the Mastership in Chemical Analysis by the Royal Society of Chemistry, an exacting qualification required by The Food Safety Act 1990 to be appointed as a public analyst.
Career
After completing her Masters, Liz stayed with Liverpool City Council working as a Senior Chemist. In April 2003, she moved to Eurofins where she served as Analytical Services Manager for four years. Subsequent to this, she moved to Worcestershire County Council working as a Public Analyst & Scientific Adviser and Head of Worcestershire Scientific Services laboratory. In October 2011 she moved to her current role as Deputy Head of Scientific Services for Public Analyst Scientific Services Limited where she acts as public and agricultural analyst for local authorities in England and Wales and has a central business development role in the company. In 2013, during the horsemeat scandal Liz was prominent in the media and found her way on to the BBC Breakfast red sofa, discussing food testing. She also gave evidence to the Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs Parliamentary Committee. In 2014, she was chosen as one of the 100 leading UK practising scientists by the Science Council, being recognised for her long-standing commitment and leadership to public health in food, water, environment and consumer products.
