Born and educated in Newport, Ceri graduated from Kingston University with a BA (Hons) in History, before working in a variety of jobs in the banking, finance and hospitality sectors. She took a number of years out of the work place to bring up her family, and then decided she wanted to kick-start a career in teaching. After a number of years teaching Basic Skills and local history in Community Education, Ceri joined Itec in 2004, as a basic skills tutor. At the time, the company was under performing.

Ceri was appointed Director of Strategy and Welfare to Work in 2007 and Joint Managing Director in 2011, spearheading the ongoing drive to improve quality, performance and value for money in Itec’s services. The company is now recognised as one of Wales’ leading skills and employment providers with a portfolio of over 1,000 clients, including Argos, Specsavers, Poundworld, Holiday Inn and British Gas. Itec is also the largest deliverer of the Welsh Government's Jobs Growth Wales programme.