Kirsty Williams, CBE - South Wales Fire and Rescue Service

Kirsty served as the Senedd Member for Brecon & Radnorshire for 22 years. In that time, she chaired several key committees including Health & Social Care and Standards of Conduct. In 2011, she became the first woman to lead one of the four main political parties in Wales.

She was also the first back bencher to successfully introduce a Private Member’s Bill at the Senedd, leading to Wales becoming the first nation in Europe to legislate for nurse staffing levels on hospital wards.

From 2016 – 2021, she served as Minister for Education in the Welsh Government, leading a national mission of education reform – the largest since devolution.

She retired from front-line politics in 2021 and has since dedicated her time to chairing projects related to education and economic regeneration. From 2022-2024 she was a member of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales. She is currently Vice Chair of Powys Teaching Health Board.

She lives on the family farm in the heart of Bannau Brycheiniog and is an enthusiastic volunteer at Pontfaen Young Farmers Club and a local mental health charity.