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Meet the Team

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ONE Retreats - Meet The Team

Kevin Sean Bourke

ONE Retreats Co-Founder and Facilitator

Kevin has been creating uniquely Jamaican experiences for international guests in Jamaica for over 20 years. He has strategically planned and successfully executed large-scale international events like TmrwTday Culture Fest & Wellness Community, featured in Forbes, Billboard, Huffpost and VICE. Kevin has developed iconic Jamaican brands with Island Records Founder, Chris Blackwell & global superstar Usian Bolt. As a founding member of ONE Psilocybin Retreats, Kevin remains committed to developing safe, comfortable psilocybin experiences that help people evolve towards their higher purpose.

ONE Retreats - Meet The Team

Vernise Cardillo (Vee)

Co-Founder | Retreat Coordinator & Facilitator | Exist To Experience Founder

Vernise Cardillo, affectionately known as Vee, is a dedicated space-holder, healer, and curator of transformative experiences. Born and raised in New York, yet deeply connected to the energy of the world, Vee has spent her life exploring cultures, immersing in nature’s wisdom, and following the call of adventure. From the time she was a wide-eyed child staring at airplanes in the sky, she dreamed of distant lands. That dream became a reality when she set out as a solo traveler, charting her own course through various parts of the world. Along the way, Jamaica has lovingly become her second home.

Vee created Exist To Experience, a travel brand curating group transformational journeys to the world’s energy centers. She masterfully weaves together adventure, culture, spirituality, and healing, offering experiences that awaken the senses and deepen the soul’s connection. Her itineraries are designed to bring people into the present moment—where true healing begins.

ONE Retreats - Meet The Team

Kasike Nibonrix Kaiman

Taino Medicine Man. Ancestral Ceremony Guide.

Socially, Robert “Kalaan” Pairman is first and foremost a Behike (Taino medicine man) and was chosen and appointed Kasike (Taino Chief) for the Yamaye Guani (Jamaican Humming Bird Taino People) . He now walks with the Taino name “Nibonrix Kaiman”. 

Chief Kalaan is a member of Consejo de Medicina Ancestral Indígena Originaria del Abya Yala (Council of Ancestral Indigenous Medicine of the Americas), and the main organizer for Caribbean Region Peace and Dignity Journeys, an inter-tribal spiritual run connected to ancient prophecies of the Americas. The Chief is also a member of “ Responsables Espirituales Originarios del Guyrapoi, Kuntur, Quetzal, Aguila and Warawao” ( R.E.O.G.K.Q.A.W ) and is responsible for maintaining traditional ceremonies in the Caribbean. He currently sits on Y.C.O.I.L (Yamaye/ Jamaica Council of Indigenous Leaders).

ONE Retreats - Meet The Team

Carla Kieffer

Retreat Chief Training Officer (CTO)
Carla Kieffer is a certified Psychedelic Practitioner that provides preparation, facilitation, integration, micro-dosing support and facilitator training services. Her approach is influenced by many trainings, including Internal Family Systems and MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies) harm reduction principles, and her personal experience facilitating retreats and individual journeys She is a member of the Association of Entheogenic Practitioners, and utilizes those guidelines in her approach as well. Carla is the founder of Kairos Integration, a company committed to providing safe, supportive, and transformative preparation, facilitation, and integration services to those that choose to experience a psychedelic journey. She provides training for the required experiential portion of Psychedelics Today’s Vitals’ professional certification training program and Heroic Path to Light, as well as other private individuals and groups. Carla has supported countless individuals and groups on their healing journeys, including veterans and first responders with PTSI and mTBI, entrepreneurs, and both seasoned and novice psychospiritual clients,using psychedelics with proper preparation and integration, in order to support them on their path of healing and transformation. She facilitates retreats in Jamaica, Costa Rica, and the United States (where allowed by law). She also supports policy change and normalization of plant medicines; and via her role as Community Liaison at Maya Health, the collection of data around the efficacy of these medicines to demonstrate the outcomes and mapping the psychedelic journey. Carla believes that teaching others best practices on how to safely support people on their journeys with psychedelics, coupled with her students’ real world experiencing of the transformative power of psychedelics, will ultimately allow more people to access healing, exploration, and transformation through these experiences.
ONE Retreats - Meet The Team

Arielle Berry

Yoga Teacher, Assistant Facilitator

Arielle studied psychology in college for 4+ years and through health coaching, she’s made it her life’s mission to explore holistic, ancient, powerful methods of healing. She’s taught yoga for 2 years and had a dedicated yoga practice for 6 years, one that continues to evolve with continued learning. This search ultimately brought her to plant medicine where she has attended various ceremonies in Costa Rica, Mexico and Jamaica all with their own individual shamans, sacred medicines, and profound teachings over the last 2 years.

ONE Retreats - Meet The Team

Abigail Berry

Yoga Teacher, Assistant Facilitator

Certified Sound Healer & 200 Hour Vinyasa Yogi

Abby has been practicing yoga for more than 4 years. This practice led her to Sound Healing, and she began to explore how different frequencies help restore the body’s resonance through energetic alignment, relaxation and deep healing. Abby has practiced yoga and Sound Healing at TMRWTDAY in Nosara, Costa Ricea and participated in many plant ceremonies across Jamaica. She’s also attended a silent Tibetan retreat with Lama Dorje.

