Speakers

Anthony L. Back, MD

Professor of Medicine

University of Washington, Seattle

Anthony Back, MD, is Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle, and researcher at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Dr. Back was educated at Stanford University and Harvard Medical School. He practiced medical oncology for 30 years and practices now as a board certified physician in Palliative Medicine and Internal Medicine and as PI on FDA-approved studies of psychedelic therapies. His work has included a randomized study of psilocybin therapy for doctors and nurses published in JAMA Network Open, and a study of group retreat psilocybin therapy for patients with metastatic cancer published in Psychedelic Medicine.

Kevin Balktick

Founder + Director

Horizons Media, Inc.

Kevin Balktick is a New York-based producer, creative director, and movement-builder. He is driven by a passion to create gatherings that bring inspiration and connection into the lives of their participants.

In 2007, Kevin founded Horizons: Perspectives on Psychedelics as a single-day symposium at Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village. As its executive director, he has stewarded the conference and its community across 19 years.

From 2021 - 2025, he additionally served as Director of Events for MAPS, where he led the Psychedelic Science conferences, which were the largest educational events devoted to psychedelics in the world.

Outside of Horizons, over the last 22 years, his oeuvre has included numerous community-centric cultural, artistic and social experiences across locations as varied as churches, warehouses, fortresses, libraries, mansions, prisons, universities, city streets, and the great outdoors.

His work has been featured in The New York Times, National Public Radio, The New Yorker, Vogue, WWD, Vice, Hospitality Design, Wired, NHT (Japan), The Guardian (UK), Ha’aretz (Israel), and other publications.

Ritu S. Baral

Managing Director & Sr. Biotechnology Analyst

TD Cowen

Ritu Baral has spent over 19 years in biotechnology finance, with 16+ years focused on equity research covering rare diseases and neurology. She joined Cowen in 2014 as a senior biotechnology analyst. Previously, she held positions at Canaccord Genuity, JMP Securities, and the Trout Group. Her background includes research work at Columbia University's Department of Medicine on neuroendocrine topics. She holds a BA in biological sciences from Barnard College and serves on boards for the Everylife Foundation for Rare Disease and the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Foundation. She formerly served on the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation board.

Myriam Barthes

CEO & Co-Founder

Journey Clinical

Myriam is the co-founder and CEO of Journey Clinical which is helping to transform mental health with psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Myriam is passionate about expanding access to clinical mental health treatment and empowering therapists to offer this treatment to their clients. She began her career in strategy consulting and as an AI strategist, and has grown Journey Clinical to a network of over 2,500 licensed therapists facilitating tens of thousands of hours of psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Andrea Beckel-Mitchener, PhD

Acting Director, National Institute of Mental Health

National Institutes of Health

Andrea Beckel-Mitchener, Ph.D., is the Acting Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders. She oversees the institute's research portfolio of basic and clinical research that seeks to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure. Dr. Beckel-Mitchener joined NIH in 2004 and has overseen several large programs and collaborative projects, including management of the Functional Neurogenomics program at NIMH, the Common Fund's Single Cell Analysis Program, and the Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative Cell Census Network (BICCN). She continues to serve as the Deputy Director of the BRAIN Initiative and has held multiple leadership positions within NIMH. Dr. Beckel-Mitchener completed her Ph.D. in Molecular Neuroscience at The University of New Mexico. Prior to joining NIH, she worked as a staff scientist at GlaxoSmithKline and as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Daniel Bryant, MSEd, LPC, CCTP

Clinical Director of Substance Use Disorder Services

Community Health Center, Inc.

Dan Bryant is a licensed professional counselor working at Community Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Connecticut. He is a graduate of the CIIS Psychedelic Therapies and Research Program class of 2022 and is a published researcher on adverse childhood experiences, public health, and integrated primary care. Working with underserved populations Mr. Bryant has been a treating primarily trauma and substance use for nearly 20 years and is an advocate and consultant on patient access issues around psychedelic assisted therapy, FQHCs, and Medicaid.

Al Bugazia, MD

Deputy Director, Proactive Health

ARPA-H

Dr. Al Bugazia joined ARPA-H in May 2026 and is an internal medicine and critical care–trained physician with more than a decade of experience as an intensivist, educator, and adjunct associate professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine. He completed his critical care fellowship at Cleveland Clinic, where he served as Chief Fellow, before going on to care for critically ill patients and train the next generation of physicians. His work has since expanded from crisis-based care to a broader focus on precision health, healthy aging, and chronic disease prevention.

A.J. Cannon, MD

Executive Medical Director, Neuroscience Clinical Development

AbbVie

Dr. Cannon is a board-certified psychiatrist, physician-neuroscientist, and Executive Medical Director in Neuroscience Clinical Development at AbbVie, where he designs and leads clinical trials evaluating novel treatments for serious mental illnesses. He comes from a diverse clinical background that spanned outpatient general psychiatry with a focus on mood, anxiety, and stress disorders as well as interventional approaches to treating psychiatric illnesses.

Joy Sun Cooper

Senior Advisor

Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative

Joy Sun Cooper currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative (PSFC). Most recently, she served as Chief of Therapy Training at Lykos Therapeutics, where she was a member of the executive team and was responsible for leading the company's education and training program. She also served as Head of Commercialization and Patient Access at Lykos and helped lead the company’s preparations for potential FDA approval of midomafetamine for PTSD. Joy is an entrepreneur who has founded and scaled multiple for-profit and nonprofit ventures, including Groups, a network of 100+ outpatient clinics providing treatment for opioid use disorder. Joy holds a BS from Georgetown University and an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Maj. Gen. Glenn H. Curtis (Ret.)

