Speakers

Rick Perry is the former Governor of Texas and former U.S. Secretary of Energy. Since leaving office, he has dedicated his career to advocating for the clinical research and use of the ibogaine to treat addiction, PTSD, and traumatic brain injuries. Governor Perry has raised awareness of the mental health applications of ibogaine and advocated for favourable policies at both the state and federal levels. In Texas, he helped champion a series of FDA-supervised clinical trials using ibogaine, supported by $50 million in funding from the state, the largest ever investment into ibogaine research by any U.S. state.

Dr. Nora D. Volkow, M.D., is Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health of the United States, the world’s largest funder of scientific research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. Dr. Volkow's work has been instrumental in demonstrating that drug addiction is a brain disorder. As a research psychiatrist, she pioneered the use of brain imaging to investigate how substance use affects brain functions and documented how changes in the dopamine system affect the functions of brain regions involved with reward and self-control in addiction. Dr. Volkow has published almost a thousand peer-reviewed articles, written 113 book chapters, manuscripts and articles, co-edited "Neuroscience in the 21st Century" and edited four books on neuroscience and brain imaging for mental and substance use disorders.

Dr. Barbara Rothbaum is Director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, Deputy Director of Clinical Research in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Director of the Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program at Emory University School of Medicine. She specializes in the treatment and research of anxiety disorders, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and served on the Institute of Medicine committee that evaluated the evidence base for PTSD treatment. Dr. Rothbaum has been treating PTSD since 1986 and has developed, tested, and disseminated some of the most innovative and effective treatments available for PTSD, including virtual reality exposure therapy.

Prof. Eric Vermetten is Professor of Psychiatry at Leiden University Medical Centre. Prior to this role, he spent 15 years as a clinical researcher and strategic advisor on military mental health at the Dutch Ministry of Defence. His research focuses on the medical, biological, and psychiatric aspects of trauma, as well as the biological validation of novel interventions for PTSD, including medications such as MDMA and psilocybin. As a leading expert on psychotherapy and post-traumatic stress disorder, he also worked for the United Nations from 2022 to 2025, where he was responsible for designing and implementing a Mental Health Strategy for uniformed personnel.

Marcus Luttrell is a former U.S. Navy SEAL, bestselling author, and advocate for veteran resilience whose experiences in combat shaped his commitment to healing and recovery. After surviving Operation Red Wings, Luttrell dedicated his career to supporting service members facing trauma, depression, and post-traumatic stress. Drawing from personal experience with ibogaine therapy, Luttrell has become one of the most prominent advocates for ibogaine research in the U.S., bringing both personal testimony and national visibility to the mission of expanding access to ibogaine therapy for veterans and those struggling with addiction and trauma.

LT GEN Martin R. Steele USMC (Ret.) is a decorated combat veteran who first enlisted as a private in the United States Marine Corps and completed three tours of duty. He is a nationally recognised advocate for veterans’ affairs and mental health reform and has served on the Department of Veterans Affairs Commission on Care as well as on several national boards dedicated to supporting veterans and their families. Reason for Hope advocates shifting the focus from managing symptoms of severe mental health disorders to addressing the root causes of trauma and addiction. The organisation has successfully persuaded several U.S. state governments to allocate funding for psychedelic therapies for disorders affecting veterans.

Prof. Dr. Jiří Horáček is an expert in psychiatry and psychotherapy with decades of academic experience researching functional brain imaging, the neurobiology of schizophrenia and depression, antipsychotics and psychedelics, and the modelling of neural activity. In addition to his role as Director of the Czech National Institute of Mental Health, he leads its Centre for Advanced Studies of Brain and Consciousness. Prof. Horáček has authored more than 200 scientific publications and has made significant contributions to research on auditory hallucinations, insulin sensitivity and serotonin interactions, as well as the neurobiology of schizophrenia and the mechanisms of psychedelic substances.

