We are a community of consultants that specialize in recruiting & people operations in the psychedelic space and other emerging industries.
Our Team
Chicha Collective is composed of experts in the field of Psychedelic Medicine and beyond. Below are some of our key strategic consultants and staff.
For the past 15 years Julie has launched and created strategic projects, organizations, and startups in the most diverse settings with teams from almost every continent on the planet.
Her career was most influenced by working in the fields of Psychedelics Medicine and Disaster Relief.
Utilizing her knowledge in recruiting, human resources, people operations, and project management, Julie is known for building departments and organizations from the ground up with a human-centered approach that creates efficiency, productivity, and innovation.
As the Chief Strategy Officer at Chicha Collective, I bring over two decades of expertise in business development, executive search, and executive coaching. My focus is on empowering high-performing executives, small business owners, and emerging leaders by integrating their business goals with spiritual practices and the transformative potential of psychedelic healing.
My passion is to support individuals and organizations whose missions align with health and wellbeing, social justice, or community improvement. By fostering a spirit of collaboration and risk-taking, I help amplify their impact on the world.
With extensive experience in psychedelic healing, dedicated spiritual practice, and a relentless pursuit of self-awareness, I help dissolve limiting beliefs and cultivate compassion and self-love. Whether orchestrating strategic organizational shifts or guiding personal growth, my decades of wisdom lay the foundation for lasting success. As a dedicated team builder, I am committed to helping founders elevate their organizations with an emphasis on delegation and sustainability.
Justin Belko is an experienced Operations Consultant with a background in administration and project management.
He guides projects from start to finish and offers resume and cover letter coaching to help clients create compelling job applications.
Desiree Lopez is an experienced professional specializing in People and Operations Support. With a focus on providing comprehensive HR solutions, she offers full-suite services encompassing hiring, payroll management, and operational support.
Desiree's expertise lies in crafting tailored strategies to enhance organizational efficiency and productivity.
About the Logo
Chicha (pronounced chee-chah) is a fermented or unfermented beverage that has been used for thousands of years throughout the region that is now referred to as Latin America. It is consumed for social, ceremonial and religious gatherings.
Julie Santos, founder of Chicha Collective, originates from the region now referred to as Guancaste, Costa Rica where various types of Chicha are still consumed. The most common Chicha in the region is made from blue corn or the Coyol palm tree.
Eye
“Seat of the Soul” or the “Third Eye”, believed to hold mystical powers. Others believe it produces and secretes DMT, a powerful psychedelic that was dubbed the “spirit molecule”.
Sun
Reference to the powerful sun of Guanacaste, Costa Rica, the place where Chica Collective is born.
Corn
Chicha was primarily made from corn and become a beverage indigenous populations used to invoke work, community and spiritual awakening.
- For many indigenous communities in Costa Rica, it has been documented that no labor could be accomplished without liberal allowances of Chicha.
- Here, Chicha was not used as a form of payment but rather to invoke labor. Which is what inspired the name, Chicha Collective, because we believe great work comes from being inspired by positive transformational incentives in work spaces that feel like community.