Ambassador

Americans for Ibogaine

Maj. Gen. Glenn H. Curtis (Ret.) served nearly 38 years in the Louisiana National Guard, rising from enlisted soldier to Adjutant General, where he led more than 11,000 soldiers and airmen through multiple deployments, natural disasters, and major state and national emergencies. Known for his steady, people-first leadership, he guided the Guard through Operation Iraqi Freedom, Hurricane Katrina, the 2016 Louisiana floods, and countless high-risk missions. His service earned him the Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Service Medal, and induction into the Louisiana National Guard Hall of Fame.

After retiring, Gen. Curtis faced the lasting effects of post-traumatic stress and multiple traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). His son also suffered severe head trauma following a life-altering accident. Gen. Curtis first learned about ibogaine after hearing Americans for Ibogaine's Rick Perry and Bryan Hubbard discuss the treatment on Joe Rogan's podcast. He and his son ultimately traveled to Mexico for ibogaine therapy. Gen. Curtis is the founder of Awaken Warriors, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Louisiana combat Veterans and first responders access ibogaine treatment in Mexico. As an Americans for Ibogaine Ambassador, Gen. Curtis brings unmatched military leadership, lived experience, and a deep commitment to ensuring that ibogaine research and access become available in the United States.

Meghan DellaCrosse, PsyD

Affiliate Scientist

Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research

Meghan DellaCrosse, Psy.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist and scientist specializing in psychedelic medicine, qualitative and mixed-methods research, and clinical trial safety. Bridging rigorous data with the subjective experience of healing, she works through trauma-informed, culturally responsive lenses. Dr. DellaCrosse is an affiliate scientist with the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Psychedelic Public Health, and has contributed to studies investigating PTSD, depression, and bipolar disorder. Her ongoing independent research applies Ecological Systems Theory to examine how contextual factors across multiple levels influence therapeutic outcomes, safety, and inform broader public health approaches to psychedelic care. She completed advanced training at The Ohio State University, UCSF, and the Wright Institute in Berkeley.

Lori Englebert

Chief Commercial Officer

Compass Pathways

Lori Englebert, Chief Commercial Officer of Compass Pathways, has spent her career seeking new challenges to achieve things others might say could never be done. Across more than fifteen product launches, Lori has built a reputation for entering underserved spaces with a combination of strategic acumen and creative thinking that empowers teams to answer some of the toughest questions that have kept patients waiting. At Compass, Lori’s unique approach to commercial leadership has shaped the infrastructure and the team for optimizing market conditions in support of the broadest possible access to Compass’ psychedelic treatment for people living with serious mental health conditions. In her view, commercial success and human impact are one and the same.

With a commercial career spanning from large pharmaceutical companies to lean biotechs, including Axsome and Amgen, Lori understands the full arc of what it takes to move a breakthrough from clinical evidence to a patient’s hands, and every barrier that stands in between. She holds a B.A. and an MBA from Wake Forest University.

Lori joined Compass because she sees this work as once-in-a-generation: not just a first-in-class treatment, but a first-in-class opportunity to reimagine how mental healthcare reaches the people who need it most.

Gisele Fernandes-Osterhold, LMFT

Director of Psychedelic Facilitation, TrPR Program

University of California San Francisco (UCSF)

Gisele Fernandes-Osterhold is the director of facilitation for psychedelic therapy at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), a mentor at the Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research at CIIS, and faculty at the certificate for psychedelic therapy at the CAMP (UFRN) and Instituto Alma Viva in Brazil. A practicing psychotherapist for over 25 years, Gisele specializes in the treatment of trauma, using an integrative approach rooted in Somatic, Humanistic-Existential and Transpersonal psychologies. She is dedicated to diversity and inclusion in her clinical, academic, and research engagements. Gisele sits on the Advisory Board of the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines.

Albert Garcia-Romeu, PhD

Psychologist and Pharmacology Researcher

Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research

Albert Garcia-Romeu, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. His research examines the effects of psychedelics in humans, with a focus on psilocybin as an aid in the treatment of addictions and other chronic health conditions. He earned his doctorate in psychology in 2012 from Sofia University in Palo Alto, CA where he studied self-transcendence, spiritual experiences, and their relationship to mental health. He received postdoctoral training in behavioral pharmacology at Johns Hopkins Medicine, and subsequently joined the faculty. Dr. Garcia-Romeu has authored over 80 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and commentaries on psychopharmacology and mental health. His work has been featured widely in popular media including the New York Times, National Geographic, Science, Nature, Psychology Today, CNN, and Scientific American. His current research interests include clinical applications of psychedelics, real-world drug use patterns, and the role of spirituality in wellbeing. He is co-editor of the textbook Psychedelics: Transforming Psychiatry (2026) published by the American Psychiatric Association. He is a founding member and Associate Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research.

Manesh Girn, PhD

Postdoctoral Neuroscientist

University of California, San Francisco (former)

Dr. Manesh Girn is a neuroscientist and psychedelic researcher whose work spans basic science, translational impact, and public education. His work is guided by a commitment to understanding how psychedelics and related neuroplasticity-promoting interventions influence the brain to support healing, insight, and transformation.

Dr. Girn completed his postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco, where he worked with Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying psychedelic experiences and their therapeutic potential. He has authored over thirty dozen -reviewed publications on psychedelics, brain networks, and cognition, including in prestigious journals such as Nature Medicine, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Brain.

He currently works as Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Five Discovery, a biotechnology company developing psychedelic-inspired therapeutics for neurodegenerative disease. He also serves as Scientific Director of The Center for MINDS, a non-profit research organization exploring psychedelics and consciousness practices as catalysts for creativity and breakthtrough insight in real-world, high-impact contexts.

