Chelsea Rose Pires, M.A., LMFT

Executive Director

Chelsea Rose (she/her) graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles Honors College with a B.A. in psychology in 2007, and received her master’s degree in Integral Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in 2012. She has a passion for harm reduction as a therapeutic and practical approach to drug use and abuse prevention. Chelsea has worked with the Zendo Project, providing psychedelic peer support at events around the world, since 2013. Chelsea also manages the reagent drug testing kit program at DanceSafe, a public health organization focused on safety in the night life community. Additionally, she supervises the Crisis Response Team in Nevada County, supporting clients who come into the emergency room in psychiatric crisis. She lives in the Sierra foothills of California with her husband, three children, and their Basenji pup named Mochi.

Jessa Hurst

Programs Director

Jessa (she/her) has pursued her passion for healing, transformation, and care-giving throughout her career. She completed her undergraduate studies in Pre-Med at Virginia Tech and The Evergreen State College. She went on to study Traditional Chinese Medicine at Hilltop Eastern Medicine Clinic and later earned her Birth and Death Doula Certifications to deepen her understanding of care-giving at transformational events. The combination of her health sciences education and personal passion for wellness led her to support various organizations through program building, business development, and marketing. Jessa believes in making the world a safer, more caring place, and looks forward to advancing this shared vision through her work with the Zendo Project.

Laila Murfin, LPCC, LPC

Event Services Director

Laila (she/they) graduated from The Evergreen State College with a BA in Liberal Arts focused in Consciousness Studies. She received her Masters in Somatic Counseling Psychology with a dual concentration in Dance/Movement Therapy & Body Psychotherapy from Naropa University. During her training, she focused on program management for mental health crisis response and youth outdoor education. She also has experience in wildland fire, disaster response, and forestry.

Laila first joined Zendo Project in 2018 as a volunteer and now, as a full time staff member, she is excited about the possibility of expanding circles of compassionate care into communities across the globe. She believes that empowering people to reduce harm and radically care for one another can contribute to a more sustainable, just, and empathetic world.

In addition to her work with the Zendo Project, Laila has a private practice where she incorporates somatic, developmental, social justice and trauma-informed principles for both individual therapy and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. She lives in Nevada County, CA with her partner, young child, and geriatric cat, and spends her free time in nature and the circus.

Ben Halper, LNMF

Event Services Manager

Ben Halper is the Event Services Manager for Zendo Project and Owner/Facilitator of Lighthouse Psychedelics. He is a Licensed Natural Medicine Facilitator in the state of Colorado, having obtained this licensure through the accelerated pathway for legacy healers. In his other professional capacities he works as a consultant in the skilled nursing and long-term care industry, advising post-acute facilities on their admissions and business development processes. He has previously worked as a hospital liaison and admissions director for skilled nursing, personal care, and assisted living facilities. Ben is a founding board member of the Pittsburgh Psychedelic Society, co-produced the MAPS-sponsored Sleeping Octopus Assembly on Psychedelics conference, has lectured on psychedelics at University of California Berkeley, and is a member of the Psychedelic Passage facilitator network. He has worked as a Sanctuary Coordinator for RGX Medical and Integration Specialist with Lucid Therapeutics, and is trained as a Yoga Instructor and End-of-Life Doula. Ben lives with his wife and daughter in Boulder, Colorado.

Valerie Beltrán, M.A., LMFT

Outreach Director

Valerie (she/her) is an EMDR therapist and supervisor who walks a mystical path with grounded feet while integrating psychedelics, technology, and spirituality in her private practice. Having grown up with two ethnic backgrounds while living on the border between two countries, Valerie is adept at metaphorically walking between worlds, seeing from multiple perspectives, and creating bridges and integration where separation previously reigned. She strives to be a guide for those traversing the liminal spaces between dreaming & waking, psychedelic & mundane, ancient & modern, Indigenous & Western. Valerie was formerly the Chief of Staff for an eco-tech entrepreneur, Head of Operations for the conscious tech startup Consciousness Hacking, a trauma trainer and consultant with WestEd, an Academic advisor at JFKU, and Associate Organizer for the Integral Theory Conference. She completed CIIS’s Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy & Research program in 2019, and has been a supervisor at Alchemy Therapy since 2020, a sliding scale clinic that offers psychotherapy and psychedelic-assisted therapy to underserved communities in the Bay Area. She is inspired everyday by the people of Zendo Project, and is honored to serve among them.

Jonas Di Gregorio

Development Director

Jonas Di Gregorio received his first training in psychedelic harm reduction and peer support by Kosmicare and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelics Studies (MAPS) in 2008. Since then, he worked with different harm reduction organizations in Europe and in the United States.

He co-authored the Manual of Psychedelic Support – A Practical Guide to Establishing and Facilitating Care Services at Music Festivals and Other Events.

