About U-PEP

Two decades of research have shown that psychedelic-assisted care holds significant promise for transforming how we treat complex conditions like depression, PTSD, and addiction. Yet most academic healthcare programs offer minimal, if any, education on psychedelic science or practice. The University Psychedelic Education Program (U-PEP) was created to fill this gap.

As patients increasingly ask providers about psychedelic-assisted care (PAC), there is a need to offer high-quality foundational education to health care professionals and the faculty who teach the next generation of health care providers.

U-PEP is designed to broaden access to education about the therapeutic use of psychedelic medicines by equipping higher education faculty with essential knowledge and resources to develop and integrate evidence-based, person-centered psychedelic content into their curriculum.

U-PEP is part of the Psychedelic Education Partnership, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing access to evidence-based, ethically grounded education in psychedelic science and psychedelic-assisted care.

U-PEP's History

The University Psychedelic Education Program (U-PEP) began with the vision of Sandy Samberg, a nurse practitioner with a longstanding commitment to supporting individuals, families, and communities during periods of serious illness. While working with patients and families navigating end-of-life care, Sandy became increasingly aware of the limited options available to address the emotional and existential suffering that often accompanies advanced disease.

This awareness became deeply personal when a loved one was diagnosed with a terminal illness and experienced treatment-resistant depression. Following a psychedelic-assisted therapy session, he found a sense of healing and peace near the end of his life. Witnessing this transformation had a profound impact on Sandy, her husband Joe, and their family, and reinforced a shared desire to help others facing similar struggles—as well as individuals living with other conditions for which psychedelic therapies have shown promise.

As an alumna of both the undergraduate and graduate programs at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing, Sandy had long supported the school alongside Joe. In a 2021 conversation with Dean Toni Villarruel, Sandy asked whether psychedelic-related content was being taught at Penn Nursing. While the topic was new, the Dean was open to exploration, and with her support, Sandy helped develop a seven-part learning series, The Psychedelic Revival. The series was well received and sparked interest in more formal curricular integration. However, a critical challenge quickly emerged: there were no faculty members prepared to teach the material.

U-PEP's History Continued

Around the same time, Sandy connected with Associate Professor Heidi Allen at Columbia University’s School of Social Work, where there was a shared recognition of both the opportunity and the need for faculty-centered education. These conversations led to the development of an “educate the educator” model, and the launch of a joint pilot program between Columbia and Penn’s schools of nursing and social work in July 2022.  

From the outset, Sandy envisioned making this program widely accessible to institutions nationwide. As efforts to replicate and scale the pilot advanced, she found a collaborative nonprofit partner in the 1440 Foundation. With the support of generous funders, U-PEP has continued to grow—advancing its mission to expand access to evidence-based psychedelic education and prepare the next generation of health care professionals to engage in this evolving field.

Building on U-PEP’s momentum, the work has now entered its next phase of growth with the formation of the Psychedelic Education Partnership, a newly incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization designed to support and scale evidence-based psychedelic education across the health care workforce—serving both the future workforce through U-PEP, and the current workforce through the newly-envisioned Clinician Psychedelic Education Program (C-PEP).

About U-PEP

Two decades of research have shown that psychedelic-assisted care holds significant promise for transforming how we treat complex conditions like depression, PTSD, and addiction. Yet most academic healthcare programs offer minimal, if any, education on psychedelic science or practice. The University Psychedelic Education Program (U-PEP) was created to fill this gap.

As patients increasingly ask providers about psychedelic-assisted care (PAC), there is a need to offer high-quality foundational education to health care professionals and the faculty who teach the next generation of health care providers.

U-PEP is designed to broaden access to education about the therapeutic use of psychedelic medicines by equipping higher education faculty with essential knowledge and resources to develop and integrate evidence-based, person-centered psychedelic content into their curriculum.

U-PEP is part of the Psychedelic Education Partnership, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing access to evidence-based, ethically grounded education in psychedelic science and psychedelic-assisted care.

