The 30-year-old former Kaikorai hooker is a front-line police officer in Dunedin and a referee on the rise.
They are both tough gigs and you have to have a sense of humour about it.
"You are always making somebody unhappy," she joked.
Well, not everybody. Actually, she is doing a cracking job behind the whistle. Just four years after deciding to take up refereeing, she has been promoted to the high performance squad for the 2022 provincial rugby season.
Doherty grew up in Outram, played junior rugby in West Taieri and premier rugby for Kaikorai.
Life got in the way for a few years when she left university. But she was keen to get involved again and refereeing was a way back in without the bumps and bruises.
"I’ve always been a rugby fan and just wanted to stay involved in some way and did not feel like being sore all day on Sunday and Monday as well."
There was a sense of duty as well. A desire to answer the call. And that is where some of the satisfaction comes from.
"I know that referee numbers are dwindling and it can be pretty tough for us. It is good to help out where I can," she said.
Doherty started out refereeing at under-13 level but quickly showed her ability and will make her Palmer Cup debut when she controls the Tasman-Taranaki match in Nelson later this month.
It is rapid rise and there will be a lot more people watching. She will be nervous but is really looking forward to the challenge.
Potentially every blast of the whistle will upset someone. But while Doherty is a rookie domestic referee, she knows how to deal with troublemakers.
"Sometimes you have to nip it in the bud a wee bit and let them know that is that and move on rather than get into too much of a dialogue."
