Dr. Bennett Nemser is the Chief Program Officer for the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. He manages the foundation’s various health portfolios including the Cohen Psychedelic Research & Health Initiative and the Cohen Lyme & Tickborne Disease Initiative. Dr. Nemser holds a PhD in public health with extensive experience in global health systems in developing countries and related research. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ben was a Senior Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Consultant for UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO). After receiving a Master of Public Health from Columbia University, Dr. Nemser worked for Columbia University as an Epidemiologist and Data Systems Manager. In addition to his public health experience, Ben has a Master of Business Administration and a background in governmental finance and budgeting.
The role of philanthropy in the psychedelic ecosystem
Psychedelics presently occupy a unique position. While public opinion has warmed considerably, and both the academy and regulators are now willing to consider its merits based on the science, psychedelic drugs and therapies still lack a mature industry and capital market, and government funding remains artificially constrained by legacy prohibitionist policies and attitudes.
As public engagement with psychedelics continue to grow and integration with the field of medicine draws nearer, philanthropy has emerged as an essential source of funding for research, policy activism, education, infrastructure, and access projects. Come to this session to learn what is missing from the priorities of profit-focused businesses and state grantmakers.