Jazz Glastra

Senior Director

BrainFutures

Jazz Glastra is the Senior Director at BrainFutures, where she leads national initiatives to accelerate access to psychedelic therapies and other innovations in mental health care. With a background spanning strategy, policy, and program design, she has guided multi-stakeholder collaborations involving researchers, clinicians, educators, and policymakers to build the field's infrastructure for safe and effective treatment delivery. Jazz has authored and co-authored several reports related to clinical integration of psychedelic therapies. Prior to joining BrainFutures, Jazz served in leadership roles with organizations devoted to expanding healthy, local food access and worked to expand career opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Kenyon College and a Master of Science from the Ohio State University.

Guy Goodwin, MD, DPhil

Chief Medical Officer; Emeritus Professor, Oxford

Compass Pathways

Dr. Guy Goodwin, Chief Medical Officer of Compass Pathways, came to psychiatry by way of neuroscience, motivated to dive into one of the field's biggest unknowns: the intersection of brain, mind, and human experience. His research has focused on the treatment of mood disorders and, increasingly, the potential to improve outcomes with new technology and therapeutic modalities, including psychedelics. Guy played an essential role in developing the Compass Phase IIb clinical trial and acted as its coordinating principal investigator.

Guy completed his medical degree and DPhil in physiology at the University of Oxford. He spent a decade as a Clinical Scientist at the MRC Brain Metabolism Unit in Edinburgh before returning to Oxford as head of the department of psychiatry and a senior research fellow. Guy is a Fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and previously served as President of both the British Association for Psychopharmacology and the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP), as well as Senior Investigator at the UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Guy previously served as Co-Chair of the pro bono national commission for the Bipolar UK charity.

Andrew Gradison, JD

Senior Advisor, Veterans Health Administration

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Andrew Gradison is a Senior Advisor at the Veterans Health Administration, reporting directly to the Under Secretary for Health, where he works to help lead the nation's largest integrated health care system and oversee care for over nine million Veterans. At the request of the Secretary, Andrew also leads the Department’s implementation of Executive Order 14401, Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness. Prior to joining VA, Andrew served as Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), where he led the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), managing a $74 billion operating division. He previously served as Senior Education Policy Advisor for the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, and held senior positions at the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means.

Harry Grammer, PhD

Founder

New Earth

Harry founded New Earth in 2004 and has been helping to reform the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles County ever since. He earned his Ph.D. in Community, Liberation, & Eco-Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara and is now the Board Chair of its Alumni Association. In 2017, Harry was honored as a CNN Hero, and in 2018 he was selected as one of 20 inaugural Obama Foundation Fellows from over 20,000 applicants in 191 countries. He brings his leadership and lived experience, with a background in teaching arts and advocacy to systems-impacted youth, to his continuing work as a nationwide activist and educator.

Josh Hardman

Founder & Editor

Psychedelic Alpha

Josh Hardman is the founder of Psychedelic Alpha, an independent publication and advisory platform covering psychedelic medicine, biotech, and policy. For nearly a decade, he has provided trusted analysis on clinical development, regulation, investment, and commercialisation, making him one of the field's most respected commentators. Since founding the outlet in 2020, Hardman has written hundreds of analyses and built the field's most relied-upon data resources tracking psychedelic drug development, policy, and investment activity. Today, Psychedelic Alpha is read by investment firms, biotechs and pharmaceutical companies, philanthropies and regulators, clinicians and researchers alike.

Carole Ho, MD

Executive Vice President; President, Lilly Neuroscience

Eli Lilly and Company

Carole Ho is executive vice president of Eli Lilly and Company and president of Lilly Neuroscience. Carole has been recognized for strategic leadership in advancing neuroscience innovation and organizational growth. With a proven ability to build and scale integrated development organizations, Carole has guided teams through the full spectrum of drug development, driving progress from early research to pivotal clinical milestones and global launches.

Before joining Lilly, Carole was the founding chief medical officer and head of development at Denali Therapeutics, where she established a dynamic development infrastructure that accelerated progress across multiple neurological indications.

Throughout her career, Carole has championed innovative approaches to clinical research, spearheaded landmark prevention trials, and cultivated partnerships that have shaped the future of neuroscience. With a foundation in neurology and biochemical sciences, she brings deep expertise and a passion for advancing patient care through bold, strategic leadership.

Carole completed her residency in neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where she also served as chief resident. She obtained her M.D. from Cornell University and S.B. in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard College. Carole currently serves on the boards of Beam Therapeutics, Royalty Pharma and TargetALS.

Jamila Hokanson, MD, MBA, MHA

Director of Operations, Yale Program for Psychedelic Science

Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry

Dr. Hokanson is a psychiatrist that works with adolescents, young adults, women, and people of color who would benefit from a holistic mental health healing approach. She also conducts research in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Dr. Hokanson completed her medical training at UT Southwestern medical school and psychiatric training at Yale University. She has completed additional training in integrative psychiatry as well as MDMA-assisted psychotherapy training for the treatment of PTSD. Dr. Hokanson’s clinical interests include: Adolescent and young adult mental health, women’s mental health, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, trauma-related disorders, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, psychodynamic, and mindfulness-based therapy, and integrative psychiatry.

