Brea lost a sister who was struggling with mental health in 2023, right around the same time that Jenny was caring for a spouse going through mental health challenges. Both found the traditional healthcare rout lacking; it just didn't work and things got worse instead of better.
Frustrated, angry, and heart-broken, both Brea and Jenny began to look for education on other available solutions. This lead them both to InnerTrek, Oregons Legal Psilocybin Facilitator Training Program, where they eventually met and bonded over those painful experiences and a shared passion to do something positive with that pain.
During conversations with Jenny, Brea agonized over the fact that her sister never got the chance to try psychedelics for her mental health, and wondered what could have been different if she had. Jenny mirrored that sentiment and wondered if the outcome could have been different for her and her husband if he had the opportunity to try psychedelics as well.
Could psychedelics have helped Brea's sister or Jenny's Husband? The truth is that we will never know, but according to the research, it IS possible. Anyone who has cared for a struggling loved one will tell you that even a shred of possibility is worth the effort.
While we can't go back, we CAN go forward with intention. So SPAN was born~ to improve access to psychedelic safety education for communities, so that people who are interested in this option have the right knowledge to make informed decisions.
Will psychedelics work for you or your loved ones? That is for you to decide. As for us, we want you to have access to reputable, evidence-based information on potential risks and benefits so that when you make that decision, you do it based on non-partisan research and evidence.
This is our legacy, this is Safer Psychedelics Association of New England, and we are so glad you are here!
Jenny blends business leadership with a love of learning, community building and holistic health. With a successful career in wealth management and sales operations for major real estate developments in New England, she's applying her MBA skills to advancing education in the healing space. As one of the first graduates of InnerTrek’s Psilocybin Facilitator program, Jenny is committed to evidence-based practices. In 2024, she testified before the Massachusetts state legislature and spoke at press conferences, advocating for the legal, therapeutic use of psychedelics.
With over 20 years of nonprofit board leadership, Jenny understands that effective leadership is rooted in personal growth and curiosity. Fueled by a commitment for learning, Jenny has completed specialized training in QPR (suicide prevention), End-of-Life Psychedelic Care, Psychedelic Autism, and Internal Family Systems. As Executive Director of the Safer Psychedelics Association of New England (SPAN), she combines her business experience with her passions to create safe, inclusive spaces, promoting culturally sensitive responses, and harm reduction education.
Dr. Breanna Reeser, DBH, MHI, is a healthcare executive with over a decade of experience leading innovative public health and integrated healthcare initiatives. She is a trained psilocybin facilitator through InnerTrek Oregon, Mindfulness-based Behavior Change Facilitator through Mindsciences and is committed to fostering sustainable, community-focused solutions for health equity and mental health care reform. As the Chief Operations Officer of Safer Psychedelics Association of New England (SPAN), She ensures the quality, efficacy, and impact of programs and initiatives in the organization.
A USAID grant recipient, Dr. Reeser conducted research in Thailand and Vietnam, improving population health practices through global collaboration. Her expertise includes program management, data analysis, and creating evidence-based interventions that drive measurable outcomes. Dr. Reeser has held leadership roles, including Director of Training Operations for a mindfulness based health coaching curriculum at Sharecare, and served as faculty at Arizona State University for the College of Health Solutions graduate programs. Her research on population health and integrated care is published in TMR Integrative Medicine Journal.
Bio coming soon!
Wei-Chin Hwang, Ph.D., is Department Chair and Professor of Clinical Psychology at Claremont McKenna College (CMC). He received his Ph.D. from the clinical psychology program at UCLA (2003) and completed his postdoc at Harbor UCLA Medical Center, NIMH Psychobiology of Ethnicity Center. His research focuses on understanding and reducing mental health disparities and culturally adapting treatments to improve outcomes for diverse populations.
He conducts research and teaches about psychedelics, and serves as the faculty advisor for Claremont PEACE (the 5-College Psychedelic club). Highly awarded and a Fellow of many professional organizations, Dr. Hwang authored “Culturally adapting psychotherapy for Asian heritage populations” and the “Improving your mood” CBT manual. Dr. Hwang is a licensed clinical psychologist and has an independent clinical and consulting practice in Pasadena and Claremont, California.
Dr. April Huynh, PharmD, earned her Doctor of Pharmacy and Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences degrees from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2016 and 2013. As a clinical pharmacist at Tufts Medical Center, she has experience in transitions of care, clinical reviews, and healthcare payer systems, focusing on equitable access to limited distribution medications. Passionate about expanding access to psychedelic-assisted therapies, April joined the Psychedelic Pharmacist Association (PPA) in 2021.
She contributed to educational projects, created an MDMA infographic, and led the continuing education subcommittee before becoming PPA Secretary in 2024. In this role, she advances the role of pharmacists in psychedelic care. April also serves as an advisory member of the Safer Psychedelics Association of New England (SPAN), where she combines her expertise and dedication to improving access and literacy in psychedelics from a pharmacist’s perspective.
Lieutenant Sarko Gergerian began his career in 2010 as a patrol officer with Winthrop Police Department and was awarded the Department of Mental Health & Law Enforcement Award in 2019. Lt. Gergerian is a founding member of the Community and LawEnforcement Assisted Recovery Program (CLEAR). CLEAR is a network of community partners, the Winthrop Police Department, and the Winthrop Health Department that ensures individuals seeking support for substance use disorders or mental health are connected to community-based service providers.
Lt. Gergerian is certified in adult and youth mental health first aid, recovery coaching, individual and group critical incident stress management (CISM), and critical incident training (CIT). He holds a BA in philosophy from Northeastern University and a MS in mental health counseling and psychological services from Salem State University.
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