UWTSD appoints Kim Ann Williamson MBE as a Professor of Practice

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David has appointed Kim Ann Williamson MBE, the Civil Service Local Coordinator for Cymru Wales, and the Strategic Objectives Programme Lead for the Wales Anti-Slavery Leadership Group and chair of the UK Modern Slavery Training Delivery Group, as a Professor of Practice at the University.

The title of Professor of Practice is bestowed upon an individual to honour and recognise that person for having attained academic and/or professional distinction in those disciplines, which are aligned with the strategic intentions of the University.

Professor Wendy Dearing, Dean of the University’s Institute of Management and Health said: “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Professor Williamson to the role of Professor of Practice at the University. She joins a number of exceptional individuals who are working with the university to bring their unique and professional expertise to benefit our students.  The role of Professors of Practice allows us to work with partners with specific expertise related to our strategic aims who sometimes do not come through the traditional academic route. Through their involvement in our provision, we can enhance the access to a range of defined skills to support academic delivery and build upon our rapidly improving reputation for delivering graduate skills in the context of employability, sustainability and work-related education and training.”

Professor Williamson said: “My appointment as Professor of Practice is a great honour and a proud moment in my career journey. I have always been passionate about the need for any work-related learning and development to include academic opportunities. To have the opportunity to work closely with the university which has an excellent reputation of developing innovative and new academic programmes together with local, national, and international connections is fantastic.

“I am excited and looking forward to supporting students through their learning experience and to help with the work of the University’s Institute of Management and Health.”

Professor Williamson has been a civil servant for over 37 years and has significant experience and expertise in the criminal justice environment having worked across policing and prosecution portfolios. Her civilian policing career began in 1984 in the Metropolitan Police Force, and she has been based at New Scotland Yard and police divisions working across a number of departments such as CID, Domestic Abuse Teams and Child Protection.

Professor Williamson’s passion for victim care and truly understanding the complexities of victims' needs has been at the heart of every role that she has undertaken along with a determination to drive and influence change. She transferred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in 1997 and was based in London, Wiltshire and Wales working in leadership and casework roles.

During this time, whilst working in criminal courts across the UK, she saw the outcomes that could be achieved by a multi-agency approach. Professor Williamson has led successful Operational Delivery Teams within Magistrates, Crown Court and Complex Casework Units and been exposed to all levels of criminality having worked alongside Prosecutors, Police Officers, the Bar, and victims of crime to bring offenders to justice and ensure victims were at the heart of the criminal justice experience. These roles provided Kim Ann with the experience and expertise to now lead Civil Service Local (CS Local) priorities in Wales. CS Local is a cross-departmental team that is part of the Cabinet Office and as CS Local Cymru Wales Coordinator, it is her responsibility to bring Civil Service departments together across Wales to share learning and experience to drive forward change by Connecting colleagues from different departments and supporting them to share expertise, develop new skills and to collaborate across the sector.

Professor Williamson has been an influential role model in the modern slavery arena for many years. As the Strategic Objectives Programme Lead for the Wales Anti-Slavery Leadership Group since 2012, she has been instrumental in providing a clear vision that led to multi-agency training, the success of which has secured recognition locally and nationally. Together with South Wales Police Training Department, she jointly implemented the Organised Crime Modern Slavery Hydra 3-day course for Law Enforcement and Crown Prosecution Service Prosecutors and Crown Advocates. This course was a first for Wales and the UK.

Professor Williamson was instrumental in the successful design, implementation and rollout of the Wales Victims Care Pathway and Modern Slavery Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACS) which was a first for the UK. She has also chaired the Wales Anti-Slavery Training Group to successfully roll out a variety of training packages and the Wales Anti-Slavery Casework Review Group, which was the first group of its kind in the UK.

At a UK level, Professor Williamson chairs the UK Modern Slavery Training Delivery Group whose sponsor is Caroline Haughey QC OBE. The groups report directly to the National 3P Board which is the UK Strategic Governance Group for the Prevention, Protection and Prepare Components of the Modern Slavery Strategy which is chaired by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Business Energy and Industrial Energy (BEIS). She established this group in 2018 and now has the responsibility to oversee a number of Training Task and Finish Groups relevant to key influential sectors.

Professor Williamson has also been recognised for her contribution to academia with a number of positions including Visiting Professor at University West London and Visiting Fellow at University South Wales. She is an experienced lecturer and has delivered sessions on modern slavery in Global Governance, Aviation, Criminology, Hospitality and Events Management courses and has lectured at Swansea University and Cardiff Met.

She was instrumental in the publication of the University Guide to Modern Slavery, supported by Universities UK, and is also a member of The International Centre for Hospitality and Aviation Resilience Management (ICHARM) at University West London.

Professor Williamson is well known for her work internationally on modern slavery and showcased her work and training development in Wales when invited to speak to Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) in Strasburg in 2017.

Other examples include frequent guest speaker roles at national and international conferences and working with hoteliers and airlines for many years to raise awareness of modern slavery and launching jointly with International Air Transport Association (IATA) an international aviation guide for modern slavery.

Professor Williamson’s passion for her work and enthusiasm for community engagement has been recognised by being awarded CPS Excellence Awards over several years which commended her dedication and passion for serving the public, including victim care, and diversity and inclusion. In the Queen's Birthday Honours 2018, she was appointed the Member of the British Empire (MBE) honour for Services to Law and Order. In 2018 Professor Williamson was appointed to the Top 100 Influencers on the Modern Slavery Index.

Publications include a contribution to Palgrave International Handbook of Human Trafficking on the Wales approach to modern slavery.

Further Information

Rebecca Davies

Swyddog Gweithredol Cysylltiadau â’r Wasg a’r Cyfryngau

Executive Press and Media Relations Officer

Cyfathrebu Corfforaethol a Chysylltiadau Cyhoeddus

Corporate Communications and PR

Mobile: 07384 467071

Email: Rebecca.Davies@uwtsd.ac.uk