Professor Laura McAllister, B.Sc., PhD, CBE, FLSW, FRSA
Professor of Public Policy and the Governance of Wales at Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre. Expert on devolution, Welsh politics and elections, and gender representation and the feminisation of politics. Author of many books and papers, and a commentator and keynote speaker.
Holds Honorary degrees and Fellowships from Universities of Bangor, Cardiff, Cardiff Metropolitan, South Wales, Swansea, University of Wales Trinity St. David’s and Bridgend College.
Former member of Assembly Remuneration Board (2014-15), Inde-pendent Panel on AMs Pay and Support (2008-09), the Richard Commission on the Powers and Electoral Arrangements for the Na-tional Assembly for Wales (2002-04). Chair of Expert group on Local Government Diversity (2013-14); Chair of Assembly’s Expert Panel on Electoral Reform (2017); co-chair of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales (2021-24).
UEFA Vice-President and elected member of its Executive Committee. Chair of UEFA Social and Environmental Sustainability Committee. Deputy Chair of UEFA’s Women’s Football Committee.
Former Wales football international and national team captain with 24 caps, Chair of Sport Wales (between 2010-16). Until April 2016, Board Member of UK Sport, the Government’s agency for Olympic and Paralympic sport, and former Director of the Football Association of Wales Trust. Chair of the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame.
Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and the Royal Society of the Arts.
Inducted as a member of Gorsedd y Beirdd, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru, Boduan, August 2023.
Awarded CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, 2016.