

Raymond Turpin
President

John Michael Kledis
Treasurer

Bill Zimmer
Vice President
Dr. Turpin has been studying the therapeutic uses of psychedelics and the relevant literature since the mid-1980s hoping to eventually legally use these medicines in his psychology practice.
Specializing in the treatment of trauma, Dr. Turpin has extensive experience with children, adolescents, and families in a multitude of settings but has focused his practice on older adolescents and adults in recent years.
Dr. Turpin earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology at the University of Georgia in 1988, his master's degree in Psychology from the Humanistic Psychology program at West Georgia College in 1990 and his doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco (CIIS) in 1999.
In 2017 he earned a Certificate in Psychedelic Therapy and Research from CIIS. In addition to his private psychotherapy practice in Waynesville, NC, Dr. Turpin was a mentor for the 2022-2023 CIIS certificate program and will be a lead mentor as well as a trainee mentor for their 2023-2024 class.
John Michael is the President and a shareholder of Peridot Consulting, Inc. in Asheville, North Carolina. He has been doing business, tax, and fraud consulting since early 2003. John Michael is enrolled to practice before the Internal Revenue Service, as an Enrolled Agent, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and a Certified Valuation Analyst. In addition to covering many facets of an accounting firm, John Michael also implements business strategies from creation to ongoing business concerns, business and individual tax, tax representation, business planning, certified business valuations, and fraud prevention and examinations. John Michael is also a QuickBooks Online Certified ProAdvisor.
John Michael was born in Asheville, NC and attended East Tennessee State University where he obtained a double major in Accounting and Marketing. John Michael is currently, and formerly, on numerous not for profit, and city boards/committees.
John Michael is the co-founder and host of the BAMM-IT Podcast, covering Business Accounting Marketing Management and IT.

Collin O'Berry
Board Member

Brandan Adcock
Board Member
.jpg)
Kelly (Knippel) Butler
Board Member
Collin is currently a sought-after real estate broker active throughout Western North Carolina and Northeast Tennessee. He is the owner and principal broker of the Altamont Property Group, a top-performing real estate team associated with Keller Williams Realty. Collin is a co-owner of Pilot Cove, a hospitality development in Brevard NC ordering Pisgah National Forest, along with USA Raft, an adventure resort in Erwin TN on the Nolichucky River and the Appalachian Trail. Collin is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in Landscape Architecture.
Interests: family; outdoor recreation; mountain biking; trail running; snow skiing; land and conservation; architecture and design; green building; sustainability; golf; hospitality; and music.
Board of Directors
Click on arrows to see the bio of The Pearl Psychedelic Institute Board members

"I believe it is essential for our planetary
future to develop tools that can change
the consciousness which has created
the crisis that we are in."
Stanislov Grof