Usha is deeply committed to social justice, equality, and co-production, and has made a significant impact on fostering relationships between citizens and governance. As a distinguished civil servant, she played a crucial role in developing the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan, aimed at promoting racial equality and justice. Now, as a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Cardiff University, she continues her reflective work on the Plan. Her contributions to the Welsh Government have been pivotal, notably in the establishment of Academi Wales and in advancing place-based work models for climate change and environment.

Usha was awarded an OBE in the King’s New Year Honours 2024 for her work with Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities in Wales, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ethnic Minority Welsh Women Achievement Association in 2023, and the Civil Service Award in 2023 for work on Welsh Government’s Diversity and Equality in Public Appointments Strategy and the orchestration of the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan in 2022.