A clinical psychologist and author of Sacred Knowledge: Psychedelics and Religious Experiences, Bill Richards has played a pioneering role in psychedelic research at Johns Hopkins. His work focuses on the therapeutic applications of psychedelics for spiritual and existential issues. Currently, he serves as Director of Training at Sunstone Therapies at the Aquilino Cancer Center, where he continues to develop training programs for therapists working with psychedelic-assisted therapy.

As the lead Psychedelic Research Therapist at Imperial College London, Sara Reed is deeply involved in exploring the intersection of culture and mental health. Her early career has been focused on how cultural frameworks influence the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. She has also served as a study therapist in a Phase 2 MDMA clinical trial for PTSD, sponsored by MAPS, furthering research on trauma-informed, culturally sensitive psychedelic therapies.

Glauber Loures de Assis is a Brazilian sociologist with a Ph.D. in sociology from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), his research covers ayahuasca religions, new religious movements, and drug use in contemporary society. He is a Research Associate at NEIP and has 15 years of personal practice with ayahuasca. His work includes publishing numerous academic articles and co-editing Mujeres y Psicodélicos.

Luis Eduardo Luna is the Director of Wasiwaska, a research center focused on psychointegrator plants, visionary art, and shamanism. With a Ph.D. in Comparative Religion from Stockholm University, Luis has lectured globally on indigenous and mestizo shamanic practices. He is co-author of Ayahuasca Visions and has received prestigious awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and an honorary doctorate for his contributions to the study of ayahuasca and shamanism.

As Chief Research Officer at EntheoTech Bioscience, Manesh Girn is investigating the effects of psychedelics on brain networks and cognition. His research focuses on understanding how psychedelics alter consciousness and neural activity, and he is recognized for his work in exploring how these substances may be used to treat mental health disorders. He is a postdoctoral neuroscientist working at the University California San Francisco (UCSF)

Dr. Melanie Pincus is a neuroscientist with a B.S. from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Emory University. She is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia University and co-founder of a psychedelics research institute based in Denver. Her research focuses on understanding how psychedelics influence brain function and their potential therapeutic applications for mental health treatment.

Dr. Charles Nichols is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. His research focuses on the pharmacology of psychedelics, with a particular interest in how they can be used therapeutically for mental health disorders. He is a leading figure in advancing our scientific understanding of how psychedelics interact with the brain.

Dr. Kwasi Adusei is a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and co-founder of the Psychedelic Society of Western New York. He has been a key figure in grassroots harm reduction efforts, leading the development of the Sanctuary Project. Driven by his personal and professional experiences in community mental health and the war on drugs, Dr. Adusei serves as Senior Prescriber on the medical team at Journey Clinical, contributing to the therapeutic use of psychedelics.

Dr. Adele La France is a clinical psychologist, research scientist, and author who has developed emotion-focused treatment modalities. She has an active role in the research and practice of psychedelic medicine, focusing on substances such as ayahuasca, MDMA, psilocybin, and ketamine. Her interests include understanding mechanisms of healing through emotions, spirituality, and family-based psychedelic medicine.

Dr. Ben Malcolm is a board-certified psychiatric pharmacist who combines his expertise in pharmacology with psychedelic therapy. After completing his PharmD and MPH, he transitioned into psychedelic education, founding SpiritPharmacist.com. Ben provides consultation services on the safe use of psychedelics in combination with psychiatric medications and is committed to expanding access to these treatments in safe, supported environments.

Dr. Casey Paleos is a psychiatrist and psychedelic researcher with over 13 years of experience. He played a key role as Principal Investigator in MAPS-sponsored MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD Phase 3 Clinical Trials and continues to serve as an MDMA-Assisted Therapy Supervisor. As the co-founder of Nautilus Sanctuary, a non-profit psychedelic research institution, Dr. Paleos has been pioneering the use of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in his private practice since 2016.

Christine Caldwell is the Founder of End of Life Psychedelic Care, a nonprofit organization that seeks to ease emotional and spiritual distress for those facing life-threatening illnesses through the use of psychedelics. With experience managing end-of-life programs for the Diaspora Psychedelic Society in Jamaica, Christine brings a compassionate approach to integrating psychedelic care into end-of-life settings.

Courtney Barnes is a social justice attorney and expert in drug policy reform. As Counsel at Feldman Legal Advisors PLLC, she advises clients in emerging industries like cannabis and psychedelics on compliance and risk management. She has been instrumental in drafting state and local policies related to these substances, including her leadership role in drafting Denver’s Psilocybin Decriminalization Initiative, the first successful voter-led psychedelic reform ordinance in the U.S.

Dr. Devon Christie is a physician and registered counselor specializing in trauma and chronic pain. She is trained in both MDMA- and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and serves as Senior Lead of Psychedelic Programs at Numinus Wellness. In addition to her clinical work, Devon is a certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher and a functional medicine practitioner. She is involved in various research studies, including a MAPS-sponsored MDMA trial for PTSD.

Kylea Taylor is a licensed therapist with over three decades of experience in the field of ethics in psychedelic care. She is the creator of InnerEthics®, a self-reflective approach to relational ethics in therapy. Kylea has studied with Stanislav Grof and worked as a Senior Trainer in Grof Transpersonal Training. She is the author of The Ethics of Caring and several other books on ethics and Holotropic Breathwork®.

Maria Papaspyrou is a senior accredited psychotherapist, co-founder, and director of the Institute of Psychedelic Therapy. With training in integrative relational psychotherapy and systemic family constellations, her clinical practice focuses on psychedelic integration. Maria has co-edited several books, including Psychedelic Mysteries of the Feminine and Psychedelics & Psychotherapy, and is actively involved in professional psychedelic education and training.