ONE Retreats - Meet The Team

Dr. Marion Johnson, DNP, MSN, RN

Journey Nurse & Psychedelic Counselor

With over two decades of clinical experience in mental health, Dr. Marion Johnson is passionately dedicated to exploring the transformative potential of psychedelic therapy. Holding a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), she has forged a career that integrates conventional mental health practices with innovative psychedelic therapies. Marion is certified in Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI) and holds credentials as a psychedelic counselor, alongside her licensure as a registered nurse (RN). Her additional certifications in Wilderness First Aid, CPR, and Basic Life Support (BLS) underscore her commitment to safety and well-being.

Marion’s work is focused on cultivating safe, empathetic environments that nurture individuals through profound journeys of self-discovery and healing, emphasizing safety and harm reduction practices throughout.

ONE Retreats - Meet The Team

AkinSanya

Sound Healing Practitioner
Akinsanya is a healthy reggae sounds practitioner/artiste likewise a facilitator of holistic, non-toxic sounds/music to uplift the total being. Born Lloyd O’Neil Palmer in St Ann Jamaica the garden parish of the isle, home to some of Jamaica’s international cultural legends such as; Burning Spears, Jackie Mittoo and Bob Marley. King Sanya as he is and called grew up in Trelawny parish and was moulded into the musical arts in his teenage years. He ventured into Jamaica’s popular music culture as a Dub -poet, then evolves into an multi-instrumentalists as he grows learning percussions, melodica, keyboards and now he’s a student of the acoustic guitar.As a musician Akin provided accompaniment (backing band) to Reggae’s A class performers, such as Richie Spice, Gyptian, Twony, Chezideck, Turbulence, Warrior King, Winston McAnuff and more. He has toured with reggae singer Sugar Minott and Gyptian.Currently King Sanya is on a sabbatical from the band to focus on his spiritual journey as it relates to Healthy transformational therapeutic sounds for body soul mind and spirit wellness. A journey which has manifested the “Sound Balm Yard” venture offering musical services, poetic meditation, sound offerings(music) for wellness and products such as indigenous acoustic handmade instruments(whistles/flutes). Akinsanya has teamed up with ONE Retreats to create some magic in Negril.
ONE Retreats - Meet The Team

Charles Lazarus

Genetic Development, Cultivation, Extraction, Harvest & Logistics

Charles is ONE Psilocybin’s resident Mycologist & Fungi Guru. In addition to his 16 years of experience growing, cultivating and harvesting cannabis and psilocybin, Charles owned and operated Island Fresh Ltd., for a number of years, from which he exported the highest volume of Jamaican fresh fruit and ground provisions to the English market for 3 consecutive years. Between 2013 and 2017, Charles also served as Harvest Manager at Nectars Collective Extracts in Sonoma, California.

In 2015 Charles founded Rose Hill Apothecary Ltd., and began producing proprietary psilocybin genetics for the Jamaican micro-dose demand. He recently expanded to cultivation solutions for International entities for clinical trials & drug development.

ONE Retreats - Meet The Team

Jeremy Ashbourne

Musical Alchemist

Jeremy Ashbourne is a Jamaican/Austrian musician. He is a multi-instrumental composer, producer, performer and audio engineer who wears many hats in the Jamaican music scene. Coming from a family of musician parents, he began his journey in music at a very young age and had been doing it ever since. He studied at the Edna Manley College in Jamaica subsequently did his degree in jazz drumming in Austria.

Most of his time is spent in his studio in Kingston, composing and producing music for commercial artists and band projects, radio and TV commercials and for film, both local and international. He is the promoter of a weekly live music event in Kingston called The Jam is Back and also organizes other live music events around town and can be seen otherwise performing with various ensembles ranging in style from jazz to reggae, pop and rock. He also teaches music privately and taught music technology for 6 years at his alma mater university in Jamaica.

Additionally, he has been playing solo ambient/meditation music for many years, starting at first with yoga and meditation sessions and from there blossoming into holding space and performing at magic mushroom ceremonies, where he plays different instruments and creates meditative soundscapes to accompany participants on their journeys.

ONE Retreats - Meet The Team

BOBO

Cultural Guide & Ital Chef

Bobo is a kind-hearted Rastafarian man who is known for his warm personality and big smile. As the host, driver, and speciality meal cook at ONE retreats, he is dedicated to ensuring that each guest feels welcomed and comfortable. Bobo is an experienced cook, specializing in delicious, healthy, and culturally-inspired meals. His positive energy and love for sharing his culture through food makes him the perfect addition to the retreat team. Guests can also rely on him for transportation and as a friendly face during their stay. Bobo’s ultimate goal is to contribute to making the guests’ stay as enjoyable and rejuvenating as possible.

ONE Retreats - Meet The Team

Rotem Petranker

Scientific Advisor

Rotem Petranker is a psychedelics researcher with a particular emphasis on microdosing, therapy, research methods and research ethics. He earned his BSc from the University of Toronto, his Master’s degree from York University, and his PhD from McMaster University.
As part of my research, I have gained extensive expertise in navigating the regulatory landscapes of Health Canada and the FDA and a strong background in designing rigorous clinical trial research methodologies. I founded the Canadian Centre for Psychedelic Science in 2018, established the Psychedelic Science Research Program at the University of Toronto in 2019, and, more recently, ran the largest clinical trial to date on the effectiveness of microdosing psilocybin for Major Depressive Disorders. I have published many papers on microdosing, including some of the largest samples in the literature and some that have set standards for performing psychedelic research.