Julie Holland, MD

Psychiatrist and author

Private practice, New York City

Julie Holland, M.D., is a psychiatrist specializing in psychopharmacology and psychedelic medicine, with a private practice in New York City. She majored in the Biological Basis of Behavior at the University of Pennsylvania and received her M.D. in 1992 from Temple University School of Medicine. At Mount Sinai Medical Center, she completed a residency program in psychiatry, where she created a research project that treated people with schizophrenia using a new medication, resulting in her receipt of an Outstanding Resident Award from the National Institute of Mental Health in 1994. From 1996 until 2005 she worked weekends as the overnight attending, running Bellevue Hospital's psychiatric emergency room. After Bellevue, she published five books: as editor of two non-profit books: Ecstasy: The Complete Guide and The Pot Book: A Complete Guide to Cannabis. Her NYT Bestsellers: Weekends at Bellevue:Nine Years on the Nightshift, and Moody Bitches:The Truth About the Drugs You're Taking, Sleep You're Missing, Sex You're Not Having, and What's Really Making You Crazy afforded her many television appearances on Today and other morning shows, CNN, and various documentaries. While now a medical advisor to MAPS, she was a medical monitor for several clinical studies examining the efficacy of using MDMA-assisted psychotherapy or cannabis in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A member of the International Society for Substance Assisted Psychotherapy, she is a scientific advisor to Palo Santo and other psychedelic companies. Her newest book is Good Chemistry: The Science of Connection, From Soul to Psychedelics.

W. Bryan Hubbard

CEO

Americans for Ibogaine

W. Bryan Hubbard is a seasoned leader and advocate committed to creating, reforming, and improving human systems to accelerate progress for all. With a rich law, public policy, and community engagement background, he has consistently tackled some of society's most pressing challenges.

From leading the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission to driving reforms in disability policy, child support enforcement, Medicaid systems, and judicial responses to mental health and substance use issues, Bryan's work reflects a deep passion for positive change. His extensive experience includes managing complex organizations, building diverse stakeholder coalitions, organizing impactful events, and crafting innovative policy solutions.

In June 2025, Bryan became the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of Americans for Ibogaine. AFI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing public education and awareness about ibogaine as a potential therapeutic option for brain injuries, substance use disorders, and co-occurring mental health conditions.

Edny Inui, PhD, MBA

Partner

Palo Santo

With over two decades of experience spanning biotechnology industry operations and neuroscience research, Edny brings to Palo Santo a unique blend of scientific insight and operational acumen. She has a deep passion for scientific discovery, technology innovation, and is dedicated to enabling the development of next-generation psychedelic therapies and novel CNS targets for mental health.

Edny holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelor of Science from MIT. Previously, she held business development roles at Calico Life Sciences, Caribou Biosciences, and Acadia Pharmaceuticals, where she led partnering activities and portfolio strategy across aging, neuroscience, oncology, and immunology.

Daniel R. Karlin, MD, MA

Chief Medical Officer

Definium Therapeutics

Dr. Daniel Rollings Karlin, MD, MA, joined MindMed as Chief Medical Officer in February 2021 following MindMed's acquisition of HealthMode, the company he co-founded and led as CEO. Prior to HealthMode, Dan built and led clinical, informatics, and regulatory strategy for Pfizer's Digital Medicine and Innovation Research Lab. He also served as Global Clinical Lead for psychiatry clinical compounds at Pfizer. Dan is Board Certified in Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine, and Clinical Informatics. He is a Fellow of the APA and the American Society of Addiction Medicine and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Tufts University School of Medicine. He graduated with degrees in Neuroscience and Behavior (BA) and Clinical Informatics (MA) from Columbia University; and Medicine (MD) from the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Bia Labate, PhD

Executive Director

Chacruna Institute

Dr. Beatriz Caiuby Labate (Bia Labate) is a renowned anthropologist, educator, author, speaker, mentor, and activist deeply committed to the protection of sacred plants and amplifying marginalized voices in the field of psychedelic science. Bia grew up in São Paulo, Brazil and lived there until she was 38 years old. From the age of 10 to 26 she participated in an international youth organization promoting peace and cultural dialogues. Intrepid backpacker and traveler since young age, she always enjoyed learning about other cultures, languages, and traditions, which lead her to study social sciences with a focus on anthropology. She first encountered mushrooms and peyote in 1990, while backpacking Mexico, and ayahuasca in the Amazon in 1996. A queer Brazilian anthropologist based in San Francisco, her academic and professional journey has been profoundly shaped by her experiences with ayahuasca.

Dr. Labate holds a Ph.D. in social anthropology from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil. Her research focuses on psychedelic plant medicines, Indigenous shamanism, ceremony, religion, drug policy, and social justice. She is Executive Director of the Chacruna Institute for Psychedelic Plant Medicines, an organization dedicated to promoting reciprocity in the psychedelic community and supporting the protection of sacred plants and cultural traditions. She also serves as Senior Advisor for Culture and Strategy at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), advocating for public education, harm reduction, and policy reform in the field of psychedelic-assisted therapies.

Kyle LaHucik

Biotech Correspondent

Endpoints News

Kyle LaHucik covers the financial underpinnings of drug development and breaks news on biotech financing rounds, M&A, IPO planning and other deals pushing the industry forward. A graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Kyle joined Endpoints News in March 2022 after reporting for Fierce Biotech, Mergermarket, Bloomberg, the Columbia Missourian and other publications. Outside of work, catch him on the Chicago lakefront path, where he coaches a local high school cross country and track team, trains for marathons and bikes for fun.

Amy Lehrner, PhD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Dr. Lehrner is an Associate Professor and Assistant Director of the Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and she is a licensed clinical psychologist at the James J Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx. She has conducted research on the treatment of PTSD and moral injury in veterans, sexual dysfunction and PTSD, and the intergenerational transmission of effects of trauma. With Dr. Rachel Yehuda, she has been conducting research on psychedelic assisted therapies since 2019, including clinical trials of MDMA- and psilocybin-assisted therapies and long-term follow up studies of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD in veterans. She is a psychedelic therapist, trainer, and supervisor, and is co-author of a treatment manual, Integrative MDMA-assisted Psychotherapy (IMAP).

