The Visionaries Behind IMHU’s Mission
Members of the Board of Directors
Emma Bragdon, PhD
Founder & Executive Director
Emma Bragdon envisioned IMHU, founded it in 2013, and directs both IMHU and its umbrella not-for-profit company, the Foundation for Energy Therapies, Inc. She has handpicked guest faculty and presenters as we as creating and facilitating 32 courses at IMHU, often as the main presenter. She has been a teacher, author, film-producer, and spiritual guide, bridging psychology and spirituality since 1990.
Prior to 1990 she was licensed as a marriage, family and child therapist and in private practice with a deep interest in supporting spiritual development and optimal wellness. Her two books on spiritual emergency are classics in the field.
Since 2001 she has researched and published two books about a branch of Spiritualism in Brazil, Spiritism, with special focus on the Spiritist Psychiatric Hospitals. In these hospitals conventionally trained psychiatrists and psychologists who are Spiritists collaborate with highly trained spiritual healers to facilitate healing for the patients. Dr. Bragdon leads a unique, annual 7-day seminar in Brazil for healthcare providers who want to experience and understand Spiritist Therapies which chart the course to a bio-psycho-social and spiritual paradigm.
Andy Johns
Advisor and Consultant
Andy came to IMHU in July 2025 after a 17-year run of notable success in Silicon Valley, working as an employee, executive, advisor to CEOs, and investor across ten multi-billion-dollar startups. He loves helping small teams with big ideas win, and he genuinely enjoys the messy, early-stage work of building something from nothing.
He also brings a lived-experience lens, drawing on a long, challenging personal transformation process that gives him real empathy for spiritual crisis and awakening, and he joined IMHU with a purpose-driven desire to support others’ awakening while putting mainstream technologies to good use.
He also brings a lived-experience lens, drawing on a long, challenging personal transformation process that gives him real empathy for spiritual crisis and awakening, and he joined IMHU with a purpose-driven desire to support others’ awakening while putting mainstream technologies to good use.
Alongside his tech background, Andy holds a diploma in Jungian Dream Analysis and has served as board treasurer for Heroic Hearts Project, supporting veterans and spouses through psychedelic therapies. He’s avidly self-studied and plans to attend graduate school for transpersonal psychology, but for now his focus is on building IMHU.
Other Board Members
Fred Gouveia
Fred is a businessman, Systemic Family Constellations facilitator, podcaster, translator, and classically trained musician.
In the early part of the 21st century Fred led Emma Bragdon on a visit to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to meet leaders in the field of Spiritism, and visit institutions forwarding spiritual healing.
His podcast, "Around the Fire-On Spirit Reflections," is available twice a month.
It offers on-going bi-lingual conversations in English and Portuguese about people's spiritual and personal journeys.
It reflects on the tools they learned along the way and how it shaped their lives today.
www.spiritreflections.org
Bo Sasnett
Bo is an experienced executive that believes in inspirational leadership and people-oriented culture to drive significant growth, outstanding customer service and enterprise value creation.
He has had success in driving both organic and M&A growth while achieving multiple successful private equity partnerships and liquidity events.
Sasnett founded D&H United Fueling Solutions (now United Uptime Services), a leader in sales, service, installation and compliance of fueling and EV charging systems. The company has been named to
the prestigious Inc. 5000 list for 4 straight years and has grown to over 1,300 employees with operations across the United States.
Bo is a supporter of the integrative health community. He has been involved with and raised funds for several community and non-profit organizations.
He has had success in driving both organic and M&A growth while achieving multiple successful private equity partnerships and liquidity events.
Sasnett founded D&H United Fueling Solutions (now United Uptime Services), a leader in sales, service, installation and compliance of fueling and EV charging systems. The company has been named to
the prestigious Inc. 5000 list for 4 straight years and has grown to over 1,300 employees with operations across the United States.
Bo is a supporter of the integrative health community. He has been involved with and raised funds for several community and non-profit organizations.
Advisory Council
Paul Grof
MD, PhD, FRCP
Paul Grof is a Director at the Mood Disorders Center of Ottawa, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (retired). A Canadian research psychiatrist, clinician and administrator. Dr. Grof was a professor at several Canadian and European universities. He has worked at the National Institute of Mental Health, USA, and as an Expert at the World Health Organization, Geneva (1985-2000), where he chaired the Committee on Psychotropic Substances. Dr. Grof has received several international awards for his research in the USA, Canada and Europe. He has authored and co-authored 516 publications and three books. He has been involved in transpersonal activities for six decades. He has utilized Holotropic Breathwork and psychedelics with clients suffering from severe mood disorders, meditators, and psychiatric residents.
Kerri Husman
MD, Psychiatrist
Kerry is president of the Board of Directors at ACEP, Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology, the North Central Regional Representative and Co-Facilitator of the Energy Psychology and Psychedelics Community of Practice, and serves as the Iowa Chapter of the Psychedelic Medicine Association Co-Facilitator, and maintains a monthly support group for Neurodynamic Breathwork. She also is part of the faculty Foundation for Shamanic Practitioners and offers in-person workshops and online classes. Dr. Husman also works with clinical Ketamine and Spravato in her office, provides psychedelic-assisted therapy, and works with spiritual emergence and spiritual emergencies.
Craig Wagner
MD, PhD, FRCP
Craig is a mental health author, speaker, researcher, blogger, and activist. He published “Choices in Recovery: 27 Non-drug Approaches for Adult Mental Health, an Evidence-Based Guide” -a well-researched resource guide. He has worked with major mental health organizations to broaden the acceptance of non-drug approaches. This includes being a trainer and conference workshop leader for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and a featured speaker for the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association. He also works to advance non-drug approaches at a grass-roots level. He has been Executive Director of a leading alternative mental health web platform and practitioner forum, Safe Harbor, being one of many voices helping to rethink psychiatry.
Jennifer Wortham
DrPH, MPH
Jennifer is a Research Associate at the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University; Associate Research Professor, Claremont Graduate University. Dr. Wortham is the CEO of Quest, a transformative, technology-enabled mental health platform advancing human flourishing through accessible, holistic, and trauma-informed care. With more than 25 years of experience leading health system transformation for world-renowned institutions, Dr. Wortham serves as a trusted advisor to governments, academic institutions, humanitarian organizations, and private healthcare systems on strategy, population health, and workforce well-being. Her advisory roles have included partnerships with World Vision International, the Vatican, and other global thought leaders dedicated to healing and systemic change.
Steven F. Brena (In Memorium)
MD, Professor
Steven was an advisor to IMHU in its beginnings in 2013 until he passed away in 2017. He was the Clinical Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine, Emory University; and Chairman of the Board, Pain Control and Rehabilitation Institute of Georgia. His published books include “Yoga and Medicine, The reunion of mind-body health & the merging of yoga concepts with modern medical knowledge”; “Pain and Religion; A Psychophysiological Study”; and “Chronic Pain: America's Hidden Epidemic”. He was a dedicated follower of Yogic philosophy and often taught about the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita.