Our Team

Lara Purnell Hayley Harris

Co-Founder, Executive Director Co-Founder, Visionary

Sisters Hayley and Lara moved to Raleigh, NC, from West Kilbride, Scotland, with their parents, John and Alison, and brother, Robbie.

They both earned bachelor’s degrees in nursing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Hayley lives in Raleigh with her husband, Josh, and their two sons, Hayes and Noah. Lara lives in North Raleigh with her husband, Ben, and their daughter, Isla.  

As a Pediatric Emergency Nurse, Hayley has seen the trauma caused by sexual assault far too many times. Lara has experience in Labor & Delivery and Pediatrics nursing and an interest in SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) nursing.  

In 2016, the trauma of sexual assault became personal. Since then, Hayley and Lara have felt called to care for, speak up for, and walk with survivors of sexual assault.

Jillian Keefe was born and raised in the Northern California Sierra Nevadas. She is the oldest for four siblings and has spent her life in Colorado, the coastline of central California, New Jersey and has now settled herself in Raleigh with her husband Ryan, two daughters, Lilly and Sadie, and dog Willow.

Jillian joined the Layers of Dignity team in 2022 and has served as the chairperson of the board, in addition to being the facilities coordinator and liaison for Layers. Jillian is passionate about the work that Layers does, and ensures all our sites stay fully stocked.

Katie joined the Layers of Dignity team in 2024. She is a recent graduate of North Carolina State University’s Bachelor in Social Work program. She plans to pursue her Master’s in Social Work post-graduation.

Katie was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina. At Layers of Dignity, her work has focused on community outreach, volunteer coordination, and event planning.