Lee Lewis

Chief Strategy Officer and GM Medical Solutions, Health Transformation Alliance

Health Transformation Alliance

Lee Lewis serves as Chief Strategy Officer and GM Medical Solutions for the Health Transformation Alliance, a co-op of 85 jumbo employers with six million lives. Within this role he built new approaches to direct primary care and mental health, new models for carrier selection and management, innovative plan designs to change employer results, and new systems for managing consultants. His strategies are in place at around a quarter of the Fortune 200. He is also host of the leading employer health podcast Broken Benefits.

Lee has further advised healthcare strategy at insurance companies, medical associations and the Departments of Justice and Labor, and has been quoted in Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal. He is a founding, charter member of the Health Rosetta organization, which seeks to open-source employer health benefits strategy.

Before joining the HTA, Lee was ranked the #2 consultant in the world for Gallagher in health benefits consulting and was named the top large-employer consultant in the U.S. by the Validation Institute.

Lee is a Rhodes Scholar Nominee and graduated Second in his Class, Magna cum Laude with University Honors.

Michelle Lhooq

Journalist, Rave New World

Rave New World

Michelle Lhooq is a Los Angeles-based journalist covering counterculture through the prism of raves, psychedelics, and collective states of euphoria.

She writes a Substack newsletter called Rave New World, and is the author of WEED: Everything You Want to Know But Are Always Too Stoned to Ask (Penguin Random House).

In 2026, she was a recipient of the Ferriss – UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship, which supports in-depth reporting on this new era of psychedelics.

After studying Comparative Literature at Columbia University, Lhooq was a music editor at VICE in NYC from 2014-2017. Since moving to Los Angeles, her writing has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg, New York Magazine, GQ, and others.

She has been interviewed in PAPER, i-D, Out, and Study Hall. She has also spoken at Harvard University, Boiler Room, Red Bull, Wonderfruit Festival, CTM Berlin, and Ozora. As a consultant on emerging cultural trends, her clients have included WGSN and The Future Laboratory.

Alberto “Nachi” López Pérez

Board Member and Huachuma Conservation Center Director

Colectivo Huachuma

Don Alberto “Nachi” Lopez is a respected elder of the Indigenous Andean community of San Pedro de Casta in Peru. For 50 years, he has been a curandero (healer) and naturista (herbalist) who maintains a successful traditional medicine practice. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Huachuma Collective, a community-led nonprofit organization in Peru that conserves the San Pedro cactus, its culture and traditions. Don Nachi is Director of the first Huachuma Conservation Center in Peru, a collaborative project between Huachuma Collective and the Indigenous community of San Pedro de Casta.

Jason Luoma, PhD

Director of Research

Portland Institute for Psychedelic Science

Jason Luoma, PhD, is Director of Research at the Portland Institute for Psychedelic Science and CEO of Portland Psychotherapy Clinic, Research, & Training Center, a social enterprise that uses clinical revenue to support independent research. He is also an Associate Scientist at Oregon Research Institute and affiliate faculty at Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Luoma’s research focuses on psychedelics, shame, self-stigma, social connection, and the development of interventions that foster self-compassion and belonging. He was principal investigator of a clinical trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for social anxiety disorder and is an investigator on an open trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy for chronic pelvic pain. He also co-founded the Open Psychedelic Evaluation Nexus (OPEN), a practice-based research network studying the safety, outcomes, and implementation of state-regulated psilocybin services in Oregon.

Valentina Mantua, MD, PhD

Associate Director for Regulatory Science

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Valentina Mantua, MD, PhD, is a medical doctor and psychiatrist with a doctorate in neurobiology. Dr. Mantua joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2019 and currently serves as Associate Director of Regulatory Science at the Office of Neuroscience, as well as Acting Deputy Director for the Division of psychiatry, she oversees regulatory review and policy development for neurological and psychiatric products.

Joe McKay

Board Member, Clusterbusters

Clusterbusters

Joe is a retired FDNY firefighter and longtime advocate for first responders and people living with cluster headache. He serves on the board of Clusterbusters, a nonprofit focused on better treatments and a cure for cluster headache.

After finding psychedelics helped with his own cluster attacks, Joe became an advocate for their potential in treating cluster headache, PTSD, and addiction. He’s also a patient advocate with Headache on the Hill and has worked with fellow first responders, Jon Stewart, and Burn Pits 360 on 9/11 health benefits and the PACT Act. Joe also volunteers with the Ray Pfeiffer Foundation, helping 9/11 first responders with medical needs.

Juliana Mercer

Director, Veteran Advocacy and Public Policy, Healing Breakthrough

Healing Breakthrough

Juliana Mercer is a Marine Corps veteran with over 20 years of experience working with and serving the veteran population. In her quest to help fellow veterans and herself heal from years of personal and military trauma, Juliana found relief through psychedelic therapy. Thus, in her current role as Director of Public Policy for the nonprofit organization Healing Breakthrough, Juliana passionately advocates for the research, training, and deployment of system-wide adoption of MDMA therapy.

Madison Muller

Healthcare Reporter

Bloomberg News

I'm currently a health reporter for Bloomberg News in New York City. I have a bachelor's and master's in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. My work can be found in Bloomberg, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone and more.

