MAPS Canada’s leadership, staff, and volunteers are dedicated to furthering the scientific understanding and practical application of psychedelic medicine to improve lives.
WHO WE ARE
Our organization is made up of a diverse group of scientists, researchers, students, advocates, and leaders from all sectors. We believe that to solve some of the biggest challenges in human mental health requires people from a diversity of backgrounds, identities, and experiences, who share a common vision: to improve lives through equitable access to legal and regulated psychedelic medicine.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Rielle Capler
Chair
Rielle Capler (MHA, PhD) brings to her role as co-chair of MAPS Canada over 20 years of experience in the cannabis field, where she has engaged in research, knowledge translation, service provision, standards development, and community organizing. Rielle received the Governor General of Canada’s Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal acknowledging her contribution to Canadian society through her work with medical cannabis.
Rielle received a doctoral degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at University of British Columbia, and held a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the British Columbia Center on Substance Use. She is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Population and Public Health, in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. Rielle’s research relates predominantly to cannabis and psychedelics, with a focus on the instrumental uses of drugs, equitable access to health care, use of legal and illegal sources, harm reduction, and intergenerational trauma. Rielle is a research advisor to Ketamine Assisted Therapy Association of Canada.
Rielle’s policy and advocacy focus is on the inclusion of systemically marginalized voices and communities, the transition of illegal and stigmatized plant medicines and psychedelics to a legal context, equitable access and economic development. Rielle has consulted and advised on cannabis policy nationally and internationally and co-founded several long-standing non-profit organizations to represent patients, producers, and retailers.
Rick Doblin
Board Member
Rick Doblin is the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) USA. He received his doctorate in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, where he wrote his dissertation on the regulation of the medical uses of psychedelics and marijuana, and his Master’s thesis on a survey of oncologists about smoked marijuana vs. the oral THC pill in nausea control for cancer patients.
His undergraduate thesis at New College of Florida was a 25-year follow-up to the classic Good Friday Experiment, which evaluated the potential of psychedelic drugs to catalyze religious experiences. He also conducted a thirty-four year follow-up study to Timothy Leary’s Concord Prison Experiment.
Reverdi Darda
(she/her)
Board Member
Reverdi Darda (RN, BScN, CHE) is the President and CEO of Cena Life Inc,. an Alberta-based mental health services company. She has over 30 years of experience as a Registered Nurse. Her professional career includes Executive leadership roles in the public, government, and non-profit sectors. Her experience and expertise in the areas of community engagement, planning, project and change management have significantly impacted outcomes of numerous projects that she has been involved in. Reverdi is Metis and a direct descendant of Damase Carriere who fought against Canadian Colonialism beside Louis Riel in the heroic Metis North-West Resistance of 1885. Her passion to engage communities and work together for the equity and inclusion of all is reflective in her family’s legacy.
Francine Douglas
(she/her)
Board Member
Stó:lō from Sts’ailes Nation and Tsimshian from Metlakatla Nation, Francine values and upholds the cultural teachings she has learned from her Indigenous family. Francine’s desire to support First Nation families and communities through the impacts of colonialism, assimilation and displacement from their traditional territory has brought her to a diverse career in mental health, traditional medicine, business and cultural tourism.
Francine currently works with the Thálé:ylexw awtxw Foundation, The House of the Life Givers, a grassroots Stó:lō womxn’s group with a purpose to support the growth and empowerment of Indigenous womxn in S’ólh Téméxw, the Stó:lō traditional territory. This foundation strives to create opportunities for Indigenous womxn to share their knowledge and experiences, re-connect to land-based healing and build relationships with one another. Francine also works with Sacred Circle, supporting their vision for a healthcare system that honors Indigenous knowledge and ancestral traditional medicine. As an advocate for the rights of Indigenous people, Francine’s considers her work with Sacred Circle one of the most powerful ways to support First Nations people in preserving their traditional knowledge, promoting cultural healing practices and reconnecting to their traditional territories.
Defining moments in her career over the years include volunteering with the suicide crisis line, owning and managing several businesses in the Stó:lō territory, managing a traditional Stó:lō group that shared cultural stories, song and dance, supporting First Nation community business development with Indigenous Tourism BC, and supporting children and families at the Stehiyaq Wellness Centre, a residential facility for at-risk Indigenous youth. Francine was recently featured in Lllahee: Water, a video sharing about the power of water as a healing medicine. Francine holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and anthropology from the University of British Columbia and was the valedictorian of the Ch’nook Indigenous Business Program from the Sauder School of Business.