U-PEP's History

The University Psychedelic Education Program (U-PEP) began with the vision of Sandy Samberg, a nurse practitioner with a longstanding commitment to supporting individuals, families, and communities during periods of serious illness. While working with patients and families navigating end-of-life care, Sandy became increasingly aware of the limited options available to address the emotional and existential suffering that often accompanies advanced disease.

This awareness became deeply personal when a loved one was diagnosed with a terminal illness and experienced treatment-resistant depression. Following a psychedelic-assisted therapy session, he found a sense of healing and peace near the end of his life. Witnessing this transformation had a profound impact on Sandy, her husband Joe, and their family, and reinforced a shared desire to help others facing similar struggles—as well as individuals living with other conditions for which psychedelic therapies have shown promise.

U-PEP's History Continued

As an alumna of both the undergraduate and graduate programs at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing, Sandy had long supported the school alongside Joe. In a 2021 conversation with Dean Toni Villarruel, Sandy asked whether psychedelic-related content was being taught at Penn Nursing. While the topic was new, the Dean was open to exploration, and with her support, Sandy helped develop a seven-part learning series, The Psychedelic Revival. The series was well received and sparked interest in more formal curricular integration. However, a critical challenge quickly emerged: there were no faculty members prepared to teach the material.

Around the same time, Sandy connected with Associate Professor Heidi Allen at Columbia University’s School of Social Work, where there was a shared recognition of both the opportunity and the need for faculty-centered education. These conversations led to the development of an “educate the educator” model, and the launch of a joint pilot program between Columbia and Penn’s schools of nursing and social work in July 2022. 

U-PEP's History Continued

From the outset, Sandy envisioned making this program widely accessible to institutions nationwide. As efforts to replicate and scale the pilot advanced, she found a collaborative nonprofit partner in the 1440 Foundation. With the support of generous funders, U-PEP has continued to grow—advancing its mission to expand access to evidence-based psychedelic education and prepare the next generation of health care professionals to engage in this evolving field.

Building on U-PEP’s momentum, the work has now entered its next phase of growth with the formation of the Psychedelic Education Partnership, a newly incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization designed to support and scale evidence-based psychedelic education across the health care workforce—serving both the future workforce through U-PEP, and the current workforce through the newly-envisioned Clinician Psychedelic Education Program (C-PEP).

Our Vision

U-PEP’s vision is to build a scalable, collaborative educational model that paves the way for equitable access to psychedelic-assisted care.

“Being part of the U-PEP community means belonging to a thoughtful, ethical, and forward-looking network committed to advancing psychedelic-assisted care.” —2025 Faculty Fellow

View the 2025 Impact Report

Our Mission

U-PEP is a philanthropically supported initiative that equips university faculty across disciplines with the knowledge, resources, and community to develop and integrate evidence-based psychedelic content into their curricula—laying the groundwork for the next generation of practitioners, researchers, and educators.

Watch "An Intro to U-PEP"

Our Team

LEADERSHIP TEAM

Sandy Samberg, CPNP (she/her) is a nurse practitioner and mission-driven leader with a longstanding commitment to supporting individuals during periods of illness and other challenging circumstances. She earned her BSN and MSN from the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a nurse practitioner in New York City.

Sandy is the founder of Soul Ryeders, a nonprofit cancer support organization. Through her work with individuals facing terminal illness, she witnessed firsthand the anxiety, depression, and existential distress that often accompany advanced disease. Learning about the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy to ease this distress led her to recognize a significant gap in accessible, evidence-based education for health professionals.

Through their charitable foundation, Sandy and her husband Joe support a wide range of nonprofit organizations, with a special focus on mental health and broadening access and opportunities for under-resourced communities.

Austin R. Pick, MA (he/him) is an educator and strategic leader with deep roots in values-based organizations. He holds an MA in Religious Studies from Naropa University, where he served as an integral member of the administration for ten years. Austin oversaw the launch of Naropa Extended Campus, and was a founding member of the Naropa Center for Psychedelic Studies. His diverse experience is grounded in a commitment to interdisciplinary perspectives and multicultural understanding, and his writing, fiction and non-fiction, has appeared in a variety of publications. Austin’s interest in contemplative practice and inventive language reflects his dedication to developing an ever more conscious engagement with our ongoing composition of the world—one that is expansive, inclusive and compassionate.

