was born in up-state New York in 1978. He graduated from Jacksonville University with degrees in both English and Philosophy in 2000. He has developed his interests and research about ayahuasca spiritualities by establishing a strong foundation in the ethnographies of indigenous peoples who use ayahuasca, the mestizo shamans of urban Peru and Ecuador, and had the opportunity to learn from and listen to Napo Runa yachajs (curanderos who often utilize ayahuasca in their therapies) in the summer of 2012. He earned an M.A. from the Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Florida (LATAM). He is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Acupuncture and Oriental medicine, with an interest in the traditional use of plant medicines worldwide.