Jarred Aasen
Board Member, Director/Treasurer
Jarred Aasen has been a registered pharmacist in British Columbia since 2015 after graduating from the University of Saskatchewan in his hometown of Saskatoon. He now resides in Victoria, B.C where in addition to providing traditional pharmacy services, he is involved with the harm reduction and drug checking community throughout Canada.
In 2018 he received Canada’s first section 56 exemption for drug checking purposes through his organization Lantern Services, and worked closely with the University of Victoria getting their drug checking program Substance operational. As a co-founder and co-author of the DRED Project (Drug Resource and Education Project), Jarred provides in-person training in the area of drug checking and harm reduction. He actively provides drug checking services at two major music festivals in B.C – Bass Coast and Shambhala – and consults/speaks nationally and internationally on topics relating to harm reduction, pharmacy and drug checking.
Jarred is passionate about empowering individuals with relevant and accurate information so that they can lead more engaged and integrated lives. In his spare time, Jarred enjoys juggling, playing keyboard/piano/synthesizers, boxing and scuba diving.
Harrison Jordan
Board Member, Director
VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE LEADS
Luc Briedé-Cooper
(he/him)
YouTube Committee Lead
Luc Briedé-Cooper graduated with a Bachelor of Science, Major in Physics from the University of British Colombia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada. Since then, he has been on a journey of personal growth culminating in working as a coach, speaker and creator on Youtube.
He makes content on spirituality, self development and technologies of the sacred that can facilitate such growth. This eventually brought Luc to lead the Youtube Committee at MAPS Canada.
His interests include studying the consequences of psychedelics for the meaning crisis in the western society and helping other people on their journey of personal growth.
Sonia Brodie
(she/her)
Research Committee Lead
Sonia is a self-identified research nerd, with a MSc in Neuroscience and over 10 years’ experience working in the clinical research industry.
Sonia has experience in protocol development, regulatory applications, efficient study start-up processes, clinical trial management and monitoring, establishing quality management systems and standard operating procedures, implementing secure and compliant electronic data capture systems, data analysis, manuscript writing, and knowledge translation across a wide range of study types and interventions.
As VP Clinical Research with the Centre for Neurology Studies (CNS), Sonia specializes in building high performing teams and resilient processes to make awesome things happen in a variety of different contexts. Sonia is passionate about finding efficient ways to bridge the gap between research and reality in clinically meaningful ways.
Sonia has consulted and advised on a variety of psychedelic research initiatives, including development of the world’s largest microdosing study in collaboration with Paul Stamets and Quantified Citizen, and spinning up a new dosing site for a global, Phase III randomized controlled trial using psilocybin-assisted therapy for treatment resistant depression.
Francesco Kment
(He/Him)
Policy + Advocacy Committee Co-Lead
Francesco is a dedicated Registered Psychotherapist and Canadian Certified Counsellor, with a private practice at Mindful Conversations. Also working at an addictions rehabilitation centre and practicing psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. He brings a wealth of experience and compassion to individuals facing challenges related to addictions, PTSD/trauma, depression, and anxiety. His therapeutic approach is grounded in helping clients become the best versions of themselves through evidence-based psychotherapeutic methods.
A strong advocate for harm reduction and mindfulness, Francesco has collaborated with tripsit.me, working on projects that address the needs of vulnerable populations within the areas of addictions and psychedelics. His passion for helping others extends to research, where he contributes as a researcher for MAPS Canada and Heroic Hearts Canada, focusing on the intersection of Canadian drug policy and the therapeutic use of psychedelics for PTSD treatment, particularly among Canadian veterans. In addition, he has conducted research on geriatric loneliness, exploring ways to address emotional isolation in older adults.
With a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, Francesco integrates both academic knowledge and practical experience to offer a holistic approach to therapy. His commitment to harm reduction, mental health advocacy, and innovative therapeutic techniques positions him as a forward-thinking leader in the fields of psychotherapy and psychedelic therapy.
Shel Scott
(She/Her)
Policy + Advocacy Committee Co-Lead
Michelle (aka Shel) Scott (she/her) is an occupational therapist working in mental health in Toronto Ontario. She also leads the Toronto-based Policy and Advocacy group for MAPS Canada.
Her goal is to expand access to above-ground psychedelic medicines in a way that’s ethical, sustainable, and responsible. Her interests include mental health, cognitive science, philosophy, neuroscience, Indigenous ontologies and worldviews, meditative and contemplative practices, dialectics, and the intersection between science and spirituality.
In her free time she can be found going to concerts, dancing, playing music (alone or with friends), spending time outdoors, reading science fiction, watching hockey, and enjoying amazing food.
