Sioned Williams MS

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Equality

Personal history

Sioned Williams grew up in the Gwent valleys and was educated at Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbrân and Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni. She lives in Alltwen, in the Swansea Valley with her husband Daniel and their two teenage children. Sioned is fluent in Welsh. After graduating in Welsh and English from Aberystwyth University, she was awarded the S4C T.Glynne Davies Scholarship to study for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism at Cardiff University.

Professional background

Sioned was a journalist with BBC Wales before going to work for Swansea University as Welsh Language Policy Officer and then as Communications and Development Manager at Academi Hywel Teifi. As part of her work at the University, she helped establish and co-managed Tŷ’r Gwrhyd, the Swansea Valley’s Welsh language centre. She has also worked for Plaid Cymru as Head of Strategic Communications. Sioned is a well-known reviewer and commentator on broadcasting and the arts for Welsh broadcast and print media and has adjudicated the Daniel Owen Memorial Prize at the National Eisteddfod and the Crown competition at the Urdd National Eisteddfod. She is a former Board member and Chair of the Bursaries Panel at Literature Wales.

Political history

Sioned was Community Councillor for Alltwen and Chair of Cilybebyll Community Council  before being elected as Member of the Senedd for South Wales West in the 2021 Election.