His work in psychedelics has included: serving as Executive Assistant for the Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative (PSFC), working as literary agent for Stanislav Grof, volunteering for MAPS, organizing public event and speaking about psychedelics at conferences such as the Breaking Convention, the World Ayahuasca Conference, Beyond Psychedelics, Insight and Psychedelic Science.

He studied Fundraising and Development at UC Davis and currently lives in San Francisco with his wife. Together they manage the Psychedelic Literacy Fund, a Donor-Advised Fund supporting the publication of books about psychedelic therapies in different languages.

Jess Aumick

Digital Operations & Systems Manager

Jess (she/her) is passionate about demystifying substances and reforming drug policy. As an undergraduate she spearheaded the formation of the Rutgers Psychedelic Society, a student organization dedicated to providing on-campus education, stigma-free support, and opportunities for students to find community in the psychedelic world. Jess received her B.A. in History with a minor in Religion in 2021.

Jess has held various roles in the psychedelic sphere, including supporting providers of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP), editing and contributing content to Entheoscope Magazine, and volunteering with Psychedelic Club National. Her passion for harm reduction and peer support brought her to Zendo Project after volunteering with the team at the 2023 International Drug Policy Reform Conference.

Paige Riley

Executive Assistant to the Development Director

Paige (she/her) is an active member of the psychedelic science and mental health community with a passion for decolonized and alternative approaches to healing and therapy. She received her BS.c in Neuroscience from Colorado State University in 2021 and was a Research Chemist for several years before pursuing her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Colorado, Denver (expected to graduate in 2027) with the goal of becoming a psychedelic and somatic therapist. Paige is passionate about community-centered healing and increasing accessibility and inclusivity in mental health care, particularly for historically marginalized populations.

Paige joined Zendo in January of 2025 as an Executive Assistant to the Development Director, helping with fundraising initiatives and other administrative and media-focused tasks. She believes in the power of psychedelics to transform lives, and the importance of having educated and resourced communities to foster supportive environments where exploring altered states of consciousness can be done so safely.

Timothy Crespi, LPC, CADC

Lead Curriculum Designer & Strategic Advisor

Timothy has been aspiring to work in the psychedelic field since he was 15 years old when as a teen struggling with depression he had the opportunity to try LSD. Later on, in his 20’s he spent 8 years obtaining 3 degrees at Naropa University in Contemplative Psychology, Environmental Studies, and a Masters Degree in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology. He has participated in several psychedelic ceremony communities over the past 24 years and has worked with people experiencing non-ordinary states of consciousness through volunteering with organizations such as Windhorse Community Services, The Mankind Project, and in his own Private Therapy Practice.

Timothy has completed training in psychedelic assisted therapies through MAPS, Polaris, Synthesis, and Inner Trek and he worked as a Director, faculty, and Lead Facilitator with Synthesis Retreats. Timothy has been a practicing counselor for 18 years. He currently offers Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy in his private practice and for Pacific Premier Group, PC. He has been volunteering with The Zendo Project since 2015 and became a Zendo Project Supervisor in 2017.

Simone Weit, LPCC

Lead Curriculum Designer & Strategic Advisor

Simone is an educator in the psychedelic field as well as a therapist working in a private ketamine therapy practice. Simone has worked as a supervisor for the Zendo Project and has training in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy through the Polaris Insight Center, MAPS MDMA Therapy Training, Synthesis Psychedelic Practitioner Training Program, and Inner Trek. Simone has also served as a learning facilitator, educator, and content advisor for the Synthesis Institute and lead educator/content developer for the Zendo project.

Her additional experience includes over 20 years of participation and study in Amazonian plant medicine traditions, work as a sitter and trauma attuned yoga instructor at the Iboga Therapy House in British Columbia, and multiple years of combined experience in service to children and elders in the global south.

Sara Gael Beauregard, M.A., LPC

Risk Reduction Specialist

Sara Gael Beauregard MA, LPC is a psychedelic therapist and risk reduction specialist. She holds an MA in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology from Naropa University, where she co-founded the Naropa Alliance for Psychedelic Studies (NAPS). Sara served as the Director of MAPS Harm Reduction program, the Zendo Project, from 2016-2020. She held various roles at MAPS from 2013-2023 and during this time spearheaded the City of Denver First Responder Psychedelic Crisis Assessment and Intervention Training. She is a current advisor and former Board President at DanceSafe. Sara served as the appointed harm reduction advocate representative on the Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Policy Review Panel.

Sara has worked as a psychedelic therapist and trainer, serving as an Investigator for Lykos Therapeutics (formerly MAPS Public Benefit Corporation) Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials researching the safety and efficacy of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for PTSD and currently works as a Lykos Educator and Associate Supervisor. She is Lead Facilitator of the Integrative Psychiatry Institute Psychedelic Assisted Therapy Training.