Dr. Pavel Bém is a Czech politician and psychiatrist who has played a formative role in shaping Czech drug policy, particularly legislation concerning medical cannabis. He has promoted public-health-oriented approaches to addiction treatment across Central and Eastern Europe and has collaborated extensively with the European Union, the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and other international organisations. Prior to serving as the National Drug Coordinator, Dr. Bém held several political positions, including Mayor of Prague, Member of Parliament, member of the National Drug Commission, advisor to the Prime Minister on drug policy, and Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions.

Adam Marr is a U.S. Army veteran and former Apache helicopter pilot who serves as Director of Operations for the Veteran Mental Health Leadership Coalition. In this role, he works across policy, clinical, and research domains to help advance a new evidence-based standard of mental health care and psychedelic-assisted therapies for veterans. In 2015, he co-founded the Warrior Angels Foundation, an organization dedicated to precision-based treatment for traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress among veterans, while advocating for alternative therapies and holistic healing. He also worked in Cancún as a strategic advisor on a nine-week ibogaine trial program launched by Beond Service.

Jesse Gould is a U.S. Army Ranger veteran and founder of Heroic Hearts Project, a nonprofit organization pioneering access to psychedelic-assisted therapies for military veterans. They have raised over $20 million, helped hundreds of veterans and their families access psychedelic programs in cooperation with leading treatment centres, and sponsored clinical research with academic institutions to advance the scientific legitimacy of psychedelic medicine and encourage wider clinical acceptance. Jesse Gould has testified before lawmakers on the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and is a contributing author of various educational materials for veterans.

Dr. Martin Polanco is Founder and Medical Director of The Mission Within, a clinical program serving Special Operations veterans and specializing in treatment-resistant and complex conditions, including mild traumatic brain injury, PTSD, depression, and addiction. Dr. Polanco has extensive experience in addiction treatment and previously served as Founder and Medical Director of Crossroads Treatment Center, where he helped develop and demonstrate an effective psychedelic-assisted model of mental health care. Building on this work, he has contributed to the field of psychedelic research, with a particular focus on outcome and phenomenological studies involving ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT.

Henrik Jungaberle, PhD, is CEO and Director of Human Development at the MIND Foundation in Berlin, and Co-Founder and Advisory Board member of OVID Clinics. A mental health researcher, science entrepreneur, and author, he works across public health, psychedelics, and psychotherapy, with a focus on human flourishing from a lifespan and ecology perspective. His work addresses integration and integrity in the use of psychoactive substances. He teaches in APT, the MIND Foundation's training in psychedelic-augmented psychotherapy, which reaches a global network of physicians, psychotherapists, and other mental health professionals. He has initiated and contributed to research projects on salutogenesis and psychoactive substances funded by the European Union and the German federal government, among them EPIsoDE. Led by the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim and carried out together with the MIND Foundation and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the trial investigated the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in treatment-resistant depression.

Professor Svitlana Mykhailivna Moroz is a Ukrainian psychiatrist, psychotherapist, psychologist, and Director General of the Dnipropetrovsk Multidisciplinary Clinical Hospital for Psychiatric Care, the largest specialized psychiatric hospital in Ukraine. She has been awarded the honorary title of Honoured Doctor of Ukraine for her outstanding contribution to the field of mental health. With more than forty-five years of clinical and leadership experience, Prof. Moroz is recognized as one of Ukraine’s leading experts in psychiatry and psychotherapy. Her work focuses on trauma, clinical stress, and mental health recovery, particularly among veterans and civilians affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Trevor Millar is COO and Co-Founder of Ambio Life Sciences, a social entrepreneur and pioneer in ibogaine advocacy and treatment. Millar has over a decade of experience supporting individuals through addiction recovery, trauma healing, and post-treatment integration. His background includes co-founding the Canadian Psychedelic Association and serving as Chair of the Board for MAPS Canada. He has co-authored peer-reviewed research on ibogaine’s applications for trauma, TBI, and opioid use disorder, and has featured in documentaries including DOSED and In Waves and War. He is an advocate for the creation of a new model of ethical, integrative psychedelic care on a global scale.

