Born in Carmarthenshire, she was educated at Ysgol Bro Gwaun, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, where she studied law and politics, and the University of Oxford, where she studied to be a social worker.

[2] She was the head of the Lifelong Learning Department at Bangor University, and deputy vice-chancellor.

Her appointment in this role caused some controversy when it was revealed that she was a former partner of Andrew Davies, who at the time was Minister for Economic Development in the Welsh Government.

The matter was raised by Plaid Cymru Representative Owen John Thomas, who complained that Ms Huws had failed to declare a conflict of interest and had been favoured by Culture Minister Alun Pugh over other interviewees.

In April 2020 Huws was appointed interim President of the National Library of Wales, becoming the first woman to hold the post of President in the Library's history.