Over the past decade, she has helped train thousands of individuals on the topics of psychedelic-assisted therapy, psychedelic peer support, and personal and professional development in the psychedelic field. She believes in the potential of psychedelics as catalysts for individual, community, and collective healing.

Case Newsom, DO

Medical Director

Case Newsom, DO (he/him) is a practicing emergency medicine physician and EMS medical director with a specialization in event medical care who lives and works in Denver, Colorado. He is medical director for Stadium Medical, the state’s leading special event prehospital agency, and has spent several years working as an outspoken advocate statewide for sensible drug policy reform and public harm reduction efforts surrounding the emerging community use of psychoactive substances occurring presently around the country. He joyfully joined the Zendo Project as medical director in 2023 with the specific purpose of onboarding a medical protocol to vigilantly assess and observe guests during their time in the Zendo as well as maintain excellent communication and situational awareness with on-site medical organizations.

Desiree Lopez, SHRM-CP

Operations Specialist

Desiree (she/her) is a HR / Operational focused professional who has over 6+ years of experience within both nonprofit and for-profit sectors. Prior to joining the Zendo Team, she served as the People and Operations Manager at Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (“MAPS”) for over 3 years. Growing up around substance abuse discouraged the thought of expansion and exploration; however, her life has guided her to work with organizations like Zendo Project that prove how healing and magical the offerings can be when used with proper education and harm reduction care. The appreciation for the existence of these types of organizations has been instrumental in shaping who she is as a professional, and as a human. As Zendo Project continues to expand, she will be a champion for supporting and creating sustainable operations that truly uphold the values of Zendo Project.

Imane El Ghazouani

Education & Marketing Coordinator

Imane (she/her) is an active community builder and creates safe spaces for self-exploration through her collaborative immersive sound experiences. Through her own self-discovery journey and her personal interest in mind-related sciences, she believes that having strong community support is crucial to individual and collective healing. After she volunteered with the Zendo Project providing psychedelic peer support at Burning Man 2022, she felt inspired to get more involved in harm reduction. She is currently a volunteer supporting the Zendo Project with administrative functions for the coming year and is beyond excited to expand her knowledge and learn how she can contribute to harm reduction and the advancement of psychedelic research. Imane earned a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality & Recreation Marketing Operations in Morocco where she was born and raised. After moving to the US, she earned a second degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Central Florida. Imane has experience in sustainable building commissioning and currently works in project management building systems for healthy air quality in education buildings.

Sean T. McAllister

General Counsel

Sean T. McAllister is an attorney specializing in the regulatory, business, and religious freedom aspects of psychedelic medicines and therapies. His work in psychedelics has included: Advising doctors, therapists and licensed professional on psychedelic assisted therapy; Advising clients looking to obtain a religious exemption for the use of psychedelics; Drafter of Colorado’s Proposition 122 Natural Medicine Health Act; Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Policy Review Panel; General Counsel for the Zendo Project; Board of Directors for the Chacruna Institute; and Board of Directors of the Board of Psychedelic Medicine and Therapies. Sean is licensed to practice law in Colorado and California.

Ryan Riley

Event Construction Lead

Ryan (he/him) has been an enthusiastic member of Zendo build team since 2022 and worked as a Build Lead since 2023. With 29 years in the construction trades and 21 years as a licensed contractor he realizes the importance of creating a safe space for festival goers experiencing overwhelm. Having completed the Zendo SIT training course recently Ryan has gained a deeper understanding of the transformative experiences people undergo as guests in the Zendo and uses this insight to guide his efforts in building. On playa Ryan can be found happily helping anyone who needs support putting their camp together, or cheerfully leading a team to construct the 30ft Zendo yurts.

A resident of the Grass Valley/Nevada County area since 2000 Ryan lives with his wife, Robin, a licensed therapist and crisis administrator, as well as a Zendo Supervisor, and their cat, Hobbes. Together they’ve raised 3 grown boys, one of whom will be joining the Zendo build team in 2024.

Alexandre Pires

Event Operations Specialist

Ale (pronounced All-lay) (he/him) has a passion for health and wellness, which has taken form in many domains of his life. Ale began working with the Zendo Project in 2013. At the Zendo, he uses his skills to bring together the nuts and bolts of the Zendo, literally, making the Zendo structures and logistics run gracefully at Burning Man and beyond. Since 2014, Ale has been managing the reagent testing program for DanceSafe, a public health nonprofit focused on safety and drug education in the night life community. Focusing on everything from customer service to development of new reagents, Ale has helping the program to grow into what it is today. Ale has a love for superfoods and nutrition, which he passionately uses to support his friends, family, and community, along with skills in massage, reflexology, and Rieki. Ale can always be found caring for others, including his vast community, his wife, Chelsea Rose, and their three kiddos, or caring for the land he homesteads in the Sierra Nevada Foothills of California.

