Cytûn's Staff Team

The Reverend Aled Edwards OBE | Chief Executive

Aled comes from Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd. He was a pupil at Ysgol y Moelwyn, Blaenau Ffestiniog and a student of History and Theology at St David's University College, Lampeter. He undertook pre-ordination training at Trinity College, Bristol and was ordained a minister of the Church in Wales in 1979. Following his time as a curate in Glanogwen, Bethesda, Aled served as the parish priest of Llandinorwig with Penisa'rwaun, Botwnnog (where he was also the Community Pastor) and Eglwys Dewi Sant, Cardiff.

In 1999, Aled became Cytûn's first National Assembly Liaison Officer. During his time in that post, he wrote Transforming Power: A Christian Reflection on Welsh Devolution (2001) edited From Protest to Process: Stories from the National Assembly for Wales (2003) and co-wrote Considering Contrasts and Futures: A Faith Reflection on Devolution (2004). In 2006, Aled became Cytûn's Chief Executive.

Aled has a strong interest in issues concerning asylum seekers and refugees, race relations and equalities and human rights. He was Chair of the Welsh Refugee Council (2005-06), a member of the Equal Opportunities Wales Advisory Committee, and was Wales' Commissioner on the Commission for Racial Equality (2006-07). He is Chair of Displaced People in Action, one of Wales's most active asylum and refugee organisations, and is a member of the Wales Committee of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission. In June 2006, Aled received an OBE for his charitable services in Wales.

Aled is married to Marie and has three children. Among his personal interests are politics, rugby, football, the American Civil War and The West Wing .

Geraint Hopkins| National Assembly Policy Officer

Geraint comes from Neath, but now lives in Llanharan in Rhondda Cynon Taff. He is a graduate of the University of Liverpool, where he read Politics and Communication Studies. Active in student politics, he was elected President of his university union and then National Treasurer for the National Union of Students UK.
He moved back to Wales in 2002 and has worked in political and policy work for the National Trust and is Chairman of Wales Environment Link. Geraint is also the County Borough Councillor for his village of Llanharan.

Geraint sat on the Church in Wales'  Governing Body between 2004 and 2007. He is currently Organist and Choirmaster at St John's, Graig and St. Mary's, Glyn Taff. He also sings for the Minnesingers Male Chorus in Pontyclun. Geraint has learned to speak Welsh.

Sasha Perriam | Bilingual Administrator to the Chief Executive

Sasha was brought up in Cardiff and studied Welsh and Screen Translation as a Honours Degree. Sasha has learnt Welsh as a second language from an early age. Sasha joined Cytûn in 2003. Before joining Cytun she lived and worked in Bourges in France for the Leornado Da Vinci Project, an EU funded scheme.  

She has worked for the Church in Wales offices, the Wales Labour Party for the Chief Executive, for Gerald Eve Chartered Surveyors and the 'Academi Gymraeg'.

Rhian Linecar | Faith, Order and Witness Officer

Rhian was brought up and educated in Pwllheli. She studied Music at Cardiff University, before training as a teacher. She has taught in primary and secondary schools both in Hampshire, where she lived for many years, and more recently in the Cardiff area.

More recently, Rhian completed a post-graduate diploma in Theology (Christian Spirituality and Spiritual Direction) at St Michael's College, Llandaff, Cardiff in 2005. She has a great interest in encouraging the exploration of spirituality and in facilitating the work of spiritual directors.