Alysia-Lara Ayonrinde is the Schools Project Lead for Difference. Her established career in education spans over 15 years, encompassing senior leadership roles across the UK, West Africa, and South America. Alysia-Lara brings unique, evidence-based perspectives that supportively challenge conventional norms to develop greater interfaith and intercultural understanding in schools, communities, and churches, so that all can flourish.

Fun fact: Alysia-Lara loves dancing and regularly performs samba in the UK and beyond.

Catherine Matlock joined the Difference team in October 2024, focusing on developing reconciliation as mission in the Church of England and supporting the Women on the Frontline project. She had a varied career, including several years volunteering with Christian ministries overseas, and was ordained pioneer priest in the Church of England in 2019. She completed her curacy in Birmingham and also took on a pioneer advocacy/development role in Lichfield Diocese. Born in the Middle East, Catherine moved nearly 40 times across several continents but recently settled in Warwickshire.

Fun fact: Catherine is not one for bling but does love a sparkly dog collar.

Emma Crick de Boom is a Reconciliation Enabler, splitting her week between RLN and the Diocese of Coventry to mobilise churches, organisations, and individuals in the West Midlands of England and beyond to engage with a reconciliation vision as part of ministry and mission.
In the Diocese of Coventry, and drawing on the experience of the Cathedral, Emma builds upon the use of the Difference course to embed and better activate the Diocese’s commitment to the gospel of reconciliation. She also enables local community leaders to be ‘Partners together in the Message and Ministry of Reconciliation’ throughout the West Midlands. Emma was born in Belgium and spent her early childhood there, before moving to the Netherlands for 17 years where she grew older, studied, and worked ahead of moving to the UK in 2012.

Fun fact: Emma still speaks with Dutch-isms, with some of her favourite expressions including ‘I’ve got it under the knee’ and ‘keeping an eye on the sail’.

Jo Alstott is the Reconciliation Programme Coordinator – particularly focused on developing Difference and peacebuilding programmes running outside the UK. She joined the team following several years of work in the Chief of Staff’s Office at Lambeth Palace, where she had the privilege of working closely with churches across the Anglican Communion, managing shared projects and official visits, and working closely with the UN team at the Anglican Communion Office. Jo holds a BA and MPhil in Theology and Philosophy of Religion, which included some Arabic language study, developing her deep interest in interfaith dialogue. She lives in London – but loves spending any free time travelling! 

Fun fact: Jo is currently working to get her Watch Leader sailing qualification.

Dr Joy Allan is our Church Engagement Manager, a role which focuses on building relationships and engaging a wide range of people through and into Difference. She relishes using skills honed by years of working/lecturing in pastoral care to encourage others in the powerful work of reconciliation. A theologian by trade, her PhD looked at the pastoral care and theology of those living with depression, and much of her subsequent work has been around areas of disability, abuse, and those who live in the margins of church and society. She firmly believes that at the root of much of our pain (Christian and otherwise) is caused by our misuse of power, dishonouring of others and mishandling of relationships; the chance to work towards healing of that is her greatest joy. She loves to talk, especially to those who are different to her in creed and deed. Her background is partly in Northern Ireland, where her mother was deeply involved with reconciliation work in the troubled 60s and 70s. As such, she is proud to carry on that baton, and to enjoy all she meets as she does so. She believes even the hard work of reconciliation can be a joy if community is built up well, doing so is her passion.

Fun fact: Having lived in Italy for years, she is still occasionally found shouting at tech equipment in Italian – she says it is a great stress reliever!

Kiera Phyo is the Director of the Reconciling Leaders Network (RLN), based at Lambeth Palace. RLN is seeking to mobilise a generation to live out their calling as peacemakers and reconcilers, pursuing a just and flourishing society. This ministry developed Difference – a free course that explores following Jesus in a complex and divided world. Kiera previously led Tearfund UK’s youth and young adult engagement, has nearly a decade of broadcasting faith contributions on BBC Radio 2 and holds a Masters of Theology; more recently she was certified as a Dialogue for Peaceful Change facilitator, and completed training in strategies for trauma awareness and resilience at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding.

Lorraine Prince is the Head of Networks for the Church of England National Society for Education. She has been working with the Difference team on secondment, supporting the development and implementation of the Difference for Schools programme – primarily in secondary schools. Passionate about building connections and fostering meaningful dialogue, Lorraine plays a key role in expanding the reach of Difference, ensuring that schools are equipped to navigate disagreement and cultivate empathy. Beyond her work, Lorraine loves to travel, embracing new cultures and experiences that enrich her perspective.

