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.

Linnae Ponte,
M.A., LMFT

Board Member

Linnae (she/her) earned her BA in Biological Psychology from New College of Florida in 2010 before going on to work for MAPS as executive and clinical research assistant and then as the founding director of MAPS’ harm reduction program, the Zendo Project. Linnae completed her Master’s in integral counseling psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in 2017 and has been working in various clinical settings since, including the crisis stabilization unit at Sierra Memorial and in private practice. She has worked on various clinical trials, most recently at Yale University where she provided facilitation for subjects enrolled in a study investigating psilocybin for the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder. Linnae is passionate about the ways that psychedelic harm reduction, therapy, and research impact and inform one another, offering clarity and understanding into how psychedelics can be harnessed for the greatest benefit for humanity. 

Stephen Bagley

Board Member

Steve (he/him) comes to the Zendo Project Board with a decade of experience in psychedelic harm reduction. In 2012, he began organizing and running psychedelic harm reduction services at festivals in Northern California. Since joining Zendo Project in 2017, he has supervised harm reduction teams at numerous events in the US and abroad. Steve believes that Zendo Project’s contribution extends beyond the festival environment in two important ways: by providing critical hands-on training and education to volunteers, and by serving as a unique model for how individuals and organizations can respond to—and support—those experiencing psychedelic emergencies or acute emotional distress unrelated to substance use. He believes Zendo Project’s training model can bridge a gap in the way mental health support is delivered in a real-world setting, with great potential to transform how communities care for the most vulnerable among us during times of crisis and grief. Steve is passionate about the healing potential of psychedelics and is particularly interested in the use of these medicines to treat end-of-life anxiety in patients diagnosed with terminal illness. He works in nonprofit healthcare development for a major research hospital.

Persepsion

Operations Director

Persepsion (she/her) is a community developer, creative catalyst, medicine woman, and world-bridger who has deep relationships with both plants and spreadsheets. She comes to Zendo Project with over a decade of experience in business development and management in both for-profit and nonprofit organizations across many industries. A master of complex logistics, managing big visions, and operations, Persepsion has served on multiple Burning Man boards, orchestrated several large festivals, coordinated thousands of volunteers, and made many visionary dreams come true. The symbiotic relationship of the natural world informs her work. She believes in creativity as both an artistic expression and a state of being, a call-to-action that empowers the individual and serves as a tool to foster thriving communities. With a meticulous attention to detail and a deep love for people, you’ll find her swaying easily between the glow of her laptop and the glow of the sun on her skin while she rests quietly in nature. She is overjoyed to be a part of Zendo Project in deep alignment with its mission to support communities of compassionate care.

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.

Ben Halper

Event Services Manager

Ben (he/him) joined Zendo Project in 2017 and has worked as a Sitter, Shift Lead, Supervisor, and Coordinator since that time. Professionally, 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. Prior to this role, he 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, and co-produced the MAPS-sponsored Sleeping Octopus Assembly on Psychedelics conferences in 2018 and 2019. He has worked as a Sanctuary Coordinator for RGX Medical, is trained as a Yoga Instructor and End-of-Life Doula, and works in plant medicine facilitation in private practice. Ben lives with his wife and daughter in Boulder, Colorado.

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.

Allison Rees (aka Allykat), M.A.

Pulse Lead

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 graduated with her master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute in spring of 2023. While working within the Zendo in various capacities, Allykat has learned skills and developed methods of practicing harm reduction that have been used to create and advocate for safety within other psychedelic spaces. 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 this work. She currently provides psychotherapy under supervision within the community of Nevada County in Northern California, and works with clients undergoing spiritual emergence(y) within her own coaching practice. As a white, able-bodied, cis-female, Allykat is a passionate advocate for underrepresented people in the psychedelic and mental health space. The land that she lives on is unceded Nisenan territory in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas.

Imane El Ghazouani

Zendo Project Intern

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.

Sara Gael, M.A.

Harm Reduction Officer, MAPS

Sara (she/her) has worked with the Zendo Project since 2013, coordinating psychedelic harm reduction services at festivals and events worldwide, and serving as the Director of Harm Reduction from 2016-2020. In her current role as Harm Reduction Officer at MAPS, she continues to provide harm reduction education and consultation to organizations and communities. She received her master’s degree in transpersonal counseling psychology at Naropa University in 2012. She is a therapist for the MAPS clinical trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD in Boulder, CO and serves as the harm reduction advocate on Denver Psilocybin Policy Review Panel. Sara believes that developing a comprehensive understanding of psychedelic medicines through research and education is essential for the health and well-being of individuals, communities, and the planet.

Ryan Jay Beauregard

Zendo Services Trainer

Ryan (he/him) received his B.A. in Psychology from Claremont McKenna College, and spent 10 years mentoring at-risk teens and families through wilderness survival skills and nature connection. His passion for community connection, the environment, and intrapersonal healing continued with his involvement in permaculture, natural building, and ancestral grief rituals. As a volunteer with the Zendo Project since 2013, Ryan has had the opportunity to connect and expand the scope of psychedelic harm reduction in communities and festivals all over the globe. During his time as Zendo Project Manager, he integrated his skills in psychology, design and and community engagement. Today, Ryan can be found at his home in Boulder, CO enjoying the great outdoors, experimenting with sustainable technology, and designing websites, logos and sacred geometry art.