Our Team

We believe that every patient in Costa Rica deserves safe, effective, and high-quality access to medical cannabis therapy.

Co-Medical Director

Dr. Abraham Benavides

MD, BA Society of Cannabis Clinicians & Association of Cannabinoid Specialists

Our Advisors

Professor Michael Barnes

MD, FRCP

Chris Murray

BSc, MAHSR

Dr. Divi Chandna

MD

Bruce Dawson-Scully

BBA

Laura Flanagan

BS, MS, FNC

Robert Callaghan

CEO

Dr. Abraham Benavides

MD, BA Society of Cannabis Clinicians & Association of Cannabinoid Specialists

LinkedIn Profile
 
 
Dr. Abraham Benavides, MD, is the Co-Medical Director for Cura Vida Cannabis Clinics, leading the strategic charge on cannabis clinician education, research, and patient advocacy in an administrative, non-clinical capacity.

As the CEO and Co-Founder of MEDEC-CR—Costa Rica’s first and premier medical cannabis doctor’s association—Dr. Benavides leverages this partnership to establish a national standard for evidence-based cannabis medicine and professional training. He has educated over 3 million patients worldwide, including thousands of healthcare providers and researchers. He is recognized for his strong commitment to evidence-based content, having co-authored and peer-reviewed over 750 cannabis and terpene health science articles.

In 2020, Dr. Abe was in family medicine residency training in Seattle, where he survived severe COVID but now lives with disabilities including long COVID, POTS, and PTSD. This focused his attention solely on non-clinical work and healing. Dr. Benavides is dedicated to promoting safe, high-quality, and equitable access to cannabinoid education and medicine in Costa Rica and worldwide.
 
In the first year of legalization, Dr. Abe was the youngest conference speaker at the 2022 Inaugural Costa Rica Cannabis Congress, invited by the Society of Cannabis Clinicians. In May 2023, he gained international recognition as Costa Rica’s top cannabis scholar by the Cannabis Science & Industry Center of the Americas, nominated by Vida Afortunada. 
 
His dedication to advocacy stems from the memory of his great-grandmother, a tropical remedy healer in Cartagena, Guanacaste, and his experience as a first-generation Costa Rican immigrant who pioneered and advocated for cannabis education at a US medical school. 
 
 
 
Visit MEDEC-CR for cannabis medicine certification and membership: medeccr.com

 

Professor Michael Barnes

MD, FRCP

LinkedIn Profile


Chair, Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (UK) /President, Cannabis Industry Council (UK)
Accreditation in Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine

Professor Mike Barnes is the UK’s foremost experts in medical cannabis. For over two decades, he has championed access for patients, notably:

  • Helping introduce Sativex in the early 2000s
  • Authoring a pivotal 2016 report for the UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Policy Reform
  • Creating fundamental legislation for medicinal cannabis

His lifelong mission is to ensure medical cannabis is accessible to those who need it most.

Chris Murray

BSc, MAHSR

LinkedIn Profile

Founder, FoxNRTH Inc. | Former VP, Canopy Growth Corporation


Chris Murray is the founder of FoxNRTH Inc., a health systems focused consultancy providing business, regulatory & strategic consulting through the lens of systems theory.  Prior to launching FoxNRTH, Chris was a founding employee at Canopy Growth Corporation, where he held several roles, including Vice President of Advocacy & Impact.

Previously, he played a pivotal role at Canopy Growth Corporation, where his contributions included:

  • Establishing the first Medical Marijuana Direct to Physician outreach program 
  • Expanding Cannabis access through clinic development across Canada 
  • Securing $2.2M in subsidies from the State of Victoria in Australia for market expansion 
  • Leading the development of the Houseplant within CGC
  • Successfully facilitating the export of Cannabis from Canada to the USA

Prior to joining Canopy Growth Corporation, Chris served as Director of Strategic Growth for Fullscript Natural Partners, a company that allows integrative health professionals to create their own virtual dispensary to prescribe health products to their patients. Previously, he served as a Knowledge Exchange Officer for the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH/ACMTS

Chris holds a Master’s in Applied Health Services Research and has earned several certifications in Knowledge Translation and Translating Research into Policy and Practice. In 2021, he was honored as a Forty Under 40 recipient.