Ele Jones

JEDI Consultant & Curriculum Development

Ele (they/them) is an educator, ceremonialist, and artist who is passionate about supporting creativity, healing, and anti-oppression work within individuals and communities. After almost a decade of living nomadically and working in ceremonial spaces with entheogenic medicines, they found their way to the magic of psychedelic peer support. With a background in theater, dance, music and community building, they honor the powerful intersection between ritual and creative expression as ancient technologies for healing and growth. Dancing under the umbrella of harm reduction, you can find them facilitating drug checking and coordinating sanctuary services for festivals and events on the west coast.

Ele is committed to the movement of collective liberation and healing through education and the cultivation of spaces rooted in belonging, safety and inclusion for all people – especially during times of challenge. They currently live in Northern California on unseeded Nisenan Territory, also known as Grass Valley.

Allison Rees (aka Allykat), M.A., AMFT

Pulse Program Manager

Allison, or Allykat (she/they) has been serving the Zendo Project since 2015. She earned her BS in Health Communication from San Diego State University in 2015 and received a master’s degree in 2023 in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. Her passion for this work lies at the confluence of philosophy, social justice, and soul tending; all of which provide a depth that continuously inspires her direction in the work of being a liaison for community support. Allykat weaves in numerous psychedelic communities and event production companies providing safety, harm reduction, and crisis support services throughout the year. In the day to day Allykat serves on a mobile crisis team, offering mental health assessment and evaluation, collaboration with community partners, and outreach within her local community.

As a white, able-bodied, cis-female, Allykat is a passionate advocate for underrepresented people in the psychedelic and mental health space. She brings a social justice and trauma-informed orientation to her work with the Zendo Project and Pulse team, seeking to continue cultivating foundations of compassionate care. The land that she lives on is unceded Nisenan territory in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas where she tends to the arts of relationships, land, and creativity.

Armando León, MD

Event Services Data Manager

Armando (he/him) completed his undergraduate studies in Biology at Swarthmore College and completed medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, followed by residency training in psychiatry at San Mateo County’s community mental health program. He currently works as an emergency psychiatrist at a hospital, as well in private practice offering ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. He has worked with the Zendo project since 2016. Armando believes that psychedelics can help facilitate growth and healing when used in a safe and supportive setting, and that psychedelic peer support is an essential resource for those who choose to explore these substances.

Shirelle Noble

Training and Education Consultant

Shirelle (she/her) is a systems-thinker who brings 15+ years of strategy, marketing, operations, and product management experience to the emerging commercialization era of psychedelics. She co-founded The North Star Project, led a digital transformation at MAPS, including launching Psychedelic Fundamentals, and now is a part of the co-founding team at Beckley Academy. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Mindfulness-based Transpersonal Counseling at Naropa University (expected 2026) and is passionate about bringing equitable access to psychedelic healing globally.

Merete Christiansen

Philanthropy Advisor

Merete (she/her) (pronounced meh-Ray-tah) is passionate about her personal mission of contributing to a more joyful and healed society through creativity, sustainability, education, and compassionate care.

Merete provides key strategic vision, coaching, and advising for Zendo Project’s philanthropic strategy. Outside of Zendo Project, Merete works with the Burning Man Philanthropic Engagement team, ensuring that donors understand the impact their generosity has on Burning Man’s art, civic involvement, education, culture, philosophical center, and social enterprise programs. Prior to joining the Burning Man team, Merete served as the Associate Director of Development for the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). With MAPS for nine years, she worked to bring novel mental health treatments to patients who need them.

Merete is an avid harm reduction advocate volunteering her time with the Zendo Project and RGX Sanctuary to provide psychedelic harm reduction and peer support services at events like Burning Man and Lightning in a Bottle since 2019. Merete resides in the Greater Boston Area and enjoys spending time skiing and backpacking in the White Mountains, creating new recipes (and generally making a mess of her kitchen), and curling up with some peppermint tea and a good book.

Nima Veiseh

Research Fellow

Nima Veiseh (he/they) is an economist, technical academic researcher & TED Speaker. He is passionate about the healing opportunities of plant medicine, as well as understanding and scaling opportunities of harm-reduction for the public. As a Research Fellow with Zendo, he helps to advise on analytics, data strategy, and technology management.

With 19 years of experience, Nima has worked as a Chief Data & Technical Advisor for a diverse group of firms, non-profits and executive teams, including those in CPG, healthcare, supply chain, and financial services. He trained as a field economist under Nobel Prize winner Esther Duflo, and is the author of “Markets with Memory”, the world’s first data science textbook for the hemp and cannabis industry. His 2016 TED Talk about his psychological journey, titled “Memory and Mindfulness”, is the world’s first TED talk staged in 360 VR. He has conducted research in 51 countries, and has degrees from Columbia University, Georgetown University, The George Washington University & the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.