Amy Demone
(she/her)
Special Access Program - Community of Practice Committee Lead
Amy Demone is an integrative counselling therapist specializing in trauma reconciliation through bottom-up approaches such as somatic work and plant-assisted therapies. With a robust foundation in therapeutic practices, she is dedicated to fostering deep-rooted communities in the psychedelic space, both virtually and online. Amy serves on the board of directors for the Nova Scotia Psychedelic Society and is trained by Therapsil in their foundations of psilocybin. Since February 2024, she has been actively volunteering with MAPS Canada as SAP-COP committee lead, underscoring her commitment to the integration of innovative therapeutic approaches in clinical settings. Before her current role, Amy dedicated five years to managing online communities in the wellness industry. This experience in digital community management has greatly informed her therapeutic practice, reflecting her deep appreciation for community-oriented spaces. Her transition to therapeutic work highlights her ability to nurture environments that are healing, informative, and change-making.
Celia Bildfell
(she/her)
Website Committee Lead
Celia is the current website committee lead with MAPS Canada. She started volunteering with MAPS in May 2023, after completing her undergraduate Honours degree in Journalism and Law at Carleton University.
She also helps out with the weekly MAPS newsletters as well as on the webinar series with the policy and advocacy committee. Celia has a background in website editing and building particularly with WordPress.
Her interest in psychedelics peaked when she wrote an article in her undergraduate degree which discussed the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy as a new form of treatment for varying mental disorders. Celia hopes to continue her studies and work in the field of drug policy.
Navin Sahjpaul
(he/him)
Social Media Lead
Navin Sahjpaul is a Music Therapist (BMT), Certified Yoga Teacher, Artist (Musician, Writer), Mental Health Advocate, and is currently completing an M.A. of Counselling Degree at the City University of Canada, studying to become an RCC (Registered Clinical Counsellor).
Since 2018, Navin has been an active volunteer for MAPS Canada. His primary contribution includes being the lead on their Instagram account for the Social Media Committee, responsibilities that include creating and sharing posts, reels, captions, and stories, and overall managing the growth of the social media platform. MAPS Canada’s Instagram currently has an 18K follower count
For the past two years, Navin has been actively working as a Music Therapist (BMT) within Vancouver, BC, focusing on how music and sound can be utilized in therapeutic, healing environments to improve one’s quality of life and to help individuals overcome mental health challenges. His practice includes working in the Healthcare system in Addictions & Mental Health, and also extends to facilitating workshops, presenting at conferences, and offering private and group Sound Meditation/Healing/Bath experiences for Community Wellness Events & Corporate Wellness Classes.
As a musician, Navin is a multi-instrumentalist (Piano, Guitar, Flute, Voice) who records, composes, and performs original music under his name using the computer software programs of Logic Pro X and Ableton Live. His latest album release on Bandcamp, Medicine Music, consists of 26 original compositions that are designed to be used in conjunction with other healing modalities (Yoga, Breathwork, Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy) and serves as an album within which one can seek solace in, a place of calm away from the busyness and chaos of life, an auditory haven to be conducive for inner rest, stillness, and growth.
He holds a Bachelor’s in Music Therapy from Capilano University and a Foundations of Music Therapy Diploma from Douglas College, receiving the Amanda Todd Legacy Award during his time at Douglas College. Navin also holds a 200 Hour+ Yoga Teacher Training Certification from Arkaya Yoga, a certification from Gabor Mate’s 2-Day Training, Compassionate Inquiry, and Certificates of Completion for Didactic and Experiential training from Therapsil’s Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy and MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD Training Programs.
He is a Community Leader for Flying Sage, a facilitator at Ritual Urban Retreat, serves as Co-Chair on the Marketing Committee for ICMSV (Indian Classical Music Society of Vancouver, and since 2018 has been an active volunteer on the Social Media Committee for MAPS Canada (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies). https://www.navinsahjpaul.com/
Aakanksha Sahu
(she/her)
Research Room Lead
Aakanksha Sahu recently graduated from the University of British Columbia and has gained valuable experience in healthcare and academia through various research, project management, and consulting roles.
Her research has focused on using neuroscience and patient-centered approaches to improve patient outcomes. Aakanksha is deeply passionate about human rights and advocacy, having worked with several non-profits to raise mental health awareness and drive social change. She is committed to promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), ensuring that diverse cultural practices are integrated into holistic approaches.
Aakanksha has been volunteering with MAPS Canada since 2022, contributing to the Graphics Design, Knowledge Translation, and Policy & Advocacy Teams. She is excited to bring her expertise in research and knowledge translation to further MAPS Canada’s mission.