Meet the team
Our friendly and experienced team at Behind Closed Doors are here to help. Our service is confidential, we will listen to you and support you to make the right decisions for you and your family. We will never tell you what to do, we will be guided by you.
Based in Leeds, our team deliver a range of projects to build lives free from domestic abuse. You can read more from the team in our News page, My Working Day: Sanctuary Support Worker
Our Board of Trustees provide help, guidance and support to the team and ensure we are delivering all that we say we do:
Our CEO and Trustees
Georgia Hyland
CEO
Alison Puente
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Alison is the founder and director of Mason & Sutter, a sustainability and corporate reputation consultancy based in Leeds. She has 30 years’ experience in corporate communications and sustainability, including six years in the USA, working with charities, public sector organisations and businesses across a wide range of sectors. Alison joined Behind Closed Doors as a Trustee in January 2020. Living in Leeds, and seeing first-hand some of the issues Behind Closed Doors addresses, she wants to contribute to the charity’s vital work supporting people who might otherwise go unheard, bringing her experience of running her own business and working with corporates to help develop the charity’s Governance and business fundraising work.
Gill Crofton
Treasurer
Charlie Mynard
Secretary
Charlie Mynard is the founder and director of a charity recruitment consultancy that supports organisations across Yorkshire and beyond. With a deep commitment to the charity sector, Charlie brings a wealth of experience in recruitment, consultancy, training, charity operations and the Third Sector landscape across Leeds. Charlie joined the board after being profoundly inspired by its life-transforming work. Motivated by a desire to contribute to its mission, she brings her expertise and passion to support the charity’s ongoing success and impact.
Karen Milner
Trustee
Carl Harrison
Trustee
Carl joins the board of Behind Closed Doors as an experienced business leader from the charity and education sector. A diverse professional background that includes time spent serving in the military, working in professional and grassroots sports before moving into the 3rd sector. Carl adds depth in our safeguarding and training and development structure.
Carl is delighted to join the BCD board having lived experience of growing up in an environment that was impacted by domestic violence and wanting to support such a valuable charity.
Personally Carl is married with 2 young boys and believes its important to manage a positive work life balance, making the most of time with his family.
Karen Llewellyn
Trustee
Karen Llewellyn has worked mainly in the education sector in senior positions in schools and universities in teaching, research and strategic change management. More recently she ran her own business in Executive and Business Coaching, specialising in coaching women in education, sport and health and also pro bono work in third sector organisations. Joining the Board of Trustees in January 2024, Karen is highly committed to supporting the values-led vision and mission of Behind Closed Doors and the delivery of its 2023-2026 strategic plan.
Patricia Cannon
Trustee
Patricia is a practising family solicitor of over 25 years’ experience specialising in matters of child protection and protection from domestic abuse. She joined the board of Behind Closed Doors in January 2024, having seen over many years the hands-on work of the BCD team in supporting families in court proceedings.
Patricia has Senior Leadership Team experience in driving organisational missions and values and feels strongly that BCD’s offer of hope and support to very vulnerable individuals aligns with her own personal and workplace values. Patricia supports the board in driving delivery of the BCD mission, specifically supporting strategy around Talent & Culture and in offering her legal perspective and network.
Kirstan Butler
Trustee
Kirstan has 18 years of experience working in the not for profit sector. She brings extensive experience in strategy development, change management and transformational projects. Her work focuses on the development of sustainable, values‑led services, with a particular interest in creating equity of access to treatment for people who find health and social care systems difficult to navigate.
With an accountancy background, Kirstan has a strong focus on financial resilience, risk management and effective governance. She works hard to align organisational strategy with local priorities, ensuring services are evidence‑led and person‑centred.
Kirstan joined the board of Behind Closed Doors because she could see a clear value alignment, she hopes to support the charities mission, to share learning and contribute to the charities long term sustainability and impact.
Rebecca Jackson
Trustee
Rebecca has spent over a decade working across strategy consulting and product leadership, with clients ranging from early-stage ventures to large institutions. She joined the board of Behind Closed Doors in early 2026, motivated by a deep belief in the organisation’s mission and the difference it makes to women and families affected by domestic abuse. She hopes to bring her experience in strategy, commercial thinking and product development – particularly around new revenue models and making digital tools and processes work harder for the people using them – to support the organisation as it grows.