Paule-Prisca Ognigui Ebe

Gabonese Cultural Advocate, Heritage Preservation Leader & Co-Founder, Y’Azo Communauté

Y’Azo Communauté

Paule-Prisca Ognigui Ebe is Deputy General Coordinator, in charge of Communications, for Gabon’s National Operation to establish a Federation of practitioners of the Original Bwete tradition, and Secretary General of Y’Azo Communauté, an organization dedicated to the preservation, transmission, and recognition of Gabon’s ancestral cultural heritage. As part of this unprecedented national initiative, Paule has been traveling across Gabon, bringing together custodians and practitioners of Original Bwete and encouraging communities to come together to speak about their heritage on their own terms, by their own communities, and from their own cultural foundations. The initiative seeks to create a legal, inclusive, and representative framework for the guardians of this living tradition. As a daughter of Gabon and an inheritor of its ancestral traditions, Paule is a voice for a generation committed to protecting the country’s intangible cultural heritage, particularly at a time when international attention to Iboga is growing. Through Y’Azo Communauté and its partner communities, she advocates for the preservation and recognition of the ancestral knowledge, cultural practices, and communities that have safeguarded this heritage and transmitted it across generations. At Horizons, Paule brings the perspective of Gabonese communities, advocating for an international conversation that recognizes, includes, and respects the ancestral custodians of this heritage.

Assemblymember Amy Paulin

New York State Assembly District 88 and Chair, Assembly Committee on Health

New York State Assembly

Assembly Member Amy Paulin has represented New York’s 88th Assembly District in Westchester County since 2001 and currently chairs the Assembly Committee on Health. One of New York’s most accomplished lawmakers, she has authored or sponsored more than 400 bills signed into law, advancing policies that expand access to health care, protect individual autonomy, and promote social justice.

Paulin is the Assembly sponsor of the New York Medical Psilocybin Act, legislation that would establish a regulated, medically supervised framework for patients with certain serious conditions to access psilocybin treatment, with appropriate clinical oversight and patient protections.

Among her landmark achievements is the Medical Aid in Dying Act, signed into law in February 2026 after more than a decade of advocacy. Paulin championed the legislation, which gives terminally ill New Yorkers the option to obtain medication to peacefully end unbearable suffering. She also sponsored legislation expanding access to opioid overdose reversal medications in workplaces and the Birth Control Access Act, which expanded access to hormonal contraception through pharmacists.

Throughout her legislative career, Paulin has been a leading voice for policies grounded in scientific evidence, patient-centered care, and individual rights. Her work frequently addresses complex questions at the intersection of medicine, law, and personal autonomy, including issues that have historically faced significant political and institutional resistance.

As Health Committee Chair, Paulin continues to advance legislation that responds to unmet medical needs, challenges outdated approaches to health care, and establishes responsible regulatory frameworks for emerging treatments.

Austin R. Pick, MA

Program Director

Psychedelic Education Partnership

Austin R. Pick, MA (he/him) is Program Director of the Psychedelic Education Partnership, a nonprofit organization advancing evidence-based, interdisciplinary education in psychedelic science and care across the healthcare workforce. An educator and strategic leader with deep roots in values-based organizations, he holds an MA in Religious Studies from Naropa University, where he served as an integral member of the administration for ten years. Austin oversaw the launch of Naropa Extended Campus, and was a founding member of the Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies. His diverse experience is grounded in a commitment to interdisciplinary perspectives and multicultural understanding, and his writing, fiction and non-fiction, has appeared in a variety of publications. Austin’s interest in contemplative practice and inventive language reflects his dedication to developing an ever more conscious engagement with our ongoing composition of the world—one that is expansive, inclusive and compassionate.

Srinivas Rao, MD, PhD

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, AtaiBeckley

Eli Lilly and Company

Srinivas is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AtaiBeckley. He was previously Co-Founder of atai Life Sciences and served as Chief Scientific Officer for five years before becoming Co-Chief Executive in 2023. He refers to himself as being an engineer at heart and credits this mindset for his passion in seeking to understand the brain, particularly as it regards mental health conditions.

With more than two decades of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, he has held the titles of Chief Scientific, Medical and Executive at multiple companies ranging from venture-backed startups to vertically integrated, publicly traded pharmaceutical companies.

Srini completed his internship in Internal Medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital. He received his medical degree from Yale School of Medicine and holds a Ph.D. in Neurobiology and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Yale Graduate School.

Kate M. Reynolds, MPH

Director of Research

Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety

Ms. Reynolds has her MPH from Drexel University and a certificate in Pharmacoepidemiology from the University of Illinois – Chicago. She has been with RMPDS since 2008 and currently serves as Director of Research. Ms. Reynolds has led many efforts to systematically evaluate the safety of medications and consumer products including pediatric medication safety surveillance and monitoring opioid non-medical use. Most recently, Ms. Reynolds has led efforts within her organization to implement tools that measure outcomes associated with a range of new and emerging psychoactive substances, including psychedelic medicines. She specializes in using poison center data and other secondary data sources to evaluate medication and consumer product post-market and real-world safety issues.

Kimberly Roddy, MBA

Interim CEO, Co-Founder

Sunstone Therapies

Kimberly Roddy is the Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Sunstone Therapies. She has dedicated her career to improving patient care by advancing healthcare systems with compassionate leadership. Her commitment to building strong operational infrastructure goes beyond organizational growth—creating environments where teams can work more seamlessly together, fostering a sense of internal community.

Kim began her journey in healthcare as a phlebotomist, earning degrees in medical technology and biology. Recognizing her talent for making complex systems work more elegantly and efficiently, she pursued an MBA to gain greater access to leadership roles within healthcare organizations. Her career path led her into oncology and clinical trials, where she played a key role in expanding research programs and managing large oncology practices.

