Marlena Robbins is a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) candidate at the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in the intersection of Indigenous knowledge, psychedelic science, and mental health policy. Her research and practice focus on developing culturally informed frameworks that integrate traditional healing practices with modern public health approaches, with an emphasis on policy analysis, program evaluation, and community-led health initiatives.
Robbins collaborates with tribal leaders, public health officials, and research institutions to advance equitable and culturally grounded approaches to psychedelic-assisted therapy. Her work includes contributions to the Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Colorado Natural Medicine Tribal Working Group. She has played a key role in tribal engagement strategies, regulatory discussions, and the development of educational programs aimed at fostering ethical and community-driven approaches to psychedelics.
Her research explores multigenerational perspectives on psilocybin use, the policy landscape of SB 1012, and human-centered design approaches to integrating Indigenous healing into contemporary mental health care. She has developed tribal engagement toolkits for psychedelic policy, evaluated nonprofit psychedelic therapy programs, and co-created community-driven models for psychedelic-assisted care in Native-serving clinics.
