Who’s Who

Academi Chief Executive: Peter Finch
Author, poet and literary entrepreneur. For many years ran Oriel, the Arts Council of Wales’ bookshop in Cardiff. Author of many books including Food (Seren), How to Publish Yourself (A&B) and Real Cardiff (Seren).

Deputy: Lleucu Siencyn
Originally from Talgarreg, Cardiganshire. A graduate of English Literature from New College, Oxford. After brief periods travelling South America, she worked as researcher and scriptwriter for Welsh television companies. Formerly Literature Officer at the Arts Council of Wales before joining the Academi in 2002.

Schemes Officer: Bob Mole
Bob Mole has an English degree from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and part–trained as an accountant with the-then Peat Marwick Mitchell accountancy firm. He joined the South-east Wales Arts Association in Cwmbran in 1977 and in 1998 he joined the re-formed Academi. Bob is also a freelance tutor and part-time gardener. He has written three books of local sporting history.

Literature Officer: Hollie Aldridge
Northern girl Hollie is originally from Wigan in Lancashire. Enticed by the seaside town of Aberystwyth she studied English Literature at the university, graduating in 2005. She then moved to the bright lights of Cardiff to study at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama on their post graduate Arts Management course. Hollie joined Academi in April 2006 and looks forward to living and working in Cardiff.

Literature Officer: Sian Teleri Davies
Originally from Ruthun, Dyffryn Clwyd, where she worked at Elfair, a Welsh book and craft shop in the town.  A graduate of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth she studied a Joint Honours degree in Welsh and Welsh History.  She joined the Academi in January 2007 following a brief time working with Urdd Gobaith Cymru.

Business Manager: Elinor Robson
Originally from Llandysul, Ceredigion.  She gained a degree in French from Sussex University, Brighton and also spent a year studying at Toulouse le Mirail University in France.  She completed an MA in Literature in European Cultures at Cardiff University.  After working for the National Assembly and as a Library Assistant at Cardiff University, she joined the Academi in 2004.

Personal Assistant to Chief Executive: Elin Williams
Soon after completing her degree in Law with Welsh at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in 2004, Elin moved to Cardiff and decided that it was with the Arts she belonged.  She previously worked at Wales Millennium Centre before joining the Academi in 2005. 

Gwynedd Literature Promoter: Gwen Lasarus James
Gwen hails from Llanfairpwlletc. Before joining the Academi as Gwynedd Literature Promoter in 2002, she has worked as an actress, performing on stage and screen. A writer of plays, poetry and prose, she published her first novel for young people in 2001, Sgribls Hogan Flêr (Lolfa) and is currently working on her next novel.

Literature Officer: Petra Bennett
Born and raised in Cardiff. Educated at Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari. Graduated in German and Librarianship from University of Wales, Aberystwyth.  She enjoys travelling, especially to Berlin, is interested in photography, and is a keen reader of Welsh, English and German literature. Her latest passion is opera.

Accounts Officer: Mary Cassar
Mary was born and bred in Cardiff, after a over a decade of working predominately in Accountancy Practices, she returned to Full Time Education to obtain a Business Studies Degree. Bitten by the study bug again, she started the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) course in 2003, and successfully completed it in March 2005. Having taken a year’s break, she is currently studying for the Association of Certified Accountants (ACCA) Profession Exams.

Part-time Administrative Assistant: Bronwen Price
Bronwen was born and brought up in Somerset, but her father’s side of the family is from Cardiff. She gained an Archaeology and Anthropology degree from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and went on to study for an MA in European Prehistory at Cardiff University. After a few years teaching A Levels, she has returned to Cardiff to study for a PhD in the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age of western Britain. Her first published work is a chapter in Prehistoric Journeys (Oxbow, 2007).

Administrative Officer: Alys Rook
Originally from Cardiff, Alys studied at the University of Nottingham and graduated in Mathematical Physics.  She then moved back to Cardiff and joined Academi in January 2007.

North Wales Fieldworker: Llio Huws
Originally from Bodedern, Angelsey, Llio now lives in Bangor.  She graduated in Communications at Bangor University before working for a period with the Urdd and then as an administrator for Llwyfan Gogledd Cymru.  Llio joined the Academi at the end of 2007.

South Wales Valleys Literature Development Officer: Louise Richards
Born in Windsor, but with family in Wales, Louise decided to return to the Fair Country in 1995. With a degree in Graphic Design and Illustration from Exeter Arts College, and a PGCE in Post Compulsory Education, she began a fulfilling career in Bookselling, Libraries, Literature and Arts Development. She joined Academi in August 2007.