Dorothy Dalton's childhood memories of her mother, an obstetrician and gynaecologist, cycling off in the middle of the night to deliver a baby in one of the poorest districts of a sprawling Indian city had a profound impact on her. India gave her a great a love of travel and exploration. Her commitment to disadvantaged people stemmed very much from her mother's work. She combined both elements by setting up a tiny charity which takes disabled and disadvantaged teenagers on challenging month-long expeditions. She has learned to cope with various challenging situations on these expeditions including dealing with a schizophrenic, disabled boy threatening to take some one hostage with a knife at an airport in Central America.

In 1993 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the charity that she set up, she organised her first fund raising expedition. Ten women canoed, kayaked and white-water rafted the length of the Zambezi between Zimbabwe and Zambia. They slept on the banks of the river to the sounds of the roars of lions in the background. One of their canoes was attacked by a crocodile, rafts overturned in the swirling waters of the Zambezi and they were charged by a buffalo. Undaunted, she and the other women concerned have continued to organise and participate in fundraising expeditions including travelling on camels across the Jordanian desert and walking across the Andes following paths that had not been used for 50 years.

When not organising expeditions Dorothy is editor of governance: essential information for effective trustees and author of several publications on governance. She advises a number of professionally managed charities on their governance and is the independent chair of the Scope Governance Working Group. She is part-time Director of Voluntary Sector Development at Horwath Clark Whitehill (firm of accountants specialising in charities) and part-time Charities Consultant to Bircham Dyson Bell (firm of solicitors specialising in charities).

With a "first" in mathematics, Dorothy, a former headteacher, was Chief Executive of ACEVO, the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisation from 1992 to 2000. From 2000 to 2003 she was a Non-Executive Director of the Inland Revenue. She is trustee of several charities including Marie Curie Cancer Care. She is a governor of International Students House and chairs their Governance Advisory Committee. She is chair of trustees of the JoLt Trust and of Orley Farm School Trust. She is a Visiting Fellow at the Leadership Trust. She founded the JoLt Trust and co-founded Groundbreakers: Voluntary sector women leaders and the Network of Women Chairs. She was a member of the Metropolitan Special Constabulary for several years.

Dorothy has been married to her husband, Bill, for 35 years and they have two sons.