Jess currently serves as the President of the Australian Psychedelic Society (APS), having first joined the organisation as a volunteer in 2019. In 2021, she co-founded the Goldfields chapter of APS, and by 2022, she was appointed National Chapter Coordinator. Her leadership trajectory continued in 2024 when she assumed the role of Vice President of APS. Additionally, Jess co-hosts the national APS women's group, furthering her commitment to fostering inclusive and supportive communities within the psychedelic space.

With over two decades as an AOD counsellor, Jess is excited by the expansion of psychedelic treatment for addiction and mental health. Holding a strong conviction in harm reduction and legalisation, Jess believes firmly in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and plant medicines and sees them as invaluable aids for mental health. An avid advocate for legal reform, Jess emphasises the significance of building communities like APS. She is keen to educate and support individuals, especially women, who are looking for a deeper understanding of psychedelics and their benefits. 

Drawing from personal experience, she knows the transformative power of psychedelics firsthand. Over the past seven years, she embarked on a personal journey with them to address and heal her own traumas. Jess resides in the Macedon Ranges with her two teenagers and fluffy Golden Retriever Obi.

Antanika was the President of the Australian Psychedelic Society (APS) from 2023 to 2025. Here her personal journey with psychedelics, which helped her effectively treat Complex-PTSD, drives her work. These experiences, marked by Post-Traumatic Growth, fuelled her commitment to creating a safe, stigma-free environment for others seeking similar exploration.

This dedication and all those who work along side Antanika have in some way shape or form helped shape the organisation's direction. In 2018, Antanika began volunteering for APS, noticing a void in the community that led her to establish the Adelaide chapter. She also contributed to social media and the national newsletter, earning a spot on the executive committee in 2019. She served as Vice President from 2021 to 2023 before taking over as President in 2023 to 2025.

Outside of APS, Antanika works in Psychedelic Integration Support and is a Consumer Board advisor for Monarch Mental Health Group. She has 2 teenagers who she homeschools and an adult child, and no this is not her husband. She has 3 dogs, 2 cats and 9 chickens, likes long walks in the forest, and half finished house projects.

Connect with Antanika Via Linkedin
Read DoubleBlinds article 'Meet the Influential, Innovative, and Disruptive Women in Psychedelics' featuring Antanika.

Dr. Simon Beck MD is a psychedelic harm reduction advocate and mushroom enthusiast living on Gumbaynggirr country in Northern NSW. He holds a Medical Degree and a Masters of Medicine in Psychiatry. He believes psychedelics have amazing therapeutic potential for individuals and communities. He is involved in the psilocybin mushroom ID and harm reduction group PMANZ on Facebook and has spoken about mushroom identification for the APS. He believes in advocating for safer, legal access to psychedelics and other substances by those who want to use them and feels strongly that the current drug laws continue to fail in every respect. He is excited to be a part of helping to drive the APS towards its goals during this rapidly evolving and important time in the modern history of psychedelics.

 Inspired by Michael Pollan, author of How to Change Your Mind, Tim is a passionate advocate for the legalisation of psychedelic plants and fungi for therapeutic and wellness purposes. Pollan’s work struck a chord with Tim, particularly in highlighting the social and scientific damage caused by the decades-long 'War on Drugs.'
Tim believes that psychedelics were unfairly targeted in the 1960s, while other more harmful substances remained less regulated. This misplaced focus delayed vital research into their therapeutic potential for decades. He strongly affirms that all substances—psychedelic or otherwise—must be approached with care, supported by robust harm reduction practices and education to ensure safe and informed use.
Tim began volunteering with APS in 2024, driven by a commitment to community support, evidence-based practice, and advancing psychedelic research in Australia. In 2025, he stepped into the role of Treasurer. He stays up to date with the latest scientific findings in the field to help ensure the charity’s initiatives are grounded in current, credible research and best practices.

