Leadership

Melissa Lavasani is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Psychedelic Medicine Coalition (PMC). She is also the Co-Founder and President for the Psychedelic Medicine PAC. Prior to founding PMC, Melissa was the proposer of Washington DC’s successful 2020 ballot measure Initiative 81, the Entheogenic Plant and Fungus Policy Act and led the campaign to the largest ballot initiative victory in the history of our nation’s capital.

Daniel Carcillo is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Wesana Health, a biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapies for Traumatic Brain Injury related symptoms. A well-known speaker and advocate on behalf of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) survivors and people dealing with mental health challenges, Mr. Carcillo spent nearly a decade researching different treatment regimens and consulting experts to find effective care for his mental health conditions. In 2019, Mr. Carcillo founded Wesana, bringing together leaders in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries to move forward his vision to deliver novel pharmaceuticals that help optimize treatment outcomes for patients with mental health disorders. Prior to that, Mr. Carcillo played in the NHL for nine years and won the Stanley Cup two times.

Molly Ahearn Allen is Chair of the Board and Co-Founder of the Psychedelic Medicine Coalition. Molly is currently the Head of Federal Affairs at 7-Eleven, Inc. She was previously a Partner at American Continental Group, Inc. (ACG) where she lead the firm’s healthcare practice. Molly has spent her career representing a broad swath of the healthcare industry; including hospitals, insurers, physicians, diagnostics companies, pharmacies, pharmacists, and manufacturers. In 2020, Molly was a Steering Committee Member of the Decriminalize Nature DC campaign to pass Initiative 81, the Entheogenic Plant and Fungus Policy Act.

Joe Moore is Co-founder and CEO of Psychedelics Today, a platform dedicated to exploring and discussing the important academic/scientific and other research in the field of psychedelics. He began exploring psychedelics after discovering the work of transpersonal psychology founder Dr. Stanislav Grof when he was a philosophy student at Plymouth State University in 2001. Joe has been studying and practicing Grof’s Holotropic breathwork method at the Vermont-based Dreamshadow Group since 2003 and co-founded Boston Holotropic to facilitate breathwork workshops throughout New England.

Tom Zuber, Managing Partner of Zuber Lawler, is the relationship partner for many of his firm’s Fortune 500 Company clients, as well as funds, and government entities. He has represented and advised leading plant medicines companies for 15 years. He is also a founder of the magazine Psychedelia, and the psychedelics consulting company Psychedelics Now.

Roman Haferd is Director of Community Engagement at Psychedelic Medicine Coalition. Roman is the District of Columbia’s first Restorative Justice Coordinator at the Office of the Attorney General where he has helped build a nationally-recognized restorative justice program inside Washington DC’s Justice Department. Prior to joining the AG’s office, Roman worked as a Senior Program Associate with the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice, an Oakland, California-based research and innovation institute.

Daniel Conner is Chief Strategic Officer at Psychedelic Medicine Coalition. Daniel has over 15 years of legislative, executive, and political experience in Washington, DC. He currently provides management and oversight for a 450+ person agency and has been a key player in DC’s involvement in C40 Cities and the Paris Agreement to combat climate change, the creation of the first Green Bank in DC, the implementation of Clean Energy DC Omnibus Legislation, and DC's relationship with the United Nations.

Isaac Gilmore brings to the PMC Board of Directors a multifaceted background encompassing military service as a U.S. Navy SEAL, strategic roles in finance, and leadership in consumer manufacturing. His work extends into advocacy within the psychedelic community and navigating complex regulatory environments, highlighted by his position on the Advisory Council at Concordia. Isaac's diverse expertise and commitment to innovation make him a vital asset to the PMC team.

Steve Conafay brings over four decades of expertise in healthcare, government relations, public policy, and communications to his role as the sole principal at The Conafay Group. With a distinguished career that includes leadership positions at Pfizer, Glaxo Inc., and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), he has been a pivotal figure in the legislative and corporate affairs landscape. Conafay is a lawyer and a decorated Vietnam veteran. He served as a combat infantry platoon leader and was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal and the Army Commendation Medal, among others.