At the heart of Kim's philosophy is the belief that healing is deeply related to human connection and community—principles that naturally drew her to psychedelic therapy.

Sandy Samberg

Founder

Psychedelic Education Partnership

Sandy Samberg is a nurse practitioner and mission-driven leader with a longstanding commitment to supporting individuals during periods of illness and other challenging circumstances. She earned her BSN and MSN from the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a nurse practitioner in New York City. Sandy is the founder of Soul Ryeders, a nonprofit cancer support organization. Through her work with individuals facing terminal illness, she witnessed firsthand the anxiety, depression, and existential distress that often accompany advanced disease. Learning about the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy to ease this distress led her to recognize a significant gap in accessible, evidence-based education for healthcare professionals. Sandy went on to found the Psychedelic Education Partnership, an independent nonprofit dedicated to preparing the healthcare workforce to responsibly and ethically engage with psychedelic science and care. As Founder and Board Chair, she helps guide two complementary initiatives: the University Psychedelic Education Program (U-PEP), which equips faculty to integrate evidence-based psychedelic education into healthcare curricula, and the Clinician Psychedelic Education Program (C-PEP), which focuses on educating practicing healthcare professionals. Together, these programs aim to ensure that clinicians across disciplines have the knowledge and confidence to answer patients' questions, make informed referrals, and engage thoughtfully within their professional scope. Through their charitable foundation, Sandy and her husband Joe support a wide range of nonprofit organizations, with a special focus on mental health and broadening access and opportunities for under-resourced communities.

Dalibor Sames, PhD

Professor of Chemistry

Columbia University

Professor Sames studied chemistry at Charles University in Prague and the University of Arizona in Tucson (M.A. and Ph.D.) and pursued postdoctoral research as the Michael R. Bloomberg Fellow of the Irvington Institute of Immunology at The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York focusing on antitumor immunotherapies. He has built his independent research program at Columbia University in New York City where his research group has become a thought leader in several areas of science, including the development of a new logic in chemical synthesis of complex organic materials (based on direct functionalization of C-H bonds), introduction of novel synaptic imaging agents (FFNs or fluorescent false neurotransmitter), elucidation of a molecular mechanism of the antidepressant tianeptine and the psychoactive plant kratom, and study of ibogaine and other iboga alkaloids as unique prototypes of novel neurotherapeutics and molecular technologies. Dr. Sames received numerous awards for this research contributions; for example, The Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship Award, The McKnight Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Award, and The Pfizer Award for Creativity in Organic Synthesis. Dr. Sames is a co-founder of Gilgamesh Pharma.

William M. Sauvé, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Osmind

William Sauvé, MD serves as Chief Medical Officer at Osmind, supporting its network of 800+ independent psychiatry practices. He served 11 years as an active-duty Navy psychiatrist, including deployment to Iraq's Al Anbar Province as regimental psychiatrist for the 7th Marine Regiment, where he started a procedural psychiatry program including ECT and PTSD treatment. He went on to found one of the earliest interventional psychiatry practices in the Mid-Atlantic region — the first practice acquired into what is now Greenbrook TMS NeuroHealth — and helped expand that organization to nearly 200 interventional psychiatry centers nationwide at its peak. He earned his medical degree at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine) and completed his psychiatry residency through the National Capital Consortium (Walter Reed National Military Medical Center / Fort Belvoir Community Hospital / USUHS). He is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and serves as faculty at the Neuroscience Education Institute.

Erin Schumaker

Deputy Health Care Editor

Politico

Erin Schumaker is a deputy health care editor at POLITICO. She previously covered the National Institutes of Health. Her reporting focused on how the health and science research ecosystem is evolving during the Trump administration. She's also written extensively on President Joe Biden's cancer moonshot initiative and the Washington decision-makers hashing out the future of psychedelics policy. Previously she was Business Insider's science editor, where her team covered space, climate, extreme weather and discoveries. Prior to that, she reported on the Covid-19 pandemic for ABC News and was also a reporter at HuffPost, where she covered the opioid crisis and gun violence as public health challenges.

Tanya Brara Shah

Strategic Advisor

Psychedelic Mental Health Access Alliance

Tanya Brara Shah brings over 20 years of diverse experience in the private, public, and non-profit healthcare sectors. With a focus on bridging research, policy, and practice, she is dedicated to advancing integrated, innovative care models for complex populations.

In her varied leadership roles within healthcare, Tanya has been passionate about serving the most vulnerable populations. Currently, she leads PMHA’s Medicaid and policy strategy to ensure equitable access to psychedelic-assisted therapies for underserved populations. She also served as the Chief Business Officer for Prospero Health, a home-based medical care model for complex older adults. As Vice President for the High-Need, High-Cost program at The Commonwealth Fund, Tanya spearheaded health services research initiatives aimed at improving care for the sickest and most costly patients in the U.S. healthcare system. She previously served as Assistant Commissioner of the Bureau of Primary Care Access and Planning with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where she developed programs to provide health insurance and high-quality primary care for vulnerable New Yorkers. Tanya began her professional journey at the Boston Consulting Group, offering management consulting and strategic planning to large biopharma and healthcare companies.

Tanya lives in the Boston area with her spouse and three children and has roots in India and California. She earned her undergraduate and MBA, MPH degrees from UC Berkeley. Currently, Tanya is pursuing a Doctorate in Public Health at Harvard.

