KANSAS CITY (MO)
National Catholic Reporter
April 6, 2018
By Brian Roewe
More leadership upheaval has hit the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
Roughly a year after founder Barbara Blaine and executive director David Clohessy departed the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, another longtime leader, Barbara Dorris, has left the sexual abuse victims’ advocacy organization, along with the president of its board of directors and another board member.
Dorris, who spent 16 years with SNAP mostly as its outreach director, overseeing its support efforts to survivors of sexual abuse by clergy, more recently served as executive director in the wake of the resignations of Clohessy, who left at the end of 2016, and Blaine, who departed the following February. Eight months later, Blaine died unexpectedly while on vacation in Utah.
In an email Thursday, April 5, to the SNAP network, new board president Tim Lennon announced Dorris’ resignation.
“Barb’s leaving, like the departure of our founders, will cause some uncertainty and unease; feelings that are reasonable and understandable. Our mission remains, our leaders remain, our website remains. We will continue the mission of SNAP and carry forward the pioneering work of Barbara, David and Barb,” Lennon said.
Dorris, 70, told NCR her decision to leave SNAP was “an extremely difficult decision and nothing I did lightly.” She said she hopes to remain involved in the broader movement to protect children and hold institutions accountable, but made clear that won’t be with SNAP.
“I am no longer in any way associated with SNAP,” she said.
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