Team
President
Brigadier Robert Aitken CBE
Brigadier Aitken was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Gwent by Her Majesty The Queen in March 2016. Having lived in Gwent since childhood, he maintains deep connections to the region. Commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Wales, Brigadier Aitken served a distinguished 34-year military career, during which he was awarded a CBE for his service. Since leaving the Army, he has dedicated himself to the arts and mental health sectors, working at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, serving the charity Music in Hospitals, and contributing to the mental health charity Hafal, where he has supported veterans’ mental health projects with particular dedication.
Trustees
Rob Edwards: Founder
Rob Edwards is a former serviceman who served six years in the Parachute Regiment before transitioning to security and transportation operations in hostile environments around the world. Having personally experienced mental health challenges, he embarked on his own journey of healing, which led him to discover a profound new path. Through this transformative process, Rob developed a deep commitment to leading and supporting veterans through similar journeys of recovery and self-discovery. It was this healing journey that inspired the creation of The Way of the Warriors, establishing a foundation dedicated to supporting veterans’ wellbeing and mental health through innovative therapeutic approaches.
Steven Karim:
Co-Founder
Steven Karim’s passion for ozone therapy began in 1996, leading him to establish his first private practice in 1999. He has continued his research into ozone therapy, specialising in non-invasive treatment applications using a holistic approach. His consistent success in treating a wide range of conditions over six years inspired Steven to expand his mission, teaching other complementary health practitioners to implement ozone therapy in their own practices. Steven continues to develop and expand the Institute’s education and training programmes, having initiated specialised clinical applications courses specifically designed for doctors, dentists, and nurses.
Peter Phillips
Peter Phillips brings a diverse professional background spanning journalism, stockbroking, banking, and publishing, with particular expertise in self-help literature. His commitment to mental health extends beyond his commercial endeavours; he has been involved with the Maudsley Hospital as a volunteer, contributing to early research work on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This combination of professional experience and dedicated volunteer work in pioneering mental health research positions him uniquely to support The Way of the Warriors’ mission to assist veterans facing psychological challenges.
Harry Lancaster
Harry Lancaster operates across the Corporate and Commercial and Psychoactive Medicines Law teams, advising primarily on commercial matters with a particular focus on protecting intellectual property, especially trade marks. He has developed a specialist interest in the psychoactive medicines and cannabis sectors, providing comprehensive advice on both regulatory and commercial matters. His expertise in this emerging field makes him invaluable in navigating the complex legal landscape surrounding innovative therapeutic approaches, particularly those involving controlled substances and novel treatment modalities.
Ranjith Ramadasan
Ranjith Ramadasan is passionate about creating and refreshing brands with purpose, having delivered work that has brought meaningful difference and growth to brand owners of all sizes. He believes deeply in the power of exceptional insights translated into brilliant design, maintaining that shallow brand stories will not hold water. Ranjith has worked with some of the world’s best communication and design firms, including serving as a design leader at the United Nations. He currently advises and collaborates with ventures and businesses to which he feels genuinely connected, focusing on opportunities where building an authentic brand is achievable and meaningful.
Chief Advisor
Professor David Nutt
Professor David Nutt is the Edmond J. Safra Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology and director of the Neuropsychopharmacology Unit in the Division of Brain Sciences. He currently chairs DrugScience (formerly the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs) and has previously served as President of the European Brain Council, the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, the British Neuroscience Association, and the British Association of Psychopharmacology. Professor Nutt is a Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Psychiatrists, the British Pharmacological Society, and the Academy of Medical Sciences. He has edited the Journal of Psychopharmacology for over two decades and acts as the psychiatry drugs adviser to the British National Formulary. His prolific academic output includes over 500 original research papers, numerous reviews and book chapters, eight government reports on drugs, and 40 books.
Advisors
Professor Jo Neill
Professor Jo Neill has been conducting research in psychopharmacology for almost 30 years, specialising in drug dependence, ingestive behaviour, cognition and schizophrenia, and sex differences in psychopharmacology. Her expertise lies in the development and validation of preclinical models of psychiatric disorders. She is currently collaborating on research projects investigating cognitive function and cognitive remediation therapy in ADHD and first-episode psychosis patients, as well as the effects of gonadal steroids on cognitive function across pregnancy.
Professor Sara Tai
Professor Sara Tai is Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Manchester and Honorary Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. She is an experienced practitioner, trainer, and supervisor of a-diagnostic approaches for working with people who have experienced serious mental health problems, and their families. Professor Tai has extensive clinical and research experience within multi-cultural inner-city areas and provides regular international consultancy on developing accessible services and training clinicians in psychological interventions for psychosis, bipolar disorders, and mood swings.
Professor Celia Morgan
Professor Celia Morgan completed her PhD at UCL and, after periods at Yale University and the University of Melbourne, joined the University of Exeter as a Senior Lecturer in 2013, receiving a Chair in Psychopharmacology in 2015. She currently holds an Honorary Readership at University College London. Her research focuses on the effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain and behaviour, examining both benefits and side effects of recreational drugs on cognition, mental health, and neurobiology. Through clinical trials, Professor Morgan has investigated the therapeutic potential of controlled substances for treating addiction, particularly ketamine and MDMA in combination with psychological therapies. She is currently leading clinical trials exploring the use of classic psychedelics and ketamine in treating mental health disorders.
Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride
Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride graduated with honours as a Medical Doctor in 1984 from Bashkir Medical University in Russia and later gained a Postgraduate MMedSci Degree in Neurology. In 2004, she published Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment of Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Depression and Schizophrenia, exploring the connection between patients’ physical state and brain function. A second edition published in 2010 detailed the GAPS Diet and Protocol, which has proved highly successful in treating patients with learning disabilities and mental health concerns. Since publication, GAPS has become a global movement in nutritional psychiatry and mental health treatment.
Dr Irfan Mian
Dr Irfan Mian is a physician, surgeon, and dental surgeon who has worked in maxillofacial surgery at Charing Cross, Westminster, and King’s College Hospitals, as well as in orthopaedics, general medicine, and accident and emergency. With over 40 years in clinical practice, he has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and previously served as a clinical lecturer at King’s and Guy’s Hospitals NHS Trust. For over 12 years, he served as Surgeon Commander London for St John Ambulance. He was appointed to Royal Household duties, including providing medical cover for Her Majesty The Queen, and served as Chairman of the Dental Federation.
Dr Erika Tajra
Dr Erika Tajra focuses on personalised medicine and cutting-edge therapies, bringing advanced understanding of genomics, microbiome health, and longevity science to her clinical practice. Currently developing her expertise at UCL Genomics and Great Ormond Street Hospital, she specialises in utilising genomics, stem cells, gene therapies, and digital health to craft tailored solutions for patients with rare diseases and complex chronic conditions. Having completed a diploma in global health delivery at Harvard University, Dr Tajra is passionate about bridging the gap between global health, education, and scientific discoveries, with particular commitment to ensuring equitable healthcare access worldwide.
Dr Chris Salway
Dr Chris Salway is a consultant psychiatrist who has worked in psychiatry for over 20 years, having previously trained as a general practitioner. His particular interest has been working with people diagnosed with psychotic disorders. He is interested in alternative approaches to psychosis, including the Open Dialogue model, and is a member of Compassionate Mental Health, an organisation developing different approaches for helping those experiencing mental distress. Dr Salway currently works part-time at the University of Exeter, where he is involved with several psychedelic studies.
Dr Joel Bennett
Dr Joel Bennett is an accredited psychotherapist, trauma specialist, and psychospiritual therapist with 19 years’ experience in mental health. He has worked across the Priory, NHS, charity sector, and private practice. His approach explores the interconnectivity between mind, body, and soulful living, addressing somatic memory from traumatic experiences that can disconnect individuals from belonging, self-expression, and loving relationships. Dr Bennett is trained in psychological disciplines, trauma-informed approaches, psychodynamic and cognitive therapies, biodynamic craniosacral therapy, heart-focused meditation, and psychosynthesis, as well as shamanic practices and rites of passage. He aims to place the heart at the centre of therapeutic exploration, helping clients develop self-compassion and re-engage with their lives with passion and vigour.
Cultural & Human Rights
Benjamin De Loenen
Benjamin De Loenen, MA, studied audiovisual media and communications in the Netherlands, graduating with honours with his documentary Ibogaine: Rite of Passage (2004), which remains an important reference on the subject. Since then, Benjamin has been dedicated to making plant medicines valued and integrated in society. In 2009, he founded the International Centre for Ethnobotanical Education, Research & Service (ICEERS), a charitable non-profit organisation with United Nations consultative status, where he serves as Executive Director. His work bridges traditional plant medicine knowledge with contemporary therapeutic applications, advocating for evidence-based policy and ethical practice.
Claude Guislain
Claude Guislain is a Peruvian anthropologist specialising in Indigenous knowledge systems and Amazonian medical traditions. For over a decade, he has collaborated closely with Indigenous healers and communities across the Amazon, supporting intercultural dialogue and ethical engagement between traditional knowledge systems and contemporary health initiatives. He has maintained long-term relationships with the Arhuaco people in Colombia and worked extensively with Shipibo communities in Peru, as well as other Indigenous knowledge holders across the region. He currently serves as an intercultural adviser to organisations including ICEERS, the Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund, and Riverstyx Foundation.
Natalia Rebollo
Natalia Rebollo is a Mexican lawyer specialised in International Human Rights Law, having studied at the American University Washington College of Law. She holds a master’s degree in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action from Sciences Po Paris. In 2015, she founded the Inter-Parliamentary Commission on Human Rights for Mexico and Central America, serving as Technical Secretary for three years. She has focused on addressing systematic human rights violations and drug-related challenges in Mexico and the region. She was recognised by “Líderes Emergentes” as a promising figure in human rights for Mexico and Latin America. She has also studied traditional medicine with Indigenous communities in Mexico, combining legal expertise with cultural understanding of Indigenous healing practices.