Chris Brewer: Co-Founder and Managing Director – Bridging Anthropology and Risk Expertise
Chris Brewer leads Best Retreats with a foundation in cultural anthropology and fraud prevention, enabling deep dives into retreat ethics, safety protocols, and global wellness trends. His South American fieldwork and risk skills directly support our platform’s focus on exposing red flags and promoting culturally reverent centers.
- Professional Overview: As an anthropologist and risk specialist, Chris applies forensic insights to compliance and entrepreneurship, making him ideal for evaluating ayahuasca retreats’ trustworthiness.
- Key Contributions to Best Retreats: Since co-founding the concept in 2021, Chris has spearheaded features like accreditation standards and social listening tools, drawing from his experience in identifying fraud and cultural nuances to protect seekers.
- Career Highlights:
- Managing Director at Best Retreats: Building a hybrid platform from Colombia, emphasizing hybrid operations for global reach.
- Fraud & Risk Specialist at Square and Cash App: Years detecting risks and mitigating fraud, skills now used for retreat incident summaries.
- Language Specialist at 카스 영어: Hybrid work in Korea, enhancing multilingual capabilities for POSTECH students.
- Education & Certifications: B.S. in Anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis, focusing on cultural variations. Inshore Yacht Skipper, Advanced Open Water Diver, plus other certifications in global security, linguistics, and indigenous fieldwork.
- Skills & Languages: Fluent in English and Español, aiding research in Latin American retreat contexts.
- Why Chris is Key for the Future of Ayahuasca: His anthropological lens ensures respectful treatment of ayahuasca traditions, while fraud expertise backs our evidence-based alerts – reducing misinformation risks. Connect with Chris on LinkedIn
Ben Glaser: Co-Founder – Entrepreneurship and Wellness Innovation Leader
Ben Glaser brings entrepreneurial vision and experience to Best Retreats, focusing on sustainable, honest operations in health and wellness. His brand-building background strengthens our commitment to transparency and user empowerment.
- Professional Overview: A real estate investor and CPG brand builder, Ben excels in starting ventures and managing customer relations, aligning with our no-bias, safety-first model.
- Key Contributions to Best Retreats: As co-founder, Ben supports strategic growth, leveraging his wellness startups to ensure our directory prioritizes accountability over hype.
- Career Highlights:
- Partner in Real Estate Investing: Years managing investments, applying risk assessment to retreat evaluations.
- Co-Founder of True Health Labs: 3 years building a self-employed health service, emphasizing consumer trust in wellness.
- Founder & CEO of One Living Earth: Leading a sustainability-focused venture in California.
- Education: BBA in Business Administration/Economics from University of Missouri Trulaske College of Business.
- Languages: English.
- Why Ben is Key for the Future of Ayahuasca: His wellness entrepreneurship (e.g., True Health Labs) ensures ethical content, while customer success experience promotes reliable user feedback mechanisms. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn
Chris and Ben’s 20+ years in risk, fraud, and wellness – plus shared Square experience – position Best Retreats as an authoritative watchdog.
Important Disclaimer: This page provides context on our team and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Ayahuasca can carry risks, such as physical side effects (e.g., nausea or heart rate changes) or mental health challenges (e.g., anxiety for those with pre-existing conditions). We strongly recommend consulting a healthcare professional and reviewing resources from organizations like ICEERS before any retreat. Best Retreats is independent – so no ads, affiliates, or bookings – and relies on public data for impartiality.
