IAITH staff
Board Iaith Staff
Buddug joined IAITH in 2018 as Director of Education and Research. She has over twenty years of experience in the education sector, in secondary schools, in further and higher education. She completed her doctorate at Bangor University on the Language Use Patterns of KS2 and KS3 pupils. This was an ethnographic study , drawing on theories from language planning and policy, linguistics, sociology and education. Since joining IAITH she has worked on a range of projects on children and families, education, literacy and Welsh as a subject.
Osian joined IAITH in 2023. He completed a doctorate at Aberystwyth University on behavioural language policy, before going on to lecture human geography. Additionally, he is interested in issues of public policy, welfare and social justice, and the environment. He has experience of strategically leading on the Welsh language within organisations, as well as being experienced in managing, delivering, and communicating research outcomes on projects funded by bodies including UKRI, NERC, the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, and the Saunders Lewis Memorial Fund. Beyond work, Osian is a keen cyclist and enjoys supporting Wales from the Canton.
Iolo is IAITH’s Project and Research Manager. He joined the team in 2022, and he contributes to the company’s research work primarily, whilst occasionally assisting with other aspects of IAITH’s work. As a manager for the company, Iolo draws upon his background in sociolinguistics and political journalism as he carries out his work. His interests are broad and in his spare time he enjoys writing, learning languages and keeping up to date with current affairs.
Kathryn joined the company in 1999 after completing a doctorate in sociolinguistics at Lancaster University and working in the field of language teaching and research in London, Paris, Tanzania and China. Kathryn led our policy and research unit until 2016 when she took over the role of Executive Director. Since 2025 she has been contributing to the company's work as a Special Consultant.
She enjoys combining academic research, lecturing and examining with practical research and projects that influence public policy, compliance and community use of Welsh. She's a member of BAAL, a fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and leads IAITH’s work with international partners.
Associate Consultants
Steve joined the company in 2001 following a career in local government as Head Translator and Language Officer with Arfon and Conwy Councils. He was one of the founders of Rhwydiaith, he served as a Vice-Chairman for the Association of Welsh Translators and Interpreters and he is one of the leading experts on corporate language planning issues. Steve was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Open University in 2014 and an academic doctorate from Cardiff University in 2015. Since his retirement in 2016 he has continued his relationship with IAITH as an Associate Consultant.
Gareth took over the company in 1997. Under his leadership the company has maintained and developed its status as the leading innovators of policy and language planning in Wales. His main interest is community language planning but he also has extensive experience of corporate language planning, language socialization and language awareness training. He has published numerous reports to Government and central bodies over the years and is the author of The Big Conference report (2013).
Meirion is one of Wales' foremost language planners. He was Director of Education and Chief Executive of the Welsh Language Board until 2012. Since then he has been responsible for maintaining the European NPLD network until 2017. He now acts as an independent consultant under the name LinguaNi and regularly works with the team at IAITH.
Colin is one of Wales' foremost language planners. He has now retired from a successful academic career at a number of higher education institutions. In recent years he has led the policy and language planning work of Cardiff University. He has published widely and is highly regarded internationally. It's a privilege to be part of the IAITH team.