An Academic Shroom Boom

How Ashley Walsh, founder and CEO of preclinical biotech company Inner State, is shaking up the world of psilocybin research to focus on female health.

Former Disney, Airbnb Executive, Catherine Powell Joins Board for Psychedelic Biotech Company Inner State, Inc.

Los Angeles, CA – Inner State, Inc. (Inner State), a psychedelic biotech company dedicated to
advancing women´s health and wellness outcomes, appointed former Airbnb and Disney
executive Catherine Powell to the Board of Directors.
“Catherine brings an extensive executive portfolio to Inner State’s board and is recognized for her
ability to manage complex operations at scale,” said Inner State founder and CEO Ashley Walsh.
“Inner State is set to pioneer the therapeutic potential of psilocybin mushrooms, targeting both
their expansive market as well as that of female hormone regulation, which together represent a
combined opportunity of over $70 billion.”

Inner State, Inc. is a pre-clinical biotech company specializing in psychedelic-producing fungi for
drug discovery, focused on enhancing women´s health and well-being. Inner State is working to make the untapped potential of psilocybin accessible through adaptogenic nutraceuticals and
scientific research. Last year, Inner State achieved a significant milestone by securing the first
American university DEA license to cultivate and research whole psilocybin mushrooms in
partnership with The Ohio State University.

“I am thrilled to join the Inner State board at a time when we are taking the untapped potential of
psilocybin mushrooms and making it accessible to women, including the effects on cancer to
neurological issues linked to perimenopause and menopause,” said Powell. “Inner State’s
partnership with Ohio State University is incredibly exciting. We are pushing the boundaries of
research into the future of psilocybin and advancing impactful outcomes for women’s health.”

Powell brings nearly 20 years of combined executive experience from her career at Airbnb,
where she served as Global Head of Hosting, as well as at Disney where she held various roles
including President, Parks West, overseeing the management of Walt Disney World, Disneyland,
and Disneyland Paris. She currently serves on the boards of Airbnb.org, Pophouse Entertainment
Group, and Ceresa.

With Inner State’s focus on women’s health, the advisory board has grown its industry panel to
include Dr. Amanda Holley who served the FDA as a nonclinical pharmacology and toxicology
reviewer. Holley joins fellow advisory board members in the women’s health space including Dr.
Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz, author of The Menopause Bootcamp, and Inner State’s head of
neuroscience, Dr. Sonny Mattek. 

More about Inner State’s Board of Directors and advisory team
is available here.

Ohio State receives DEA license to grow psychedelic mushrooms for research

OSU receives license to grow psychedelic mushrooms

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