Lydia grew up in Aotearoa New Zealand. She has a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry and a Masters of Teaching and Learning with Distinction specialising in Chemistry, Maths and Science. Lydia joined VIS in August 2016. Prior to becoming a teacher, she worked in the pharmaceutical industry in Basel in drug discovery where she synthesised target compounds for testing, and in project management organising clinical trials over different time zones and languages, as well as at the EPFL in the Supramolecular Nano-Materials and Interfaces Laboratory synthesising gold nanoparticles. Lydia speaks English, French and German as well as some Māori.

In her spare time she likes to ride her bikes, ski and ski tour, swim and hike.