Caroline Dorsen, PhD, FNP-BC, FAAN (she/her) is the Senior Academic Advisor for the University Psychedelic Education Program (U-PEP) and Clinical Professor & Associate Dean for Clinical Faculty Affairs at NYU Meyers College of Nursing. Caroline has co-authored numerous papers on the use of psychedelics, and was an invited panelist and expert reviewer for the 2022 National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine’s workshop “Exploring Psychedelics and Entactogens as Treatments for Psychiatric Disorders.” She received a BA in Anthropology from UC Berkeley, an MSN from Yale University School of Nursing, and a PhD and postdoc from NYU. Caroline was the 2020 recipient of NYU’s MLK, Jr Faculty Award for “exemplifying the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through teaching excellence, leadership, social justice activism, and community building” and a 2022 recipient of the Rutgers University “Beloved Community” award. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.

Narda Skov, MPH (she/her) is the Program Manager for the University Psychedelic Education Program. With extensive experience in adolescent sexual health education and curriculum development with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), she is excited to be part of a new initiative in the field of psychedelic-assisted care. Narda has spent the past thirty years working on the front lines of disease prevention and education with youth and young adults, and is dedicated to giving back and ensuring that our youth have a healthy and positive future. Narda also runs a small nonprofit that provides wigs for women undergoing chemotherapy or other hair loss related issues. Narda received her BA from UCLA and her Masters in Public Health from Columbia University in New York City.

Narda Skov, MPH (she/her) is the Program Manager for the University Psychedelic Education Program. With extensive experience in adolescent sexual health education and curriculum development with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), she is excited to be part of a new initiative in the field of psychedelic-assisted care. Narda has spent the past thirty years working on the front lines of disease prevention and education with youth and young adults, and is dedicated to giving back and ensuring that our youth have a healthy and positive future. Narda also runs a small nonprofit that provides wigs for women undergoing chemotherapy or other hair loss related issues. Narda received her BA from UCLA and her Masters in Public Health from Columbia University in New York City.

PSYCHEDELIC EDUCATION PARTERNSHIP
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sandy Samberg, CPNP (she/her) is a nurse practitioner and mission-driven leader with a longstanding commitment to supporting individuals during periods of illness and other challenging circumstances. She earned her BSN and MSN from the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a nurse practitioner in New York City.

Sandy is the founder of Soul Ryeders, a nonprofit cancer support organization. Through her work with individuals facing terminal illness, she witnessed firsthand the anxiety, depression, and existential distress that often accompany advanced disease. Learning about the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy to ease this distress led her to recognize a significant gap in accessible, evidence-based education for health professionals.

Through their charitable foundation, Sandy and her husband Joe support a wide range of nonprofit organizations, with a special focus on mental health and broadening access and opportunities for under-resourced communities.

Joy Sun Cooper, MBA (she/her) currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative (PSFC). Most recently, she served as Chief of Therapy Training at Lykos Therapeutics, where she was a member of the executive committee and was responsible for leading the company’s education and training program. She also served as Head of Commercialization and Patient Access at Lykos and helped lead the company’s preparations for potential FDA approval and commercialization of midomafetamine (MDMA) for PTSD. Joy is an entrepreneur and leader who has founded and scaled multiple for-profit and nonprofit ventures. Joy holds a BS from Georgetown University and an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Joy’s expertise in psychedelic education and training, systems of care for mental health in the U.S., and organizational growth aligns strongly with the Psychedelic Education Partnership’s vision and mission.

Dan Love is a Cofounder and Partner at Beckley Waves, a holding company that builds and invests in initiatives expanding access to psychedelics and related modalities to support human flourishing. Beckley Waves grew out of the Beckley Foundation, a pioneer in the field for nearly three decades. Dan previously served as the Interim CEO of Beckley Clinical and Beckley Academy. 

Over the past twenty years, Dan has worked across venture-backed startups, impact investing, and large institutions, including Julian Robertson’s (Tiger Management) Foundation, Pearson Education, and The Advisory Board Company. His work has focused on advancing human potential across education, healthcare, and mental well-being. 

