MAPS Staff: Who We Are

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	Rick Doblin, Ph.D., Executive Director Rick founded MAPS in 1986. His dissertation (Public Policy, Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government) was on "The Regulation of the Medical Use of Psychedelics and Marijuana," and his master’s thesis (Harvard) focused on the attitudes and experiences of oncologists concerning the medical use of marijuana. His undergraduate thesis (New College of Florida) was a twenty-five year follow-up to the classic Good Friday Experiment, which evaluated the potential of psychedelic drugs to catalyze religious experiences. He has also conducted a thirty-four year follow-up study to Tim Leary’s Concord Prison experiment. Rick studied with Stan Grof, M.D., and was in the first group to become certified as holotropic breathwork practitioners. His professional goal is to help develop legal contexts for the beneficial uses of psychedelics and marijuana, primarily as prescription medicines but also for personal growth for otherwise "healthy" people, and to also become a legally licensed psychedelic therapist. He resides in Boston with his wife and three children.
	Valerie Mojeiko, Deputy Director and Clinical Research Associate Valerie Mojeiko has worked with MAPS since 2000, facilitating research about the healing potentials of MDMA (Ecstasy), LSD, Ibogaine and other psychedelic medicines. In her work leading MAPS’ psychedelic harm–reduction project, Valerie has prepared over 200 volunteers to provide peer–based psychedelic emergency services from Burning Man to Tel Aviv. Formally educated at New College of Florida and the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS).
	Randolph Hencken, M.A., B.S., Director of Communications and Marketing Randy earned his Master of Arts in Communication and his Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from San Diego State University (SDSU). He focused all of his graduate studies on drug policy issues. His research about the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, and a portion of his thesis that investigated the importance of drug prohibition to non-drug users’ deterrence from drug use have been presented at the National Communication Association conferences. His thesis further investigated correlations between political attitudes and drug policy beliefs, and he tested the effectiveness of several arguments for drug policy reform. Randy formerly was the program coordinator at the Ibogaine Association in Mexico. He was the founder and president of SDSU’s chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and he interned for the Drug Policy Alliance in San Diego.
	Josh Sonstroem, Accounting, IT and Existential Support Josh earned his BA in Philosophy and Religion from the New College of Florida in 2003. As a longtime believer in maybe-logic he has actively sought out and explored a multiplicity of consciousness expansion techniques, psychedelics notwithstanding. Like all MAPS Staffers, Josh's workload spans many different domains within the MAPS microcosm: From helping Rick to monitor and control MAPS funds (accounting), to administering the MAPS' website (webadmin), from managing most of the company's computer technology (IT), to traveling around with Valerie to MAPS' many different study sites to assist with data management (clinical research). And, if you have ever been to a MAPS fundraiser where food was served, you have probably sampled his experimental, cutting-edge cuisine as well (see DogStar Catering). Josh loves to read philosophical science fiction; eat delicious, challenging food; listen to dark, glitchy music; write abstract, surrealist poetry; and think about thought-at-its-limits. He will continue to seek out and enjoy both the chaotic depths [and the ethereal heights] of existential experience.
	Jalene Otto, Membership and Sales Coordinator Jalene Otto, MAPS Membership and Sales Coordinator studied philosophy and sociology at Cabrillo College and the University of California, Santa Cruz. Jalene said, “I believe the most fundamental aspect of being human is that of choice. I also feel that to understand a large collection of people and ideas we must first understand our most basic selves. I believe that psychedelics can open those doorways to understanding, and with that understanding serve to better our compassion for things as they are now, thus freeing us to prepare for things as they are becoming. I’m also a mom and it’s a good window into the self when I see my young son, Laine, mirror my words and actions. There has never been a joy like that of watching him come into his own understandings and moral quandaries.”
	Amy Emerson, Clinical Operations Amy earned her BS in genetics and cell biology from Washington State University. She has worked in clinical development and research for the last 15 years in the fields of immunology, oncology and most recently in vaccine development. Amy has worked with MAPS as a volunteer since 2003 facilitating the development of the MDMA clinical program. She is currently working as the clinical program manager and is involved with creating the structure needed to support the growing needs of the clinical operations group and MAPS clinical research studies.
	L (Ilsa) Jerome Ph.D., Research and Information Specialist Ilsa earned a PhD in psychology from the University of Maryland. She helps MAPS and researchers design studies, gathers information on study drugs (as MDMA) through keeping abreast of the current literature and discussion with other researchers, creates and maintains documents related to some MAPS–supported studies, and helps support the MAPS psychedelic literature bibliography. She has written informational documents on psilocybin, LSD and MDMA. She is interested in using methods from behavioral science and neuroscience to learn how humans feel and think about themselves and each other.