Rita Yoe is our Church Engagement Manager for the Difference course. She has over ten years of experience in youth and children’s ministry, including five years directing a residential summer camp programme in the United States, which focused on equipping young leaders to build transformational Christian community among diverse groups. She is passionate about creating spaces where young people are empowered to live into their call to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.”

Tom Clark is on secondment at the Church of England as Churches and Networks Consultant helping with the Churches aim to grow younger, spending two days a week working with the Difference team. He has been involved in youth ministry for the last 16 years in various roles, including as Head of Youth and Online Pastor at Holy Trinity Brompton, overseeing Alpha Youth & Students globally, and as an Evangelist and Youth Worker in York. He has a passion to see every young person come to know Jesus and share that faith with their mates. He is married to Charlotte and has two children. They live in London but he’s a northerner at heart having grown up in Wigan.

Zoë Tunstall is our Operations Manager and Executive Assistant – which basically means she makes sure we get things done, and on time! Her career in the events industry has spanned over a decade and predominantly involved the smooth-running of several different summer festivals for young people, creating space for them to gather with other Christians and to meet with Jesus. Outside of work, you’ll often find Zoë at the theatre (she saw 57 shows in 2024!), spending quality time with her friends or trying to find the best pizza in London! 

Fun fact: Zoë is the proud owner of two Blue Peter badges.

Rosie Slater-Carr is the current Chair of the Board and has been a trustee of RLN since May 2023. She joined the National Church Institutions (NCIs) in 2020 from the British Red Cross where she was Chief Information Officer. Rosie has worked in Technology, Data and Innovation roles in the Charity sector for the past 10 years. Her current role of Chief Operating Officer works across all NCIs, overseeing the shared service operations and with the functions of Finance, HR, Technology, Data, National Giving Strategy and Project Management reporting to her.

Rev Tosin Oladipo joined the RLN board of trustees in March 2022. He is based at Lambeth Palace, where he has been the Chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury since July 2021. Tosin has responsibility for the Archbishop’s priority of prayer and the religious life – particularly through prayer mission events, the Community of St Anselm, supporting the Archbishop in public worship services across the Church of England and the Anglican Communion and offering pastoral support to the Archbishop’s family and the communities at Lambeth Palace.

Before training for ministry at St Mellitus College London, Tosin worked for 15 years in digital and video tech start-ups across London. After being ordained, Tosin joined the Leadership Team at SAINT, a resource church in East London, where he led the parish of St Mary’s Leyton and held responsibility for outreach, prayer, and the development of interns and ordinands. Tosin is passionate about the sharing the Gospel and seeing people grow. He enjoys cycling, watching sport, world cinema, coffee, and Leicester Football Club.

Dave Humphreville has been serving as a trustee of RLN since November 2023. He is an international political consultant who has worked in political campaigns and elections in over twenty countries across five continents. Dave’s professional skills include organising and structuring campaigns, crisis communications, and strategic media planning, with an emphasis on providing direct guidance to campaigns, candidates and government officials. In addition, he has significant experience in American politics. Prior to his political work, he served as President of The Specialist Association of the New York Stock Exchange, where he led the organisation of professionals who make markets on the Exchange. He has also practiced corporate law at a large New York City law firm. A graduate of Yale University, Dave earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia. He currently serves on the Vestry of Trinity Church, a parish in New York City where he has been a member of the congregation since 2005.

Rev Chris Russell has been a trustee of RLN since March 2022 and is the vicar of St Dionis Church in West London. Chris trained for ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge and completed his curacy in Southwark Diocese, before moving to become the leader of St Laurence Church. The church, based in the centre of Reading, began to work to the mandate of being a multi-generational community with a particular mission amongst young people. In 2013 Chris was appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury’s advisor on evangelism and witness, which he did alongside his work with St Laurence for seven years before moving into the role full time in 2020. 

Chris is passionate about people coming to know the love of God. In 2024 he released his second book, Yearning for the Vast and Endless Sea. Chris is married to the wonderful Belinda, has three adult daughters, and two dogs. He believes life is too short to drink bad coffee, read poorly written books, listen to awful music, and not spend as much time as possible with friends.