She gained a PGCE from the University of Central England, subsequently working as a teacher in Birmingham, Sandwell and Dudley Local Education Authorities from 1981 to 1994.
Waltho was the Agent for the West Midlands Regional Labour Party from 2001 to 2004, and worked as principal advisor to Neena Gill MEP from 2004 to 2005.
[1] In November 2005, she was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to David Hanson MP, Minister of State in the Northern Ireland Office, remaining in this role until 2007.
[1] Waltho became Head of Public Affairs for the Green Bus Company in 2010, and from 2012 to 2015, was Managing Director of Clearvu Communications.
[1] In April 2019, Waltho announced that she was seeking the Labour Party nomination as their candidate in the 2020 election (later postponed to 2021 owing to the Coronavirus pandemic) for the position of Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority, which was held by Conservative Andy Street.