About our members and speakers

Members of the Clergy Project come from a variety of religious and cultural backgrounds. Despite this, we have more in common than having each ministered or pastored to a community. Our speakers also have a history of engaging in dialogue and providing thoughtful and impactful presentations. Since launching our public webpage in October 2011, Clergy Project members have spoken at secular events across North America. These presentations have provided our speakers with an opportunity to features their skills as effective and vibrant presenters. The Clergy Project Speakers Bureau was created to assist our Speakers with keeping up with the demand of speaking requests. If you are interested in booking one of our speakers for your conference or event please complete our Speaker Request Form (INSERT LINK) and we would be happy to follow up with you regarding speaking fees and availability.

Jerry Dewitt

Jerry Dewitt’s ministry began at age seventeen. He began his career as an evangelist and assistant pastor in three Pentecostal churches. Later he held the pastorate of two fundamentalist congregations. After more than twenty-five years of ministry he realized he had become an Atheist. Jerry is the Executive Director of Recovering from Religion and is also the first graduate of The Clergy Project. Jerry volunteers his time with the Clergy Project as a Screener, Committee and Board Member.

Catherine Dunphy

Catherine is the acting Executive Director for the Clergy Project. She is a former Roman Catholic Chaplain who left the church when she recognized that she was no longer a believer. Catherine completed both an undergraduate and masters degree in Theology. As one of the original 52 members of the project, Catherine has been volunteering to help organize the Clergy Project from the beginning. She is a Screener and a member of the volunteer Board of Directors and she is actively working on projects to benefit Clergy Project members. Catherine is a Communications Professional who never looked back once she left the church.

Teresa MacBain

Teresa MacBain became a non-believer after more than twenty years of ministry. She started her career in ministry serving along side her father, a Baptist minister. She taught in Christian Schools, served as a worship pastor, associate pastor and senior pastor. Teresa received her bachelor’s degree from Samford University in Christian Education followed by her Masters in Divinity from Duke Divinity School.

Teresa holds the distinction of being the first female graduate of The Clergy Project and as our first acting Executive Director. As a former minister, Teresa brings a broad understanding of the religious lifestyle and its effects on personal wellbeing to the non-theist movement. She’s a dynamic and entertaining public speaker with a heartfelt compassion for those struggling to completely free themselves from their religion. Currently, Teresa is the Public Relations Director for American Atheists and she remains a Clergy Project Board Member.

Mark Palmer

Mark Palmer is a legally blind attorney and Atheist-Humanist activist living in Tallahassee, Florida. He is a former Mormon Elders Quorum President (leader of a congregational men's ministry). He served a 2-year Mormon mission in north Florida from 1997 to 1999, graduated from Brigham Young University in 2002, and belatedly rejected supernaturalism in 2007. He founded the Tallahassee Atheists while attending Florida State University College of Law, from which he graduated magna cum laude in 2010. Palmer serves as the executive director of the Humanists of Florida Association and is on the Board of Directors for the Clergy Project.

Robert Parham

As one of the original 52 members of the Clergy Project, Robert Parham is a former Southern Baptist minister, with 13 years of experience in ministry. Having earned his Bachelor's of Music in Church Music from Samford University. It was while serving full-time as Minister of Music and Youth, that he decided to forego seminary and attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he earned his first Master's Degree in Agency Counseling. It was during graduate school that Robert began to challenge his conservative Christian beliefs and began the emotionally difficult and gradual process of giving up belief. Robert completed a second Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology and is now president of Parham & Associates, P.C., a private practice where he works as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider in Tacoma, Washington. Robert volunteers as a Screener and on the Board of Directors. Recently he was appointed acting Treasurer of The Clergy Project.