MAPS Board of Directors Names Betty Aldworth and Ismail Lourido Ali as Co-Executive Directors

• Betty Aldworth and Ismail Lourido Ali bring decades of combined experience in drug policy leadership, psychedelic advocacy, and movement building
• As Co-Executive Directors, Aldworth and Ali reflect MAPS' legacy commitment to serving and strengthening the movement for legal, equitable access to psychedelics
• Under their guidance, MAPS’ future-facing strategy will focus on strengthening partnerships with dedicated allies to advance critical multidisciplinary conversations
  

SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization at the vanguard of the psychedelic movement since 1986, today announced that its Board of Directors has selected Betty Aldworth and Ismail Lourido Ali as Co-Executive Directors. Aldworth and Ali have been interim Co-Executive Directors since March 2025, following Kris Lotlikar’s transition from Executive Director to Secretary of the Board of Directors. MAPS Founder and President, Rick Doblin, will continue to guide research initiatives and international projects.

MAPS’ formalization of a Co-Executive Director structure reflects its commitment to multidisciplinary leadership and reaffirms the movement’s collective evolution toward collaboration. Together, Aldworth and Ali bring trusted relationships and decades of expertise in drug reform, policy advocacy, community engagement, and movement building that position MAPS to expand its national and global impact.

Betty and Ismail have demonstrated exceptional leadership during their interim tenure, seamlessly guiding MAPS through a critical period while maintaining our mission-driven focus. Their complementary skills, shared vision for psychedelic healing, and proven track record in movement building make them the ideal leadership team to advance MAPS' strategic agenda in this pivotal moment for the psychedelic field.
Vicky Dulai; Chairperson, MAPS Board of Directors

Aldworth brings extensive nonprofit experience to the role, including her leadership as former Executive Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) and current service as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Marijuana Policy Project and MPP Foundation. Ali, an attorney and drug policy expert who began at MAPS as a legal fellow in 2016 and co-founded the Psychedelic Bar Association, brings trusted relationships and deep experience in designing, building, and implementing psychedelic policy reform worldwide. They have been collaborators since 2016, and Ali was elected to chair the Board of Directors of SSDP during Aldworth’s tenure.

As Co-Executive Directors, we're committed to leading MAPS and guiding the psychedelic ecosystem toward a safer, more compassionate, and more responsible post-prohibition future. Our paired leadership approach offers an exciting opportunity to play to our strengths, inspire collaborative solutions, and model the interdependent reality of our movement today. A multidisciplinary organization needs multidisciplinary leadership that can rise to today’s challenges — and we’re deeply honored to do so alongside our colleagues and community.
Betty Aldworth and Ismail L. Ali, JD; MAPS Co-Executive Directors

Under their leadership, MAPS will reinforce its core programmatic pillars of advancing research, evolving education, and changing policy — but adapt to today’s evolving landscape by building community within the movement, strengthening relationships across differences, and using its unique platform to give voice to the “big tent” MAPS has become.

I have always approached our work with multigenerational thinking, and this decision embodies that vision. Izzy and Betty represent the strategic approach that makes MAPS so effective — they're deeply committed to rigorous science, public education, the beneficial uses of psychedelics, and transformative drug policy reform. Their strong focus on inclusivity makes them ideal leaders as MAPS continues to serve as a catalyst and convener, bringing together diverse voices to build a post-prohibition world where people have legal and equitable access to psychedelics for healing, spirituality, and personal growth.
Rick Doblin, PhD; MAPS Founder and President

This leadership transition — announced on the verge of MAPS’ 40th anniversary — positions MAPS to build on its legacy while looking toward the future. As the organization that first funded and incubated groundbreaking psychedelic research, set the groundwork for today’s successful advocacy campaigns, and helped birth the modern psychedelic ecosystem, MAPS is reflecting on its success, incorporating hard-fought lessons, and dutifully preparing for its next 40 years.

MAPS will host a public webinar today at 5 PM ET, during which the new Co-Executive Directors will discuss the organization’s future-facing strategy and answer questions from the community. This interactive session provides an opportunity for journalists, supporters, and advocates to engage directly with Aldworth and Ali as they outline MAPS’ strategic priorities. Space is limited, and an RSVP is required. Registration details are available here.

ABOUT MAPS
Founded in 1986, MAPS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful use of psychedelics and marijuana. MAPS previously sponsored the most advanced psychedelic-assisted therapy research in the world and continues to support psychedelic and marijuana research with a focus on the people and places most impacted by trauma. MAPS incubated Lykos Therapeutics, a drug-development public benefit company, and The Zendo Project, a leader in psychedelic harm reduction. Since MAPS was founded, philanthropic donors and grantors have given more than $150 million to advance psychedelic research, change drug policy, and shape culture.

Media Contact:
media@maps.org

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