Darryl is our Brisbane chapter volunteer. Darryl’s first psychedelic experience was in Peru in 2010, when he went to an Ayahuasca retreat centre in search of treatment for his life-long major depressive condition. It worked better than he could possibly have hoped for, so much so that he was inspired to learn more about psychedelics as a whole area of knowledge, and to share that knowledge with other seekers. Darryl has been involved in psychedelic harm reduction and advocacy with the APS since 2018. He describes himself as a syncretist seeking to learn from ancient mystical traditions, modern science, personal development, and philosophy, and he particularly enjoys helping others to clarify their goals and plan the achievement of them. Darryl's personal hobbies include reading and writing, strategy-type computer games, storytelling and tactical roleplaying games, and the type of wide-ranging free-form conversations found in psychedelic communities. It is Darryl's goal that everyone should have the right and opportunity to benefit from psychedelic healing for themselves should they choose to do so, and they should have access to correct and honestly presented information with which to make that choice. Darryl owns a small business in the animal care field, which he loves and would only ever have gotten into as a result of the improvements in his mental and physical health from psychedelic therapy.

Phillipa first became involved with the Australian Psychedelic Society as a social media volunteer, after finding her place in the women’s groups and the strong female leadership that inspired her. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Science from Macquarie University and a Master’s in Holistic Counselling, and now works in private practice supporting people through healing and personal growth. Her passion for psychedelics is grounded in personal experience, having spent over 15 years working through trauma, addiction and stuck patterns. Phillipa brings a keen interest in mycology, a deep understanding of psilocybin and other psychedelics, and a strong commitment to harm reduction and decriminalisation. She is also fascinated by altered states of consciousness and the ways science, psychology, and spirituality can be bridged. Based in the Blue Mountains with her husband, two children, and a rescued blue-tongue lizard, Phillipa spends her spare time bushwalking, meditating, practicing permaculture, and studying world cultures and religions.

Sam has been involved in social media, written content, and assisting with policy and procedures of the APS, as well as forming partnerships with other organisations. Mid-2021 saw Sam take over as APS President after assisting Meredith Drinkell as Vice President for 2019-2020.

He is motivated by the ideals of fairness and autonomy, and this is a big part of what drove him towards drug law reform activism.

Sam is an academic philosopher, teaching critical thinking and professional ethics at university. He likes to garden, read old science fiction books, and hang out with his partner and his cat

Jef has been involved with the APS since 2017, facilitating community film screenings, engaging Q&A Panels, book clubs and picnics. He also helps out with social media and community engagement. 

Jef’s interests extend to ethnobotanical gardening, and more specifically the anthropology of ancient psychoactive substance use. He is motivated by helping people to gain knowledge and understanding of psychedelics and their enormous potential and power so that they can make informed decisions in order to maximise benefits and minimise possible harms.

Jef enjoys sculpture, painting, tattoo art, poetry, music and nature. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Cultural Studies & Communications from SCU, where he wrote his Honours Thesis entitled 'A Thread in The Vine', the Deep Ecology of Ayahuasca Discourse. The thesis explored the philosophy of deep ecology and how the core tenets of this philosophy were evident in articulations of the ayahuasca experience in online forums. 

Associate Professor Monica Barratt is a drug policy scholar at RMIT University. Her work aims to make unregulated drugs safer through policy reforms and on-ground responses. She was recently awarded a competitive Investigator Grant fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council to continue her research supporting drug checking as a harm reduction response. She continues to advocate for recognition of the benefits and pleasures of psychoactive substance use in context with known risks, many of which arise from prohibition regimes themselves.

Monica is the National Research Lead for The Loop Australia, a charity that delivers drug checking services in Queensland and Victoria, in partnership with peer-run organisations, including Harm Reduction Victoria and QuIVAA. Monica is the Executive Director of Bluelight.org, a global drug harm reduction community recently celebrating 25 years of operation. Monica was an advisor to SSDP Australia for many years before being appointed as a Board Director in 2025. She also serves as an Editor for leading journals in the drugs field: International Journal of Drug Policy and Drug and Alcohol Review.

