Originally from Scotland, she has lived and worked in a number of countries, including Belgium, Mexico and Palestine. She embarked on a freelance career after her arrival in Canada in 2008. Previously, she spent five years in Brussels, where she covered EU business, finance and economics for European Voice, sister newspaper of The Economist. As a freelancer, she has written for outlets in Canada and Europe, including the BBC, The Scotsman, Toronto Star, Montreal Gazette and National Post.