Marlena Robbins

Marlena Robbins is a Doctor of Public Health student at UC Berkeley, where her research focuses on the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies into Indigenous mental health care. Her dissertation examines regulatory barriers, healthcare adaptations, and programmatic effectiveness of culturally informed psychedelic therapies within Tribal communities. Robbins aims to develop policy recommendations, health system strategies, and evaluation models that center Indigenous knowledge systems and address systemic inequities.

Robbins is a graduate student researcher at the Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics, where she contributes to program evaluation efforts. During her residency with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, she developed a tribal engagement toolkit to explore the diverse perspectives on psychedelics—spiritual, recreational, and conservative—within Tribal communities.

In addition, Robbins serves on the Federally Recognized American Tribes and Indigenous Community Working Group for the Natural Medicine Health Act with the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. In this capacity, she advocates for the protection of sacred plants, ensuring their use is not subjected to commercialization or cultural misappropriation, while supporting the preservation of Indigenous traditions and sovereignty.