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.

Brooke Balliett, LMFT

Board Member

Brooke (she/her) is a licensed psychotherapist and researcher passionate about treating psychological, spiritual & relationship challenges through self-awareness, emotional intelligence & recognition of the healing power we each inherently hold inside of us. From a framework integrating trauma, developmental & transpersonal psychology, she provides, supervises and trains multiple psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies including: MDMA-Assisted Therapy for the treatment of PTSD, Psilocybin Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy. Additionally, she has been a leader in psychedelic harm reduction services in the US, Africa, Europe and Central America pioneering psychedelic emergency care and drug education in the nightlife scene and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Zendo Project.

After over a decade of clinical service provision and program development in publicly funded community mental health centers across central Los Angeles, she co-founded the California Center for Psychedelic Therapy as her offering to those seeking health within a limited system of accessible, effective care & as a commitment to furthering access to cutting-edge psychedelic treatments to heal individuals and the communities surrounding them.

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.

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.

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.

Valerie Beltrán, M.A., LMFT

Administrative 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.

Jess Aumick

Project Coordinator

Jess (she/her) is a passionate advocate for destigmatizing substances and advancing drug policy reform. As a student at Rutgers University, she helped create the Rutgers Psychedelic Society, a student organization dedicated to providing on-campus education, stigma-free support, and opportunities for students to connect with professionals in the psychedelic world. Jess received her B.A. in History with a minor in Religion in 2021.

Jess’s work is informed by her diverse experiences in the psychedelic world, 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 services led her to join the Zendo Project team after volunteering at the International Drug Policy Reform Conference in 2023.

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

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 role as Harm Reduction Officer at MAPS, she went on 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.

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.