Originally from Hertfordshire with a degree from Warwick University in Environmental Science, Gail started her career with BT working in head office in all areas from data, data communications and data administration. After sponsorship to a Masters degree in Telecoms Management, she spent a year travelling around the world looking at telecoms and developing an interest in marketing.

Leaving BT in 1999 Gail came up to Cumbria and bought a business called Lakeland Photographic Holidays based in Braithwaite. Over 20 years they won an award for the best tourist experience, and over the time trained about 3000 photographers in the Lake District.

Gail's area of expertise is very much running a small business. Setting up a business, finance, marketing and customer relationship management are key areas with a specialism in digital marketing. She is particularly passionate about being a woman managing business in Cumbria and felt she could share that expertise with a lot of people.

Gail loves to deal with so many businesses and working with people who have become friends. She says the hardest part of her job is explain when ideas already exist or have already been done 20 times already.