Jeremy Miles MS, Minister for Education and Welsh Language
It gives me great pleasure to announce the re-appointment of Rona Aldrich, Gwyn Williams and Elin Maher as Members of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Advisory Panel. The reappointment will begin on 1 April 2024 for a three year term.
The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, which established the Advisory Panel specifies that the Welsh Minister must ensure that, as far as it practicable, there are at least three members of the advisory panel at any time. Reappointing Rona, Gwyn and Elin in addition to the two existing Members, Anne Davies and Nia Elias ensures that the panel has the range of skills and experiences necessary to provide the Commissioner with advice on matters relevant to her functions.
Born in Pwllheli and educated in Wolverhampton, Bethesda, Aberystwyth and Preston, Gwyn Williams has spent over 25 years working in the media. He worked for the Welsh Language Commissioner as Director of Promotion, Communication and Administration and joined S4C as Director of Communications in 2015. He is now the Chief Officer of Cymdeithas Cyfieithwyr Cymru (the association of Welsh translators and interpreters). He is a non-executive board member of Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru and lives in Bethel near Caernarfon.
Elin Maher works as the National Director of RhAG, the organisation for Parents for Welsh-medium Education. She was a freelance language and education consultant and has had various experiences working in the world of education and within the field of community development and language planning throughout her career, with Welsh and bilingualism at the core of her work. Starting out as a secondary language teacher, Elin worked in the primary sector as a classroom teacher and also as an advisory teacher. She has also worked in further and higher education supervising education students. She worked for Menter Iaith Casnewydd and for Torfaen Borough Council. She was born in Cwm Tawe but has lived in Newport with her family for over twenty years. She continues to work diligently developing Welsh and Welsh-medium education within the community in Gwent and beyond through her work as an experienced school governor and a board member of a number of local and national charities.
Originally from Anglesey, Rona Aldrich has lived in the Vale of Clwyd for 40 years, and has a Masters degree in Librarianship and Information Studies from Aberystwyth University. Before retiring she was a Chief Officer with Conwy County Council. She is a firm believer that everyone in society has the right to easy access to information and culture in all its forms. After a period of being self-employed, she is now Vice-Chair of the Books Council of Wales. Over the years she has held a number of positions both locally and nationally including for the Welsh Government and represented Wales at UK level.