Melissa Lavasani is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Psychedelic Medicine Coalition, a national association committed to creating and protecting access to psychedelic medicines through advocacy and education at the federal level. Inspired by her own experience as a working mother using psychedelics to heal severe postpartum depression, Melissa championed the Entheogenic Plant and Fungus Policy Act of 2020, which became the largest successful ballot initiative in Washington, D.C.’s history, receiving 76% voter approval. Melissa also serves as President of the Psychedelic Medicine PAC and is a founding member of the Psychedelics and Healing Initiative at the Global Wellness Institute.

Dr. Protopopová, Ph.D. serves as National Coordinator for Mental Health of the Czech Republic and Director General of the Section for Mental Health and Addictions of the Ministry of Health. In these roles, she focuses on implementing modern community-based care models and strengthening prevention across all age groups, while emphasizing the promotion of mental resilience among children and young people. She has been involved in mental health care reform for over a decade, serving as the project lead for deinstitutionalization and as an advisor to the Minister of Finance on psychiatric care reform. A psychiatrist by profession, she spent years engaged in clinical and research work before her work with the government, including at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and she completed research internships and professional placements in Belgium, Austria, England, and the USA.

Nurali Aliyev brings a unique perspective to the world of health investment, combining deep expertise in capital markets with a profound understanding of human wellness and consciousness. As Managing Partner and Co-Founder of MHV Capital, Nurali leads the firm's strategic vision, identifying transformative opportunities at the intersection of traditional medicine, integrative health, and emerging wellness technologies.

Lia is a psychotherapist, senior psychedelic facilitator, and social worker certified in trauma-informed somatic psychotherapy through Somatic Experiencing® International (SEI), formerly the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, and the International Focusing Institute, and trained as a psychotherapist through the Hakomi Institute. She integrates somatic and attachment-based approaches to support healing across depression, anxiety, PTSD, and childhood-rooted trauma. Initiated in the Amazon rainforest by various indigenous tribes, Lia brings her background as a musician and vocalist to navigate the psychedelic journey, carrying the healing through live, ancestral, sonic codes. She leads trauma-informed psychedelic retreats worldwide, holds individual psychedelic-assisted therapeutic processes with macro and micro-dosing, specializing in Integration work for lasting change.

Jana Bednářová is the CEO of PSYRES, the Czech Psychedelic Research Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to provide financial support to Czech scientific projects and institutions engaged in innovative treatment approaches in the field of mental health, including psychotherapy assisted by psychedelics. PSYRES supports research and the study of psychedelic substances and their use in pharmacology, psychology, addictology, and psychiatry, and helps prepare and implement clinical studies and analyses. It also organises educational events and collaborates with doctors, therapists, and researchers who work extensively with altered states of consciousness in partnership with leading Czech and international institutions.

Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley is a neuroscientist and former reserve infantry officer who has spent more than a decade researching cannabis, cannabinoids and psychedelics, working across research, clinical development and veteran mental health. She is the founder of Hystelica, a research and education organisation working to close the gender gap in psychedelic medicine and improve understanding of how psychedelics interact with female biology and women's health. She is also Chief Scientific Officer at NWPharmaTech, a clinical-stage company working in cannabinoid drug development, and Research Director at the Heroic Hearts Project, where she leads research into psychedelic medicine for PTSD and traumatic brain injury in veterans.

Viktor Chvátal is the Secretary General and founder of PsychedelicsEUROPE. With extensive experience in building coalitions between industry and academia within the EU legislative process, particularly in the European Parliament, he specializes in leveraging evidence-based advocacy to help shape policy frameworks that support innovation in healthcare. His expertise lies in translating scientific evidence into effective public affairs strategies, fostering long-term partnerships, and contributing to regulatory environments that balance innovation with sustainability.

Dr. Ingmar Gorman is a psychologist specializing in anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, and psychedelic experiences. In addition to his work in traditional psychotherapy, he is a recognized leader in the field of psychedelic therapy. He has firsthand experience as both a researcher and study therapist, including participation in clinical trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD and psilocybin-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant depression. His clinical practice is informed by extensive research and publications on topics such as classic psychedelics, ketamine, and MDMA. As co-founder of Fluence, a leading provider of psychedelic education, he has dedicated his career to training mental health professionals and sharing his expertise.

