Meet Our Co-Directors
Dara Menashi, Ph.D., she/her/heres, is a systems reform expert with years of experience understanding how complex systems operate when they overlap local, state and federal jurisdictions. Her work focuses on field building in areas that intersect public, private non-profit, community and philanthropic actors.
She has held several leadership positions at the Annie E. Casey Foundation --one of the nation’s largest foundations focused on improving life outcomes for underprivileged children and families. Her work included spearheading the development of a state-based strategy to transform the structure, case practice and funding mechanisms of public child welfare systems. The successful replication of the strategy in several states led to a tipping point in the field, and codification in federal legislation changing the foundational funding mechanisms of an over $30 billion per year industry. Her work was captured in the publication FIxing a Broken System Transforming Maine’s Child Welfare System and she was highlighted in the Huffington Post for her innovative use of technology to improve well-being outcomes for children. Dara brings her expertise in field building and system change to the evolving field of access to PAT in our medical system
Dara has worked extensively with the donors in the Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative helping hone organizational goals and aid those seeking funding clarify their theory of change to shape proposals. Her previous work on increasing access to effective health care for marginalized communities includes helping both the Fenway Institute and the Camden Coalition spread best practices by improving their technical assistance offering to other institutions. She is a board member of Harvard Business School Community Action Partners whose mission is to increase the impact of mission-driven organizations by strengthening their ability to address our community’s greatest challenges. Dara holds a Ph.D. and a MPP in Public Policy from Harvard University and BA in Economics from Boston University.
Hanifa Nayo Washington, she/her/hers, is a visionary leader, healing justice practitioner, and psychedelic-assisted care advocate and facilitator who has spent the last 15 years holding space for transformation and resilience. Her work is deeply rooted in the principles of beloved community, shaping every aspect of her life and leadership.
With a background in nonprofit development and social impact strategy, Hanifa has dedicated her career to creating ecosystems of collective care that center healing, resilience, and social justice. She co-founded the Psychedelic Peer Support Line, Fireside Project, a first-of-its-kind national support network that has since served over 30,000 people. Her work has since evolved into ensuring equitable access to psychedelic-assisted care and therapy, particularly for marginalized communities.
A certified psilocybin facilitator through InnerTrek in Oregon, Hanifa has worked in both regulated and unregulated psychedelic-assisted care settings, supporting individuals in their healing journeys. She serves as a team leader and facilitator for Beckley Retreats’ world-renowned 12-week psilocybin program and played a key role in developing and facilitating the organization’s first healing retreat exclusively for Black women in 2024. Through this work, she helps shape culturally attuned models of care that prioritize accessibility and inclusion.
Now, as Co-Director of the Psychedelic Mental Health Access Alliance, Hanifa acts as the bridge between implementation-effectiveness research and real-world community engagement. She works alongside legacy practitioners—both regulated and unregulated—as well as policymakers to develop best practices for care models that are effective, affordable, and safe for marginalized communities. A key part of her role is championing the Alliance’s work in creating collaborative tools to support the training and development of a representative and well-trained psychedelic-assisted therapy workforce. This includes ensuring that medical professionals and specialized PAT practitioners are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and cultural awareness necessary to provide high-quality, inclusive care.
Hanifa holds a BA from Beloit College in Communication Theory and Russian & Soviet Studies. A skilled communication strategist and storyteller, she sees the world as a living classroom and draws wisdom from her global travels.