Dr. Divi Chandna

MD

LinkedIn Profile

Founder, The Mind Body Spirit Center | Certified Medical Intuitive | Mind Body Spirit Practitioner, University of Washington

Dr. Divi Chandna is a pioneer in integrative and intuitive medicine with over 25 years of experience as a family physician. A former member of the MMS team in Canada. She is internationally recognized for her work bridging conventional medicine with mind-body-spirit healing.

In addition to her medical training, Dr. Divi is a Certified Medical Intuitive, a mind body spirit practitioner, trained at the University of Washington and an author, international speaker, and transformational teacher.

Her work supports clients navigating a wide range of challenges, including:
• Abundance and Life Purpose
• Stress and Emotional Wellbeing
• Chronic Pain and Depression
• Parenting and Relationship Struggles

Dr. Divi’s core philosophy is that all aspects of our emotional, physical, financial, and spiritual—are deeply interconnected. Through shifting internal mental and emotional patterns, her clients experience profound changes in health, happiness, relationships, and prosperity.

She has practiced in a wide variety of medical settings, including rural and small-town clinics, emergency medicine, family practice, hospitalist care, and the emerging field of cannabis medicine. Dr. Divi was a prescribing physician with Medical Marijuana Services (MMS-Canada) for over 4 years. Our patients simply loved her brilliant and kind personality.

She works with individuals and groups globally and is a respected voice in the field. Her work has been featured on the TED stage, CBC Radio, National TV, the Huffington Post, and several documentary films.

Bruce Dawson-Scully

BBA

LinkedIn Profile

Former CEO & Founder, WeedMD | Executive, Embark Health Inc.
Leadership in Regulated Health & Cannabis Sectors


Bruce is the former CEO and founder of WeedMD. He is a successful entrepreneur and proven leader demonstrated through years of cross-industry experience in executive level roles. While at WeedMD Bruce was able to license ACMPR pharma-grade medical cannabis production facilities in South Western Ontario underpinning continued financial growth.

Prior to working in the cannabis industry Bruce spent 22 years in senior leadership roles in both start-up and established Retirement and Long-Term Care communities such as Regency Care, Leisureworld Senior Care & Sterling Senior Living.

Bruce brings management, operational, development and government relations expertise to his role at Embark Health Inc. in a highly regulated sector. Bruce also brings international experience and expertise to his position as demonstrated through his healthcare advisory services to the asian market.  

Laura Flanagan

BS, MS, FNC

LinkedIn Profile


Functional Nutritionist | Regenerative Agriculture Specialist


Laura Flanagan brings a unique blend of molecular biology, holistic health, and regenerative agriculture. With over 30 years in scientific research as a former molecular biologist, she now leads in Functional Nutrition and integrative wellness.

  • Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor through the Functional Nutrition Alliance
  • Specializes in Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis using Optimal Dx software to identify subclinical imbalances and support personalized, root-cause solutions
  • Member of the National Association of Drugless Practitioners (NADP), advocating for science-backed, non-invasive healing
  • Lives on a permaculture homestead in Costa Rica, integrating expertise in: Soil microbiology, Biochar, Closed-loop composting
  • Emphasizes the connection between soil vitality, plant potency, and human health, aligning with Cura Vida’s commitment to regenerative, high-integrity cannabis medicine

Robert Callaghan

CEO

LinkedIn Profile

Founder, MMS (CAN), MCS (AUS), MCS (UK), CVCC (CR)


Robert Callaghan is generally recognized as a pioneer in the global medical cannabis movement. Since launching MMS in Canada in 2013, he has expanded operations to Australia, the UK, and Costa Rica. With extensive experience developing three distinct cannabis markets, he has helped overcome key challenges in regulation, public perception, physician training, and patient access.

As one of the original architects of the modern cannabis clinic models used globally today, he is an expert in adapting and implementing this framework internationally. Without exception, everyone on our board of advisors has directly shaped the laws Costa Rica will enjoy. He has 60+ years of experience in total.

His latest venture in Costa Rica builds on a global understanding of medical cannabis legislation shaped by the team he is so fortunate to have. The mission is to deliver respectful, affordable, and seamless patient care through technology, expert practitioners, and access to high-quality medicinal cannabis products.