Our Board
We have a highly skilled board who come from various religious backgrounds and are committed to helping reduce religious harm. Our team has compassion and insight into the difficulties religions and cults create.
Sherrie D’Souza
Public Officer & Treasurer, Founding Member
Industry Fellow UTS, FASS / Board Director RfR USA
Sherrie was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, devoting much of her youth to full-time volunteering for the religion. After learning of the mishandling and cover-up of child sexual abuse rampant in the religion, she left in November 2016.
Starting the first Recovering from Religion Support Group in Australia in April 2020, Sherrie went on to form an Australian leadership group of RfR volunteers in January 2021 and was subsequently invited to be an RfR Board director for the parent US organization. In February 2022 she was appointed an Industry Fellow with UTS to raise awareness of religious trauma and advocate for the rights of survivors.
Dr Darrel Ray
International Board Member, Founder RfR International
Dr Ray is an American organizational psychologist and author who focuses on topics such as workplace organizational culture, secular sexuality, and the treatment of religion-induced trauma. He is a public speaker, podcaster, and atheist activist, and founded the non-profit organization Recovering from Religion as well as the Secular Therapy Project. Further biographical information
More information can be found here: Darrel Ray – Wikipedia
Christopher Karvountzis
Chair
Christopher Karvountzis was born and raised in the cult known as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Coming out as gay and being shunned by the only family, community and “friends” he had ever known fuels his mission to educate as many people as possible with the knowledge to make informed decisions about the relationships, beliefs and organisations that are a part of their lives.
As a speaker, mentor, and activist Christopher provides education, awareness and open conversation around behaviors that lead to individuals entering, and remaining in toxic relationships, high control groups and cults. Christopher is passionate about assisting individuals to find their purpose, and let that be the defining narrative of the legacy they leave behind.
Shawn Powrie
Vice-Chair
“I look back with fondness at the year I lost my faith. It was a painful, confronting yet transformational era of my life. Sometimes I’d be out walking in the streets near my home at 3 AM- I couldn’t sleep because the growth and transformation were so urgent. So much didn’t add up- I’d been fed on a diet of misinformation, superstition and poor emotional intelligence my entire life, and my brain was ready to purge it and start again.
While there’s no doubt it was difficult, from my present vantage point 10 years later, I’m incredibly grateful for the journey out of religion. As a result of leaving religion my life opened up to a wide variety of ideas, friendships and experiences that’d never be possible within it.
Even though I’ve left it, (and reject most of it), there are still things I love and cherish about Mormonism and my upbringing within it- the music, principles of hard work and dedication, and a focus on family values still resonate with me. But overall I’m far better off out than in, and have dedicated much of my volunteer time to helping others make the transition.”- Shawn
Shawn was born and raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (“LDS Church” or more commonly “Mormons”). Shawn’s experience included working for 2 years as a missionary proselytizing in the UK.
In his late twenties Shawn experienced a faith crisis when learning more about science, evolution, atheism and Mormon history, eventually coming out as an atheist.
Shawn has been volunteering for RfR since 2021 and joined the RfR Australia board in 2024
Hanna Persello
Secretary
Hanna was born and raised as a Jehovah’s Witness and left the organisation as a teenager. Hanna is a social worker working in childhood mental health.
Hanna began attending RfR support groups in 2021, volunteered to be a helpline agent in 2022 and in April 2023 trained to be a support group leader. Hanna joined the Australia and NZ Leadedship group later that year.
Johanna Saoirse Browne
Growth, Advocacy & Fundraising Officer
Johanna was raised in a religious environment and has firsthand experience of the emotional, social and psychological harm that rigid belief systems can cause. From an early age she questioned religious authority, particularly where doctrine conflicted with personal identity, autonomy and wellbeing. Her journey out of religion ultimately led her to secular humanism and a strong commitment to freedom of belief, evidence-based thinking and human rights.
Johanna brings to Recovering from Religion Australia extensive experience in governance, advocacy and community engagement. She has previously held senior leadership roles within secular and human rights organisations, including work supporting individuals affected by religious trauma and high-control belief systems. Her advocacy has focused on improving access to mental health support for ex-believers, particularly those living in vulnerable or coercive environments.
In her role with RfR Australia, Johanna contributes to organisational governance, public advocacy and fundraising initiatives. She is especially focused on strengthening trauma-informed support services, building sustainable funding pathways, and ensuring the organisation’s work remains grounded in compassion, integrity and evidence-based practice.
Gayle Jordan
Executive Director RfR International
Gayle is a former Southern Baptist who left the faith years ago when her then-teenagers began asking questions she could not answer. Her research led her (and her children) into the light of reason and rationality. Years later, she still feels the effects, both positive and negative, of that dramatic shift in perspective and attitude. It is this sympathy and compassion that drives her to reach out to help others navigate the emotional and physical process involved in leaving one’s faith.
Gayle lives in Oregon and is an estate-planning attorney. She raises goats and chickens, and is trying her hand at grape-growing at her sunny hillside home affectionately known as Peak Heathen. She blogs about a variety of topics at Happy. Healthy. Heathen.