Dan was a Fulbright Scholar with an MBA from Columbia University and a BA from Duke University. He lives in New York with his wife and three children.

Heidi Allen, MSW, PhD is a Professor at Columbia University in the School of Social Work and Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management. Dr Allen studies the impact of social policies, such as Medicaid, America’s health insurance for the poor, and the therapeutic approval of psychedelic medicines on access, health and mental health, and financial well-being. In 2024, Dr. Allen created the Columbia Psychedelic Therapy Training Program (PTTP) the first comprehensive within-degree psychedelic therapy training program in an academic professional school. Embedded within the Advanced Clinical Practice track of Columbia’s MSW program, participants are provided with 120+ hours of didactic education and 600 hours of clinical training in a psychedelic practicum. Students are prepared to enter the field upon graduation, as they pursue licensure under supervision. In 2026, Columbia’s School of Social Work will additionally launch a minor in Psychedelic Therapy.

Katie Hood is a consultant to philanthropists, nonprofits and companies working to achieve positive impact in the world. Prior to her consultancy work, Katie served as the CEO of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating new therapies for Parkinson’s Disease, and the One Love Foundation, an organization committed to educating young people about relationship health as a way to prevent relationship violence.

A frequent panelist and speaker whose 2019 TED talk “The Difference between Healthy and Unhealthy Love,” has nearly 20 million views, Katie also serves on the Board of Directors of Shatterproof, a national nonprofit dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States. Katie received a BA from Duke University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She was awarded an honorary doctorate in Public Service by Washington College in 2021 in recognition of her professional impact.

Sandy Samberg, CPNP (she/her) is a nurse practitioner and mission-driven leader with a longstanding commitment to supporting individuals during periods of illness and other challenging circumstances. She earned her BSN and MSN from the University of Pennsylvania and worked as a nurse practitioner in New York City.

Sandy is the founder of Soul Ryeders, a nonprofit cancer support organization. Through her work with individuals facing terminal illness, she witnessed firsthand the anxiety, depression, and existential distress that often accompany advanced disease. Learning about the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy to ease this distress led her to recognize a significant gap in accessible, evidence-based education for health professionals.

Through their charitable foundation, Sandy and her husband Joe support a wide range of nonprofit organizations, with a special focus on mental health and broadening access and opportunities for under-resourced communities.

Joy Sun Cooper, MBA (she/her) currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Psychedelic Science Funders Collaborative (PSFC). Most recently, she served as Chief of Therapy Training at Lykos Therapeutics, where she was a member of the executive committee and was responsible for leading the company’s education and training program. She also served as Head of Commercialization and Patient Access at Lykos and helped lead the company’s preparations for potential FDA approval and commercialization of midomafetamine (MDMA) for PTSD. Joy is an entrepreneur and leader who has founded and scaled multiple for-profit and nonprofit ventures. Joy holds a BS from Georgetown University and an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Joy’s expertise in psychedelic education and training, systems of care for mental health in the U.S., and organizational growth aligns strongly with the Psychedelic Education Partnership’s vision and mission.

Dan Love is a Cofounder and Partner at Beckley Waves, a holding company that builds and invests in initiatives expanding access to psychedelics and related modalities to support human flourishing. Beckley Waves grew out of the Beckley Foundation, a pioneer in the field for nearly three decades. Dan previously served as the Interim CEO of Beckley Clinical and Beckley Academy. 

Over the past twenty years, Dan has worked across venture-backed startups, impact investing, and large institutions, including Julian Robertson’s (Tiger Management) Foundation, Pearson Education, and The Advisory Board Company. His work has focused on advancing human potential across education, healthcare, and mental well-being. 

Dan was a Fulbright Scholar with an MBA from Columbia University and a BA from Duke University. He lives in New York with his wife and three children.

