About Fungi Academy
A global collective of mycophiles unveiling the magic of fungi — from cultivation and ecology to community and sacred journey.
Connecting Humans & Fungi
An alliance for a more harmonious world
“Fungi Academy exists to empower and foster deeper connections by unveiling the magic of fungi.”
We bring together a global community of mycophiles, creating a space where fungal wisdom can be grown and shared. By exploring the mysteries of fungi, learning from them, and embracing their transformative power, we aim to inspire personal growth, strengthen our bond with nature, and collectively shape a more harmonious world.
Fungi Academy is an alliance between humans and fungi that inspires us to live in balance with each other and our environment.
The Wisdom of an Elder Species
Fungi and mushrooms play a fundamental role in healing ourselves, the global community, and our planet as a whole. Fungi are an elder species — helping humanity to become more mature, responsible, and conscious.
They are the hidden orchestrators of life on Earth, silently shaping ecosystems and fostering interconnectedness among all living beings. Fungi are the archetypes of connection — teaching us the importance of collaboration and community.
They also hold the solutions to many of the problems humanity faces today: the secrets to ecological restoration, sustainable agriculture, waste management, and a more harmonious world.
Passionate Earthlings, United by Fungi
Since 2016, Fungi Academy has connected a diverse worldwide network of mycophiles, naturalists, and psychonauts. We put the fun in fungi — making mushroom education easy, accessible, and joyful.
Our Vision for a Connected, Regenerative Future
Our vision is to spread fungal wisdom far and wide — from the classrooms to corporate board meetings and even within governments. We want the lessons of the fungi to inspire action, curiosity, and care in communities across the globe.
Together, we’re cultivating a deeper relationship with nature and therefore ourselves. We are not separate — not from nature, not from each other. Together with the Fungi we stand united in our commitment to a more connected, regenerative future.
We work to make mushroom education accessible and easy by connecting a global community and empowering them to grow and share fungal wisdom.
Our Founder
The labor of love that started it all
Oliver Merivee
For Oliver, Fungi Academy was truly a labor of love. His professional background was in marketing, but he was a self-taught mushroom grower — teaching cultivation for 7 years around the world, from his home in Estonia to Australia, Guatemala, and the United States.
His interest in mushrooms began, like many young cultivators, with psilocybin mushrooms. From there, his passion expanded to include all kinds of fungi as he developed into a full-blown mycophile. Founding Fungi Academy in 2016, Oliver initiated a movement that would change many lives for the better.
Oliver tragically passed away on Christmas Day, 2020. Our work is dedicated to his life mission.
The Fungi Academy Family
Mycophiles spreading fungal wisdom since 2016
Jasper Degenaars
Jasper is a mycologist and educator. With 12+ years of mushroom cultivation experience and over 2,500 students taught since 2019, he illuminates the intricate world of fungi with passion and expertise. He has co-created over 20 educational experiences and retreats, plus countless workshops worldwide.
With a penchant for interdisciplinary collaboration, he cultivates diverse communities of learners — empowering them to explore the symbiotic relationship between fungi, people, and their environments.
Karena Beana
Karena is a multifaceted mushroom mama with a passion for wellness, movement, and community living in Lake Atitlán, Guatemala. With almost a decade of yoga teaching and fitness training, she blends her past life as a wellness blogger and influencer into her current endeavors.
Operating Fungi Academy is her labor of love. She cultivates spaces for growth, connection, and transformation — and recently trained as a birth doula, extending her support into birth work and prenatal yoga.
Milly Raven
Milly is the Mushroom Mama of Fungi Academy, founder of As We Grow (an Australian organisation making mycology easy), and co-founder of FERA — a platform where women learn and create together.
With an Honours degree in Biology and more than a decade of experience in global conservation projects, she blends scientific research with strong skills in communication, marketing, and project management to make ambitious ideas work in practical, values-driven ways.
Tz’utu Kan
Tz’utu Kan is an artist and member of the acclaimed Balam Ajpu group — changing the notion of Mayan poetry in contemporary arts. His music includes native sounds and electronic beats, creating a unique sound shared around the world.
One of the greatest painters on Lake Atitlán and a video editor & filmmaker, his personal work aims to spread the wisdom of his culture — and at Fungi Academy he helps spread fungal wisdom.
David Barfod
David is our Community Manager — which is a polite way of saying he professionally herds cats across multiple time zones and somehow keeps everyone smiling about it. Direct from the Netherlands, he brings Dutch directness, a soft spot for mycelium, and a deep belief that community is the real fruiting body.
Famously the first to need sunscreen in Guatemala — three minutes of Lake Atitlán sunshine and he’s a perfectly ripe radish. You can usually find him in the shade, replying to messages, holding the whole network together one DM at a time.
María Yaxón Pérez
María is our local mushroom cultivator. A pro at growing oysters and reishi, she has even started to work in Cordyceps cultivation. She started her mushroom cultivation journey at Fungi Academy in September 2021.
Her work brings her connection with the mushrooms and pride when she sees the results. What excites her most is the people who come to learn cultivation — and the connections she builds with people from around the world.
The Mycelial Network
Community building and collaboration are at the core of our mission. Just like the mycelial network sharing information and resources, working together allows us to tap into a collective pool of knowledge and experiences.
William Padilla-Brown
William Padilla-Brown
Julian Vayne
Richard Olson
Sam Blackstone
Nathalia Gosiaco
Gabe DeRita
Sima Karimian
Mart Stoffele
Maz Alice
What Our Students Say
Become Part of the Mycelium
Whether you’re a beginner cultivator or a seasoned mycologist — there’s a place for you in the Fungi Academy family. Explore our courses, retreats, and online community.
