Our team
Meet our senior leadership team.
Gemma Sherrington
CEO
Gemma joined Refuge in March 2025 from Save the Children UK where she had worked since 2007 following previous roles at the NSPCC, Cardinal Hume Centre and WaterAid. A dedicated advocate for social justice with over 20 years’ experience in the charity sector, Gemma held a number of senior positions at Save the Children UK, ultimately serving as Executive Director of Fundraising and Marketing before becoming interim CEO in February 2024. As CEO, she was responsible for delivering a new long-term vision and 2025-2027 strategy for the charity and is now eager to make a lasting impact at Refuge, the UK’s leading provider of specialist domestic abuse services. Gemma says: “I am deeply committed to driving meaningful change and ensuring that Refuge continues its crucial work in supporting those impacted by domestic abuse. The current epidemic of VAWG is intolerable and must not be allowed to persist.” Gemma is a proud Trustee and Deputy Chair of London’s Air Ambulance. In her spare time, she is an advocate of mental health awareness and well-being and enjoys the gym and long, muddy walks with her family and dog Ziggy.
Vicky Fallon
Director of Income, Communications & Policy
Vicky joined Refuge in October 2025 as Director of Income, Communications and Policy. She leads the team to grow sustainable income, build partnerships, raise awareness of domestic abuse and Refuge’s life‑saving services, and drive policy change shaped by survivors’ voices. With over 20 years’ experience leading high‑performing fundraising and marketing teams, Vicky has overseen more than £100m income portfolios, delivered ambitious growth strategies, and guided teams through transformational change. Vicky is the proud sponsor of the Women’s Equality Network Group. Outside work, Vicky enjoys spending time with her family and friends, walks in the countryside, and discovering new places on her travels.
Denise Brown
Director of Service Delivery
Denise joined Refuge in 2011 as a Senior Operations Manager, becoming Head of Services in 2021 and Director of Service Delivery in 2024. As a member of Refuge's Senior Leadership Team, she leads the organisation's refuge and community services, overseeing a broad portfolio of accommodation and support services that provide safety and specialist support for thousands of survivors of domestic abuse each year. Denise also oversees Refuge's Property Services team, ensuring survivors can access high-quality, safe and trauma-informed emergency accommodation. With more than 30 years' experience in senior roles across the charity sector, Denise brings extensive operational and leadership expertise. Prior to joining Refuge, she was Director of Operations at Carr-Gomm, a national charity and TPAS-awarded supported housing provider, and delivered multi-agency domestic violence training for The Leeds Inter-Agency Project. As a designated safeguarding lead, Denise draws on over 15 years' experience as a foster carer and adoption support worker and previously served as a member of the Leeds Adoption Panel. She is also the proud sponsor of Refuge's Disability and Neurodiversity Employee Network Group. Outside of work, Denise enjoys a busy family life, loves the nature and finds her moments of peace walking her dogs.
Jayne Thorpe
Director of Corporate Services
Jayne Thorpe is an innovative, collaborative, and results-driven leader with a passion for transformative change and social impact. At Refuge, she leads strategic functions including Finance, Technology, Data, Transformation, Property, Risk, and Environmental Sustainability—ensuring the organisation is resilient, future-ready, and mission-aligned. With experience across private, public, and start-up sectors, Jayne brings deep expertise in strategy, finance, and programme delivery. Jayne holds an MBA from Oxford, an MSc from LSE, and is a qualified accountant with certifications in Agile, Leadership, and AI. Known for her high-energy, resilient, and empowering leadership style, Jayne excels at uniting teams across complex, matrixed environments to drive cohesive action and deliver bold, impactful change. Passionate about organisations creating positive social impact, she thrives in scale-up and transformation contexts—turning bold visions into reality.
Reema Malhotra
Director of National Impact
Reema Malhotra is Director of National Impact at Refuge, leading the teams and services that drive national impact for survivors, including the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, Children & Young People, Survivor Engagement, and Refuge's work on tech-facilitated abuse and economic empowerment. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, she is responsible for strengthening the quality, reach and effectiveness of these services, embedding survivor voice in decision-making, and helping to shape Refuge's contribution to tackling domestic abuse through service delivery, innovation and influence. She also acts as executive sponsor for Refuge's anti-racism and migrant workers groups. Before taking up this role, Reema led organisational effectiveness at Refuge. Prior to joining Refuge, she spent 10 years at Save the Children, where she led the charity's strategy, internal communications and diversity, equity and inclusion teams. She also spent a year in Lebanon supporting advocacy, communications and fundraising work. Reema began her career in the civil service, focusing on policy and research into youth employment. Outside work, she enjoys travelling (especially going home to Spain), spending time with her cat and getting involved in local mutual aid initiatives.
Marcia Weekes Spears
Interim Director of People and Culture
Marcia joined Refuge in October 2025 as Fractional Interim Director of People and Culture at a pivotal moment in the organisation’s journey. Working closely with the Senior Leadership Team and the Senior People and Culture team, she is leading the shift from a primarily transactional HR model to a strategic People and Culture function that drives organisational effectiveness and deeper impact for survivors. With over 25 years’ experience in the HR arena, beginning her career as a generalist and moving into organisational transformation, leadership development and cultural change, Marcia brings a systemic lens to Refuge’s people agenda. Her work focuses on strengthening leadership capability, redesigning policies and processes to be leaner and more human-centred and embedding a Culture of Impact aligned to the wider transformation programme. Known for her coaching-led, direct and values-driven approach, Marcia supports the organisation to surface root causes, build accountability, and create an environment where people can do their best work in service of survivors. In her spare time, Marcia is a Board Trustee for Future Leaders and a long-term mentor at her local high school through the MCR Pathways programme, supporting young people to recognise and realise their potential.