Laurel Sugden

Executive Director

Colectivo Huachuma

Laurel Sugden is a writer and advocate for biocultural conservation. She is a PhD candidate in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of British Columbia and holds a degree in Molecular Biology. Her work explores the relationships between people, plants, and land through ecological storytelling. Based on her research in Huachuma’s native habitats, she co-founded Huachuma Collective, a community-led nonprofit organization in Peru that conserves the San Pedro cactus, its culture and traditions.

Krista Tippett

Founder, The On Being Project

The On Being Project

Krista Tippett is the creator and host of “On Being,” a public radio show and podcast that focuses on meaning in modern life. She also is the founder and leader of The On Being Project, a nonprofit media and public-life initiative. A Peabody Award-winning broadcaster, Tippett launched “On Being” as “Speaking of Faith” in 2003 and was awarded the National Humanities Medal for her work in 2014. Early in her career, Tippett was a journalist and diplomat in Cold War Berlin. She is the author of Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living, Einstein’s God: Conversations About Science and the Human Spirit, and Speaking of Faith.

Martin Tucker

Chief Investment Officer, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

Martin Tucker has served as the Chief Investment Officer of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma since 2020. In addition, he currently serves as the Mayor of Durant, Oklahoma. He is one of seven appointed committee members on the Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee (TTAC), where he advises the U.S. Secretary of Treasury on Tribal matters. Tucker has a distinguished military career, serving in the Oklahoma National Guard for 30 years where he received a Bronze Star and Combat Infantryman’s Badge then retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Martin and his wife Patty have been married for 43 years and attend Durant Church of Christ, where he serves as an elder.

Connor Williams

Senior Research Analyst

RTW Investments

Connor is responsible for research in neurological disease. He is also actively involved in RTW's efforts to better understand genetic drivers of disease more generally. Connor has experience as a lab researcher at The University of Hong Kong and contributed to a published work during his tenure at HKU. Connor received a BA in Biology and Psychology, and a MA in Psychology with a focus on Biopsychology from NYU. “In less than a single lifetime, advances in molecular biology and genetics have begun to make the incurable curable. I'm excited to be part of a team helping to turn these insights into therapies.”

Denali Wilson

New Mexico State Director of Strategic Support

Healing Advocacy

Denali is a lawyer and policy advocate based in her hometown of Las Cruces, New Mexico. She serves as the New Mexico State Director of Strategic Support for Healing Advocacy, a nonprofit committed to supporting state-regulated access to psychedelic-assisted therapy. Before joining the Healing Advocacy Fund, she led the grassroots campaign to end life in prison as a sentencing option for children in New Mexico. She continues to advocate for people serving life and long sentences in prison and to advance healing-centered reimaginings of what safety can mean in our communities.

Rachel Yehuda, PhD

Chemers Neustein Family Professor of Trauma and Resilience

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Rachel Yehuda, PhD, is the Chemers Neustein Family Professor of Trauma and Resilience and Vice Chair for Veterans Affairs in the Department of Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She directs the Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing at Mount Sinai and the Center for Psychedelic Therapy at the James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Dr. Yehuda is internationally recognized for her research on post-traumatic stress disorder, resilience, and the biological effects of trauma. Her work has examined combat veterans, Holocaust survivors and their descendants, and people exposed to the September 11 attacks, with particular emphasis on neuroendocrine, genetic, and epigenetic mechanisms. She is currently investigating MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and other psychedelic treatments for trauma-related disorders.

She has authored more than 600 scientific publications and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2019.

Jeffrey Zabinski, MD, MSW

Director of Interventional Psychiatry

Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Jeffrey Zabinski, MD, MSW, is the Director of Interventional Psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and an Associate Program Director in the adult psychiatry residency. He specializes in psychotherapy and psychopharmacology for patients with treatment-resistant and medically complex psychiatric illness.

Juliana Zambrano, MD, MPH

Instructor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Massachusetts General Hospital

Juliana Zambrano, MD, MPH, is a psychiatrist and investigator at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. She is the principal investigator of a pilot evaluating ketamine-assisted group psychotherapy for Spanish-speaking adults with depression. She also serves as a therapist and co-investigator in several clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, including a trial of psilocybin assisted therapy for irritable bowel syndrome and a trial evaluating MDMA assisted therapy for fibromyalgia.

Ariana Judith Zepeda, LCSW

Deputy Director

New Earth

Ariana Judith Zepeda, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker and Deputy Director at New Earth, a Los Angeles–based nonprofit supporting young people impacted by the justice system and systemic barriers. Her work sits at the intersection of trauma-informed care, community healing, clinical leadership, and social justice. Ariana earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California and has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California since 2019. Throughout her career, she has focused on expanding access to meaningful, culturally responsive mental health services for communities that have historically been underserved. Her growing work in psychedelic-assisted therapy includes training in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) and exploring how emerging psychedelic treatments can be integrated ethically and responsibly into community-based care. Ariana is especially passionate about bridging clinical practice, ancestral approaches to healing, and psychedelic medicine while ensuring that conversations about access, equity, and representation remain central to the field.

Matthew Zorn, JD

Deputy General Counsel

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Matthew Zorn holds the position of Deputy General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. His background includes work as a Trial and Appellate Litigator and Partner at Yetter Coleman LLP in Houston, focused on commercial litigation, with an emphasis on intellectual property, antitrust, and administrative law matters. He is recognized as a national authority on legal matters concerning controlled substances and has successfully litigated cases challenging agency rules. He previously taught cannabis and psychedelics law at the University of Houston Law Center. His professional accomplishments include recognition as a finalist for Young Lawyer of the Year (Litigation) by The American Lawyer and receiving the 2020 Pegasus Scholar designation from the American Inns of Court. His work has received coverage in major publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.