Advisors, including human performance expert Jamie Wheal and mental health advocate Ben Nemtin, join Numinus to help guide and inform company leadership
VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 14, 2020 /CNW/ – Recognized and respected leaders from technology, pharmacology, and health have joined Numinus Wellness Inc. (“Numinus” or the “Company”) (TSXV: NUMI) as members of the Company’s General Advisory Council. Drawing on experience across a broad range of specialities including psychedelic medicine, mental health advocacy, performance optimization, and digital healthcare, the multidisciplinary council will provide unique insight and guidance to support Numinus’ mission of creating an ecosystem of health solutions centred on safe, evidence-based, accessible psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy.
“As we continue to develop new approaches and new ways of thinking about mental healthcare, diverse opinions and experiences will be key,” says Payton Nyquvest, Numinus CEO. “Our council members bring a wealth of knowledge from each of their respective communities, and we’re proud to be working with them to help address the universal desire to heal and be well.”
Members of the advisory council include:
- Jamie Wheal, Founder & Executive Director, Flow Genome Project: Wheal is a Pulitzer Prize nominee, bestselling author and Founder of the Flow Genome Project, an organization dedicated to research and training of ultimate human performance. Wheal’s peak performance training entails work with clients including members of the US Naval War College and technology executives, among others.
- Ben Nemtin, Co-founder, The Buried Life: Nemtin is a #1 New York Times bestselling author who has been featured on The Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, Inc., NBC News and more. After experiencing an unexpected depression in his university years, Nemtin has gone on to become one of the World’s Best Motivational Speakers (Global Gurus, 2020), helping people around the world achieve their goals and normalize the conversation around mental health.
- Dennis McKenna, PhD, Ethnopharmacologist, Co-founder of the Heffter Research Institute, and Founder of the McKenna Academy: McKenna is an ethnopharmacologist with over 40 years of research experience and was a key investigator on the Hoasca Project – the first biomedical investigation of ayahuasca, involving researchers from nine universities and research institutions around the world.
- Pamela Hadfield, Co-founder, HelloMD: Hadfield is an experienced entrepreneur and thought leader within the cannabis space. She is the Co-founder of HelloMD, a digital telehealth and educational platform for cannabis and complementary healthcare, and the exclusive partner of Shoppers Drug Mart.
- Nichol Bradford, Co-founder & Executive Director, Transformative Technology Lab and CEO, Willow Group: Bradford is fascinated by human potential and how technology can help expand our perceived individual limitations. Through Transformative Technology Lab and Willow, her work is focused on advancing science-based hardware and software with the potential to produce positive changes in the human psychological experience.
“I’ve spent my career focused on how psychedelic substances can supplement existing treatment options for mental healthcare,” says Dennis McKenna, Ethnopharmacologist and Co-founder of the Heffter Research Institute, a US non-profit working closely with leading research groups including Johns Hopkins University to support psychedelic research. “I look forward to working with Numinus to advance the use of these substances in safe, controlled, therapeutic environments to treat mental health, addiction and trauma, as well as address the costs of unmet human potential.”
Echoing McKenna’s support, Pamela Hadfield states “Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, which is quickly becoming a reality, is the biggest mental healthcare disruptor of our generation. Similar to the coming-out party for cannabis, psychedelics are about to be accepted by the mainstream, but with an even greater, far-reaching, positive societal impact. I’m thrilled to support Numinus as a leader in the field with research backed initiatives, best business practices and their overall sense of purpose and integrity.” Ben Nemtin adds, “With more and more people struggling with depression and anxiety amid the COVID-19 pandemic, I couldn’t be more proud to support Numinus’ mission to make psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies accessible to all.”