Monica is excited to join the APS as a Committee Member, bringing her community networks and research experience to help support the goals and growth of the APS.  goes here

Stu Hatton is a writer/editor who lives on Dja Dja Wurrung country, near Castlemaine, Victoria. Since 2021 he’s contributed to the APS’s Melbourne chapter and Goldfields group, as well as the APS website and newsletter.

He is a managing editor and moderator for the online harm reducation community Bluelight, and has also done volunteer work for Entheogenesis Australis.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts (English, philosophy) from the University of Melbourne, and a Master of Arts (communication) from Deakin University. He has taught writing, editing, and literature at Deakin and La Trobe University, and worked as a private tutor and writing workshop facilitator.

Depending on his mood, Stu may refer to himself as autistic and/or Buddhist. He is definitely a psychoanalysis nerd, and the father of three fiercely independent kids.

When messing with text, plants, or tech, he inevitably gets into some kind of trouble.

Voytek Bereza is a GPhC-licensed prescribing pharmacist from London with specialised expertise in neuropsychopharmacology. After graduating with a Master of Pharmacy from UCL in 2008 and completing his independent prescriber course at King’s College London in 2014, he spent a decade working in community settings with patients experiencing addiction and mental health issues. His transition into psychedelic medicine began in 2021 through research into Australia’s psychedelic underground, leading him to found The Transparent Company in 2022 and contribute to Australia’s successful psychedelic rescheduling campaign in 2023.

With experience supporting over 300 patients in psychedelic medicine preparation and integration, Voytek specialises in examining comorbidities, side effects, and synthesising current data from both underground and clinical sources. He develops medical governance systems and clinical protocols for legal psychedelic therapies, including ketamine administration, while regularly delivering public lectures and facilitating integrative circles. His holistic philosophy emphasises addressing both external and internal factors rather than relying solely on symptomatic treatment, combining rigorous pharmaceutical expertise with compassionate therapeutic support through transparency, harm reduction, and evidence-based practice.

Rebecca, as a naturopath, has a holistic view of health and life. She has a strong interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics alongside herbal medicine, nutritional supplements, and diet and lifestyle changes. Rebecca is a Nyikina woman living on Gadigal and Darkinjung land. She practises art, drawing inspiration from Country and shares creativity through teaching. Since 2020, she has been actively involved with the Australian Psychedelic Society, volunteering with the Sydney chapter and the Women’s Group, both online and at face to face events. Rebecca is excited to be a part of the APS committee, she hopes to bring a unique perspective to the role.

Cyril is the lead for the a Melbourne chapter, he is passionate about cocreating spaces and events for the psychedelic community and facilitating communities that provide a safe space for integration, healing and deep connection to self and other.

Cyril is a long time martial artist, mover, Buddhist tantra practioner, psychology student and a father. He believes in the power of psychedelics and other psychoactive substances, and the potential harms of their misuse. With strong emphasis on benefit maximization through education, and open dialogue.

He is dedicated to providing safe spaces for healing, integration, community and the acknowledgement of higher states of being nestled in a informal, and approachable collective.

Conscious life for the benefit for all beings. 🙏

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Nat (she/her) served a real-world apprenticeship in psychedelics as a long term active member of the Shaman Australis community. Many years of real-world practice, both apprenticed and breaking new ground, has provided Nat with a deep wealth of knowledge and a unique skillset rivalled by very few. Natalie has proven herself passionate in supporting the usage of psychedelics - and particularly entheogens - across multiple facets of society for multiple purposes.

Living with a physical disability since the age of 18, Nat has a somewhat unique perspective on the psychedelic experience and really wants to see inclusivity play an important role when discussing the psychedelic renaissance. Her belief that psychedelics can provide a life changing perspective for people with unique challenges is strong and tested in the field. 

A caring and creative soul wrapped in an off-the-wall sense of humor, Nat is friendly, approachable and as genuine as they come. Say hello if you ever see her at an event and you are guaranteed to leave the conversation with some knew knowledge and a smile on your face. She is hard working and devoted to her community, her cats, and piles of half-finished artworks. Painting, drawing, and photography are her current creative outlets.