Ali studied medicine at Leeds University from 1994, after which she went into Anaesthesia training. In 2003, she took a year out of training to travel to New Zealand, where she completed a year of general medicine training in between skiing and running, which took the rest of her time. Ali then came back into training in the Mersey region before becoming a consultant in ICU and Anaesthesia in 2012.

Her interests in critical care are infections and sepsis, ultrasound and teaching. She is a point-of-care ultrasound for intensive care (CUSIC) mentor for ultrasound training and infection control lead for the department. She also organises the regional registrar training programme for the Mersey region and the regional critical care seminar held in Liverpool each year.

Outside of work Ali is a (slow, PB 4hr 52!) marathon runner and she plays the oboe in a local orchestra.

Ali is an editor for the e-LA and e-ICM projects.