Heidi Allen, MSW, PhD is a Professor at Columbia University in the School of Social Work and Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management. Dr Allen studies the impact of social policies, such as Medicaid, America’s health insurance for the poor, and the therapeutic approval of psychedelic medicines on access, health and mental health, and financial well-being. In 2024, Dr. Allen created the Columbia Psychedelic Therapy Training Program (PTTP) the first comprehensive within-degree psychedelic therapy training program in an academic professional school. Embedded within the Advanced Clinical Practice track of Columbia’s MSW program, participants are provided with 120+ hours of didactic education and 600 hours of clinical training in a psychedelic practicum. Students are prepared to enter the field upon graduation, as they pursue licensure under supervision. In 2026, Columbia’s School of Social Work will additionally launch a minor in Psychedelic Therapy.

Katie Hood is a consultant to philanthropists, nonprofits and companies working to achieve positive impact in the world. Prior to her consultancy work, Katie served as the CEO of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating new therapies for Parkinson’s Disease, and the One Love Foundation, an organization committed to educating young people about relationship health as a way to prevent relationship violence.

A frequent panelist and speaker whose 2019 TED talk “The Difference between Healthy and Unhealthy Love,” has nearly 20 million views, Katie also serves on the Board of Directors of Shatterproof, a national nonprofit dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States. Katie received a BA from Duke University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She was awarded an honorary doctorate in Public Service by Washington College in 2021 in recognition of her professional impact.

PROGRAM ADVISORS & MENTORS

Heidi Allen, MSW, PhD

Columbia University
Professor of Social Work (in Health Policy & Management)

Andrew Penn, PMHNP

University of California San Francisco

Professor, School of Nursing

Janis Phelps, PhD

California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS)

Director of the Center for Psychedelic Therapies

Chantelle Thomas, PhD

University of Wisconsin

Lead Facilitator & Researcher, School of Medicine & Public Health

Heidi Allen, MSW, PhD

Columbia University
Professor of Social Work (in Health Policy & Management)

Andrew Penn, PMHNP

University of California San Francisco

Professor, School of Nursing

Janis Phelps, PhD

California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS)

Director of the Center for Psychedelic Therapies

Chantelle Thomas, PhD

University of Wisconsin

Lead Facilitator & Researcher, School of Medicine & Public Health

PSYCHEDELIC EDUCATION PARTERNSHIP
ADVISORY COUNSEL

Kwasi Adusei, PMHNP

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Manish Agrawal, MD

Sunstone Therapies

Alyssa Draffin, MSW

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Social Work

Danielle Ompad, PhD

New York University School of Public Health

Caroline Peacock, DMin, LCSW, MDiv

Emory University Spiritual Health

Kiti Kajana Phillips, DrPH, MPH

Open Society Foundations, New York

Carolyn Porta, PhD, RN

University of Minnesota School of Nursing

Jae Sevelius, PhD

Columbia University School of Medicine / Psychology

Brooke Stott, LMSW

Columbia University School of Social Work

Mary “Bit” Yaden, MD

Johns Hopkins Medicine

Kwasi Adusei, PMHNP

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Manish Agrawal, MD

Sunstone Therapies

Alyssa Draffin, MSW

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Social Work

Danielle Ompad, PhD

New York University School of Public Health

Caroline Peacock, DMin, LCSW, MDiv

Emory University Spiritual Health

Kiti Kajana Phillips, DrPH, MPH

Open Society Foundations, New York

Carolyn Porta, PhD, RN

University of Minnesota School of Nursing

Jae Sevelius, PhD

Columbia University School of Medicine / Psychology

Brooke Stott, LMSW

Columbia University School of Social Work

Mary “Bit” Yaden, MD

Johns Hopkins Medicine

EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS

Deborah Gardner

Beckley Academy

Curriculum Consultant

Wesley Hale

Usona Institute

Senior Manager of Education and Training

Julie McKay

1440 Foundation
Director

Tura Patterson

Usona Institute

Senior Director Strategic Partnerships

Jeremy Rudy

Sabba Collective

Founder & CEO

Deborah Gardner

Beckley Academy

Curriculum Consultant

Wesley Hale

Usona Institute

Senior Manager of Education and Training

Julie McKay

1440 Foundation
Director

Tura Patterson

Usona Institute

Senior Director Strategic Partnerships

Jeremy Rudy

Sabba Collective

Founder & CEO

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