Meet the Research Team at Portland Psychotherapy
Current Lab Members
Investigators
Jason Luoma, Ph.D.
is co-founder and CEO of Portland Psychotherapy and a senior scientist at the Portland Institute for Psychedelic Science. His research examines shame, self-stigma, connection, and self-transcendence, as well as the clinical application of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and psychedelic-assisted therapy. He also co-founded the Open Psychedelic Evaluation Nexus, a practice-based research network that evaluates state-legal psilocybin services.
Jenna LeJeune, Ph.D.
is co-founder and President of Portland Psychotherapy. Her research focuses on developing compassion-focused interventions within a contextual behavioral science framework for people struggling with chronic self-criticism and shame. She has also contributed to Portland Psychotherapy's advancement of psychedelic science as a research therapist on clinical trials of MDMA-assisted and other psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies.
Brian Pilecki, Ph.D.
is a licensed psychologist at Portland Psychotherapy and an associate scientist at the Portland Institute for Psychedelic Science, where his research focuses on the therapeutic applications of psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. He has worked as a study therapist on several clinical trials, and has published on anxiety disorders, mindfulness, and the relationship between theory and practice in psychotherapy.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Christina Chwyl, Ph.D. (she/they) was our full time research coordinator from 2016-2019. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Stanford University and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Drexel University. After completing her doctoral training, she returned to Portland Psychotherapy as our Postdoctoral Research Fellow in 2024.
Research Associate
Gabby Gatto, B.S. (she/her) received her B.S. in Psychology from Union College in Schenectady, NY. Her undergraduate research focused on false memory formation, meditation, and mindfulness. Prior to joining the research team at Portland Psychotherapy, she worked on a clinical trial investigating cognitive training interventions for older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) at Clemson University's Institute for Engaged Aging. Building on both her undergraduate and clinical research experiences, she is interested in pursuing a career investigating altered states of consciousness as tools for facilitating adaptive cognitive change in clinical populations.
Past Lab Members
Past Research Coordinators/Research Associates
Lilly Kennedy, B.S. (she/her) worked at Portland Psychotherapy from 2023 to 2026 as a Research Associate and Coordinator. She received her B.S. in Psychology from Portland State University, and has been working in research since 2019. She has contributed to projects ranging from early childhood education to interpersonal sensitivity. Working as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault victims highlighted the need for innovative treatment techniques to help typically underserved communities. She will begin her doctoral training in Clinical Psychology at Northern Illinois University, in the Trauma, Mental Health, and Recovery (TMHR) Laboratory in August 2026.
Will Lucas, B.S. (he/him) was our Clinical Research Coordinator from 2023 to 2025. He graduated from Western Oregon University with a degree in Chemistry and has since demonstrated a strong commitment to the advancement of psychedelic therapies. Notably, he contributed to the Oregon Psilocybin Therapy Campaign in 2020 and managed a local initiative to protect Psilocybin Services in 2022. Will has a long-term goal of researching altered states of consciousness and continuing to advocate for policy reform in this area. He went on to be a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Carhart-Harris Lab at UC San Francisco, where he focuses on the neuroscience and clinical applications of psychedelics.
Christina Chwyl, Ph.D. (she/they) was our full time research coordinator from 2016-2019. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Stanford University and earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Drexel University. After completing her doctoral training, she returned to Portland Psychotherapy as our Postdoctoral Research Fellow in 2024.
Past Postdoctoral Fellows
Meredith Tittler (2022-2024), Ph.D. (Iowa State University)
Went on to Assistant Professor position at University of South Alabama
Han Tran (2021-2022), Ph.D. (University of Memphis)
Went on to staff position at Portland Psychotherapy
Kati Lear (2019-2020), Ph.D. (University of Wyoming).
Went on to be employed as: staff psychologist at the Sacramento VA until she transitioned to Research Psychologist at Portland Psychotherapy.
Melissa Platt (2014-2015), Ph.D. (University of Oregon)
Went on to be employed as: Research Psychologist at Portland Psychotherapy until she went into private practice.
Scott Rower (2012-2013), Ph.D. (Alliant University)
Went on to be employed as: Psychologist at Portland Psychotherapy until he transitioned into private practice in Hood River, OR.
Paul Guinther (2011-2012), Ph.D. (University of New Mexico)
Went on to be employed as: Research Psychologist at Portland Psychotherapy until he went on to work at an outpatient clinic.
Richard Nobles (2010-2011), Ph.D. (University of Washington)
Went on to be employed as: Staff psychologist at Truman Medical Center – Lakewood Counseling in Lee’s Summit, Missouri and an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at University of Missouri – Kansas City.
Brian Thompson (2009-2010), Ph.D. (University of Montana)
Went on to be employed as: Psychologist at Portland Psychotherapy.
Chad Drake (2008-2009), Ph.D. (University of Mississippi)
Went on to be employed as: Assistant Professor at Southern Illinois University.
Attend a course
Join your peers in the best online training for Mental Health Professionals.