Advisory Council Members
Dennis McKenna, Ethnopharmacologist, Co-founder of Heffter Research Institute, Founder of McKenna Academy
McKenna brings over 40 years of experience conducting research in ethnopharmacology. He is a Founding Board Member of the Heffter Research Institute and a former key investigator on the Hoasca Project, the first biomedical investigation of ayahuasca. McKenna has taught courses on Ethnopharmacology and Plants in Human Affairs for 17 years as an adjunct Assistant Professor in the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota. In collaboration with colleagues in Canada and the US, he incorporated a new non-profit, the McKenna Academy of Natural Philosophy.
heffter.org; LinkedIn: Dennis McKenna
Jamie Wheal, Founder & Executive Director, The Flow Genome Project
Wheal is a bestselling author, Pulitzer Prize nominee and founder of the Flow Genome Project, an international organization dedicated to research and training of ultimate human performance. Since its inception in 2011, the organization has become the leading voice of evidence-based peak performance. Wheal is an expert on peak performance and leadership, specializing in the neuroscience and application of Flow states.
flowgenomeproject.com, LinkedIn: Jamie Wheal
Ben Nemtin, Co-founder, The Buried Life
Nemtin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Do you Want to Do Before You Die?, co-founder of the Buried Life movement and a mental health advocate. Nemtin was forced to drop out of university due to depression and in an effort to feel more alive, he and his three friends made a list of ‘100 things to do before you die’ and for every list item they accomplished, they helped a complete stranger cross something off their bucket list. Oprah Winfrey declared their mission “truly inspiring”. Nemtin is recognized as one of the ‘World’s Best Motivational Speakers’ as well as ‘World’s Top Organizational Culture Thought Leaders’ by Global Gurus and regularly speaks to Fortune 100 leadership teams and business conferences around the world.
www.bennemtin.com; LinkedIn: Ben Nemtin
Pamela Hadfield, Co-founder, HelloMD
Hadfield is an entrepreneur and thought leader in the cannabis space. She became a cannabis advocate after finding relief from debilitating migraines using medical cannabis. After cannabis transformed her health, she dedicated her time and efforts to helping others with alternative healthcare approaches, including cannabis. Hadfield is the co-founder of HelloMD, a digital telehealth and educational platform for cannabis consumers and people seeking complementary care.
hellomd.ca; LinkedIn: Pamela Hadfield
Nichol Bradford, Executive Director, Transformative Technology Lab & CEO, Willow
Bradford is CEO of the Willow Group and Executive Director of the Transformative Technology Lab. She is a former senior executive in the video game industry responsible for strategy, operations and marketing for major brands, including Disney, Vivideni and Activision Blizzard. Bradford is also a fellow of the British American Project, a former term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and served on the board of the Brandon Marshall Foundation for Mental Health.
transtechlab.org, willowgroup.co; LinkedIn: Nichol Bradford
About Numinus Wellness Inc.
Numinus Wellness Inc. (TSXV: NUMI) is a mental health and wellness company creating an ecosystem of solutions centred around safe, evidence-based, accessible psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy to help people heal and be well.
Numinus Health is dedicated to delivering innovative treatments to address physical, mental, and emotional health, through clinics and virtual services.
Numinus R&D is conducting implementation science and leveraging partnerships to beta-test and refine optimal models of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy delivery, setting the stage for approved routine use in mental health and wellness care.
Numinus Bioscience is focused on developing testing methods and effective formulas for the evolving psychedelics space. Health Canada licences, scientific expertise, and new technologies facilitate ongoing innovation, and high-throughput contract services generate established revenue.
Learn more at: numinus.ca and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “estimates”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, dependence on obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals, including acquiring and renewing federal, provincial, municipal, local or other licenses and any inability to obtain all necessary governmental approvals licenses and permits to operate and expand the Company’s facilities; regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including federal and provincial legalization, due to inconsistent public opinion, perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry, bureaucratic delays or inefficiencies or any other reasons; any other factors or developments which may hinder market growth; the Company’s limited operating history and lack of historical profits; reliance on management; the Company’s requirements for additional financing, and the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability; competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; and the need to secure and maintain corporate alliances and partnerships, including with research and development institutions, customers and suppliers. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. The Company has no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law.
For further information: Dana Harvey, VP Communications and Investor Relations, dana@numinus.ca, 778.929.3262