Mark Hestermann is a molecular biologist with more than a decade of experience in psychedelic research. In 2021, he co-founded Natural MedTech (NMT), a biotechnology company using biosynthesis to manufacture psychedelics and other high-value medicines that conventional chemistry struggles to produce efficiently. Since its founding, NMT has built Australia's first cGMP biosynthetic psilocybin and tryptamine production platform, delivering GMP-grade medication for clinical trials and navigating the complex regulatory and quality frameworks required to bring its medicines to patients. Mark plays a key role across NMT's R&D, scale-up, Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls, analytical development, and GMP manufacturing divisions. He has authored major regulatory submissions to advance innovative mental health therapies and is a named inventor on two PCT patents and one provisional patent.

Lilia Khousnoutdinova is a social scientist, publicist, lecturer, and philanthropist with a long-standing focus on women’s issues, gender studies, and reproductive rights. She has initiated numerous educational and public awareness campaigns for both the general public and healthcare professionals, focusing on maternal care and midwifery. She is the founder of several successful startups and the Propolis33 Foundation, which was established primarily to support charitable and educational initiatives for women. The foundation provides support and patronage to artistic and educational projects focused on womanhood and femininity, parenthood, sexuality, reproduction and childbirth, gender equality, and the destigmatization of gender-related and feminist issues.

Misha Lebeda is a Czech strategic business consultant, author, activist, and women's health advocate. She has worked as a spokesperson and community coordinator on several campaigns and initiatives. She is also the founder of Endo Talks, a patient organization that advocates for comprehensive and accessible care for women with endometriosis, which she established from her hospital bed in 2021, right after undergoing surgery. The official recognition of highly specialized endometriosis treatment centers across Czechia is one achievement of Endo Talks’ relentless advocacy, and the organization’s inclusion in the Patient Council of the Ministry of Health ensures the voices of those affected are heard at the highest governmental levels.

Yustyna Miskiv coordinates strategic development and national-level initiatives aimed at creating safe and evidence-based access to psychedelic-assisted therapy in Ukraine. Her work focuses on policy advocacy, therapist education, and developing clinical standards adapted to the needs of veterans and trauma survivors. With a background in organizational development and strategic program leadership, Yustyna has built and managed multi-disciplinary teams and long-term initiatives in both NGO and business sectors. She collaborates with academic, medical, and international expert partners to support the responsible and ethical implementation of psychedelic therapy in Ukraine.

Stanislav Milotínský is a Czech clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, founder, and former CEO of Psyon. He is the initiator of numerous projects related to mental health or psychedelics, such as the Czech Psychedelic Society, Psycare, and a day-care centre for people diagnosed with personality disorders. Psyon provides high-quality, evidence-based mental healthcare alongside progressive approaches based on psychedelic-assisted therapy, education, and research. He graduated from the Faculty of Social Studies at Masaryk University and completed his training in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy in the United States. In addition to his other activities, he maintains a private therapeutic practice, focusing on ketamine-assisted psychotherapy at Psyon, the integration of challenging psychedelic experiences, participation in psychedelic clinical trials, and lecturing. Stanislav is one of the first people in Europe to bring ketamine-assisted psychotherapy to standard outpatient care while establishing a functional reimbursement scheme for this treatment.

Assoc. Prof. Viktor Mravčík, MD, is the Vice-Chair of Society of Addiction Diseases of the Czech Medical Association of J. E. Purkyně and the Director of Research and Innovation at Podané ruce, a non-profit organization that has been helping people facing addiction, crises, and difficult life situations since 1991. Dr. Mravčík’s work focuses on developing strategies to minimize the negative impacts of drug use through evidence-based approaches and practices designed to address complex addiction-related issues. As a leading voice in his field, he contributes to shaping rational and effective drug policies and improving public health outcomes. He also serves as a researcher at the National Institute of Mental Health and as an alternate member of the Management Board of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA).

