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.

Ikram Dahman

Interim Director of Fundraising, Communications & Policy

Ikram is the Interim Director of Fundraising, Communications & Policy at Refuge. Ikram leads the team to inspire the public to support the vital work that Refuge does for survivors of domestic abuse and campaign for the end of violence against women and girls (VAWG). Before joining Refuge, Ikram held various senior positions in her 25 years in the sector with charities such as Macmillan, Blood Cancer UK, Breast Cancer Now and Fight for Sight. At heart, Ikram is a relationship fundraiser and a staunch feminist with a passion for social justice. Ikram is proud senior leadership team sponsor for the Families and Women Employee Engagement Groups.

Denise Brown

Director of Service Delivery

Denise joined Refuge in 2011 as a Senior Operations Manager before becoming Head of Services in 2021 and in 2024 Refuge’s Interim Director of Service Delivery. Denise leads Refuge’s operational services including refuge accommodation, community-based services, children’s services, Refuge’s flagship tech and economic abuse service and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, Client Engagement and Development team. Denise has 30 years’ experience of working in senior roles in the charity sector, and before her time at Refuge was the Director of Operations for Carr-Gomm, a national charity and TPAS awarded supported housing provider and delivered multi-agency domestic violence training for The Leeds Inter-Agency Project. Denise is a designated safeguard lead and sponsor for the Families Engagement Networking Group, drawing on 15 years’ experience as a foster carer, adoption support worker and was a member of the Leeds Adoption Panel.

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.