Having graduated in Medicine in 1997, Alex spent time as a hospital doctor before moving into the specialty of public health medicine. She has a Masters in Public Health and her PhD was about how we make better policies in cities to optimise health, fairness and environmental sustainability - particularly with regard to bicycling. She teaches environmental health as part of the MPH programme at the University of Otago. She is also a public health "activist" in the area of climate change and health. Having co-founded OraTaiao: NZ Climate & Health Council in 2009 she is currently its co-convenor - it's an organisation of more than 700 doctors and other senior health professionals pressing for healthy climate policy in NZ and globally.