Tomáš Petříček is a Czech politician and academic with a focus on international relations and economic governance. He is a strategist in geopolitics, geoeconomics, and global public policy, who served as the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2018 to 2021 and has held policy-making and advisory roles at national and European institutions focused on international cooperation. Petříček is also Director of the Progressive Analytical Centre, a Czech think-tank which focuses on sustainable societies, youth education, and public health.

Tais Poda is a Ukrainian psychologist-therapist who helped found and serves on the board of the Ukrainian Psychedelic Research Association (UPRA). UPRA is a non-profit organization founded in 2021 to promote the clinical use of psychedelic substances for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder who have not been helped by conventional therapy. UPRA strives to help veterans, displaced persons, people who have lost loved ones, and many others dealing with the consequences of the war in Ukraine. The Association also works actively to change the legislative framework, promote expanded access programmes, train healthcare professionals, and support patients and their caregivers.

Kristina Pomothy is a psychologist and founder of Curacura, an organisation advancing the integration of somatic and psychedelic therapies into healthcare and personal development. Kristina's background is in facilitation, psychedelic integration and trauma informed somatic practices. Her experience with traumatic brain injury led to founding Curacura with a determination to build an alternative to the systemic pathologizing and medicalizing of trauma. Since 2019 she has travelled extensively to learn directly from both Western clinicians and traditional indigenous healers and in Curacura she blends both approaches. She is enrolled at the Czech institute of Biosynthesis and at the California institute of Integral Studies.

Simeon Schnapper is the founding partner of JLS, a pioneering plant medicine fund. With more than 30 years of experience in the field, he bridges the gap between ancient Indigenous wisdom and the modern pharmaceutical industry. His journey began under the mentorship of Dr. Robert E. L. Masters and Jean Houston and led him deep into the Amazon rainforest and Gabon. As President of the Hinman Foundation, he oversaw grants exploring the cognitive effects of peyote and the use of hallucinogens in the treatment of substance use disorders. His work continues at the intersection of investment, advocacy, and diplomacy.

Lenka Teska Arnoštová is a lawyer and university lecturer. She served as a member of the Prague City Assembly from 2010 to 2014 and as Deputy Minister of Health of the Czech Republic from 2014 to 2017. Since 2009, she has practised as an attorney specialising in health law and healthcare legislation. She also teaches at the Faculty of Law of Charles University, in the Department of Health Law, and sits on the Public Law Commission of the Government Legislative Council. Since 2017, she has chaired the Medical Law Society of the Czech Medical Association of J. E. Purkyně.

MVDr. Ing. Václav Trojan, Ph.D., is a Czech politician, veterinary hygienist, molecular biologist, and manager. He has served as a Member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic since October 2025 and as a member of its Committee on Health since January 2026. He studied veterinary hygiene and successfully completed his doctoral studies. During his academic career, he focused primarily on plant genetics and physiology and spent significant time abroad in North America, Africa, and East Asia. In 2019, he became the lead researcher at the Clinical Pharmacology Unit of Sv. Anna University Hospital in Brno. His work focuses on research into medical cannabis, with an emphasis on its physiology, anatomy, and morphology. In the Chamber of Deputies, he also chairs the Subcommittee on Medical Cannabis, Natural Substances, Drug Policy, Instrumentation, and Medical Devices.

Dr. Filip Tylš is a Czech psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and neuroscientist specialising in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. He completed his doctoral studies in neuroscience with a dissertation focused on the neurobiology of psychedelic experiences at Charles University, where he currently works as an assistant professor of psychiatry, teaching experimental pharmacology. Since 2012, he has worked at the National Institute of Mental Health and is part of the psychedelic research team conducting clinical trials with psilocybin, ketamine, and MDMA. He co-founded the Czech Psychedelic Society in 2015 and has been helping people cope with difficult psychedelic experiences as part of the PsyCare team since 2017.