Past Deacon of the Edinburgh Incorporation of Bakers, Burgess of the City of Edinburgh, a Governor of the Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh. Trustee of the Edinburgh Bakers Trust (acting secretary).

Elizabeth has served as a trustee and director of educational charities.

Elizabeth graduated from St. Andrews University and trained as an investment analyst at Wood, Mackenzie, stockbrokers, Edinburgh. After working in finance in New York, London and Glasgow, she returned to Edinburgh to work for Standard Life and was responsible for their segregated pension funds under management.

Latterly, she obtained a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Edinburgh, where she is now a Teaching Fellow.