Jenna (she/her) is honored and excited to be part of OHSU’s Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program under the mentorship of Dr. Chris Stauffer and Dr. Jennifer Loftis. Previously, she was a volunteer research associate in a biobehavioral research lab exploring the bidirectional relationship between mental and physical health in the context of stress. Additionally, several years of working in pharmacy has granted her insight into the benefits and pitfalls of a medical model primarily focused on symptom management. Together her research, work, and personal healing experiences have oriented her interests toward the field of health psychology as well as addressing and healing root causes for both mental and physical conditions. Jenna is interested in the power of psychedelic experiences to help participants unlock their own capacity for physical and emotional healing; she aspires to become a practitioner of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. She is deeply curious about the potential for psychedelics to improve chronic health conditions (e.g., autoimmune disorders) and potential mechanisms therein. As a graduate student, she will have the unique opportunity to combine her dual passions for health psychology and psychedelic research/therapy by investigating outcomes of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy from a psychoneuroimmunological lens.

Ayanna (she/her) is a current Clinical Psychology PhD student under the mentorship of Dr. Kathleen Carlson, Dr. Jeni Johnstone, and Dr. Chris Stauffer. She was born in Hawai’i and raised in Georgia. She earned her B.S. in Neuroscience with a minor in Artificial Intelligence at Agnes Scott College. There she was an undergraduate research assistant in numerous labs exploring novel methods to treat neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders. Her research interests include providing culturally competent care to those seeking psychiatric treatment, sociobehavioral impacts on human health, innovative initiatives for health, mindfulness and meditation, the utilization of micronutrients to treat symptoms related to psychiatric disorders, and exploring psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.

Philip (he/him) is currently a Clinical Psychology PhD student at OHSU under the mentorship of Dr. Chris Stauffer. He was born in Amman, Jordan and grew up in Lebanon before immigrating to the United States in 2004 with his family. He graduated in 2020 from Portland State University with a B.S. in philosophy/psychology. His passion is to help individuals who have experienced life in conflict-affected settings (e.g., Refugees, Veterans) build resilience and find healing. Broadly, Philip is interested in the role of attachment security, religion/spirituality, and metaphysical beliefs (e.g., free will, reality, consciousness) in the context of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy — including how any changes in these domains may relate to psychological well-being and psychopathology. At the Portland VA, Philip is involved in multiple research projects such as MDMA-assisted group therapy for PTSD and psilocybin-enhanced psychotherapy for methamphetamine use disorder in Veteran populations.

David (he/him) is a psychiatry resident at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). He serves as a study physician for SNaP Lab clinical trials and as a representative on the Inclusivity, Diversity, and Anti-racism (IDA) committee in the OHSU Department of Psychiatry. Originally from New York City, he first explored his interest in human thought and behavior through a performing arts career, including a role on Broadway. He broadened his understanding of psychology and multiculturalism through a bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan with a focus in Marketing and Japanese, spending his summers studying and working in Tokyo. He learned intimately of mindfulness practices through his training as a Yoga Alliance-registered yoga teacher. He identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community and has worked in LGBTQ+ political and mental health spaces, including as a suicide hotline counselor at the Trevor Lifeline/Project. As the grandson of two Holocaust survivors, he took an interest in PTSD and worked with Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to discover biomarkers for PTSD via New York University and the Department of Defense. He is enthusiastic about the unique potential of psychedelics to facilitate healing and enjoys singing, hiking, and playing video games in his spare time.

Alejandro (he/him) is a first-generation Guatemalan-American who is completing his psychiatry residency training at Oregon Health & Sciences University. He currently serves as a study physician for SNaP Lab clinical trials. He previously worked as a Night Attendant at the MAPS Phase II/III MDMA-assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD clinical trial site in his hometown of New Orleans while completing medical school. He also served as a research assistant under Dr. Charles Nichols in the LSU Department of Pharmacology, investigating the anti-depressant properties of psilocybin and ketamine using animal behavioral models, as well their effects on a cellular level by measuring neuronal transcription factors in vitro. He completed the MAPS MDMA Therapy Training Program in 2021 and will be pursuing facilitator certification under the Oregon Psilocybin Services act in 2023. He is interested in drug-policy reform, developing best-practices for safely incorporating psychedelics into clinical psychiatry, the role of music in psychedelic therapy, and the cultural aspects of entheogen use across human history.

Jason (he/him) is a psychiatry resident at the Oregon Health and Science University. He previously completed his undergraduate degree in economics at the University of Michigan in 2014 with summa cum laude distinction. Following his longstanding enthusiasm for science and business, he joined an analytical laboratory where he spearheaded marketing initiatives that grossed over $1 million in additional revenue. He transitioned to a career in healthcare and completed his medical degree at the University of Arizona in 2020. During medical training, he participated in quality improvement projects aimed at reducing ED recidivism and hospital readmissions at academic medical centers, contributed to textbook chapters on innovative medical technologies to support healthcare in developing countries, and published case reports on novel surgical techniques. In the realm of psychedelics, he is most enthusiastic about the role of psilocybin in treating mood and anxiety disorders. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, cooking, reading, and hiking.

Josiah (he/him) completed his undergraduate at the Oregon Health & Sciences University School of Nursing and is continuing on with the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. He currently is working in acute inpatient psychiatry. He is trained in MDMA-assisted therapy and is interested in psychedelic-assisted therapies as they pertain to treating and managing co-occurring disorders, such as substance use disorders and PTSD. Josiah identifies as in-recovery and has done so for over a decade now. He lives in Beaverton, OR with his wife and three dogs and enjoys travel, reading, dining out, running, jiu jitsu, and staying physically active.

Devon (he/him) is an Oregon Health & Sciences University medical student who is planning to specialize in Psychiatry. He is from Bend, Oregon and has a B.S. in Microbiology from Oregon State University. Prior to medical school, he worked as a research assistant in human microbiome and immunology wet labs. His primary interest in psychedelic medicine developed during his time as an EMT in a rural setting and a scribe in the Bend emergency room. Witnessing patients undergoing mental health crises inspired him to look beyond the current standards of care toward fields of innovative psychiatric therapies. He is passionate about the treatment of depression, addiction, and PTSD and is excited to have the opportunity to work in the field of psychedelic medicine with its great propensity for successfully treating those with these conditions.

Dominic (he/him) is an Oregon Health and Sciences University medical student. Dominic is exploring his interest in the fields of psychiatry and psychedelic medicine. While working with the SNaP Lab, he will be researching the relationship between psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and delay discounting.