FOUNDER, PLANTA MAESTRA
Daniel (Danny) Weyder Yumbato Inga is a local Peruvian born and raised in the Amazon jungle. He has worked with Ayahuasca and Master Plant medicine for more than 20 years, learning through direct experience, long-term dietas, and collaboration with shamans across the region.
Over the years, Danny has welcomed participants from many parts of the world. His approach is simple and steady, shaped by the jungle where he grew up and by the teachers he met throughout his path. At Planta Maestra, he focuses on creating a safe and grounded environment, supported by clear guidance, responsible screening, and respect for traditional practices.
Serving the medicine is Danny’s calling. His intention is to offer a space where each person feels safe, welcomed, and supported in the same environment that shaped his own journey.
LEAD SHAMAN, KOKAMA LINEAGE
Maestro Don Leo is a Kokama shaman from the Peruvian Amazon, born into a family of traditional healers. He was introduced to Ayahuasca and Master Plants from a young age, learning through observation, assisting his parents in ceremony, and gradually receiving the teachings passed through his lineage.
He was formally initiated as a shaman at 18 and has spent more than 40 years working with plant medicine and guiding groups in ceremony. His approach is steady, humble, and grounded in Kokama tradition, shaped by decades of dietas, study, and direct work with the plants.
At Planta Maestra, Don Leo serves as the Lead Shaman. His role is to hold a safe, structured, and traditionally guided ceremonial space through his icaros, ritual practices, and deep familiarity with Master Plant work. Participants often describe his presence as calm, focused, and protective, reflecting his long relationship with the medicine.
He works in his native Kokama language, with translation in Spanish and English to support clear communication and participant safety.
SHIPIBO-CONIBO HEALER
Maestra Vilma Vasquez-Ochavano is a respected Shipibo-Conibo healer from the Ucayali region of the Peruvian Amazon. Trained from a young age by her father, she learned the Shipibo tradition of Ayahuasca and Master Plant Dieta through direct apprenticeship, long-term dietas, and decades of ceremonial work.
With more than 40 years of experience, she brings clarity, discipline, and deep respect for the plants. Her work carries a steady, compassionate presence, and she often supports women’s retreats and dieta-based programs with her understanding of feminine healing processes.
At Planta Maestra, Maestra Vilma joins selected retreats to offer her lineage teachings, icaros, and traditional Shipibo guidance. Her presence adds depth and structure to the ceremonial space while ensuring participants are held with care and cultural integrity.
MARKETING AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT • FACILITATOR AND APPRENTICE
Shayla McCaffrey supports Planta Maestra through community care, communications, and storytelling. She helps share the center’s work in a grounded and respectful way, keeping the online community connected to the rhythm of the jungle and the values of the center.
Alongside her communications role, Shayla serves as a facilitator and apprentice, offering steady, gentle support to participants throughout their retreat experience. She is trained in 270-hour Yoga YTT (Vinyasa and Yin), Breathwork (BTTB), and Shamanic Reiki I and II, grounding her presence in embodied practice and mindful awareness.
Shayla joins Planta Maestra during selected periods of the year to assist with retreats, support the facilitation team, and continue deepening her learning path within the plant medicine tradition.
COOK AND KITCHEN CARE
Shirley prepares the daily meals at Planta Maestra, providing simple, nourishing food that supports participants throughout their retreat. Born and raised in the Amazon, she cooks with an intuitive understanding of local ingredients and dieta-friendly preparation, ensuring that every dish aligns with Ayahuasca and Master Plant work.
From morning meals to gentle evening plates, Shirley prepares food that is clean, balanced, and supportive of the body’s healing process. Her care in the kitchen brings comfort and steadiness to the retreat environment.
She plays an essential role in the rhythm of Planta Maestra, offering nourishment, warmth, and a sense of home to everyone who comes to do the work.
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE SUPPORT
Freddy is part of the Planta Maestra family and the son of Shirley. Born and raised in the Amazon, he understands the land, the river, and the rhythms of the jungle with natural ease. At the center, Freddy supports the daily operations and maintenance of the grounds, helping ensure that everything runs smoothly for participants and the team.
His work includes caring for the maloca, maintaining pathways and facilities, preparing spaces before ceremonies, and assisting with logistics around the center. His steady presence contributes to the safety and comfort of everyone on the land.
Freddy plays a quiet but essential role in keeping the environment clean, cared for, and ready for the medicine work to unfold.
CENTER COMPANION AND NIGHT WATCH
Rocky has lived at Planta Maestra since he was a small pup, adopted by Danny and raised on the land. He has grown into a calm, loyal presence at the center and is considered part of the extended family.
Rocky moves gently around the grounds, keeping watch at night and offering a sense of comfort to participants. After ceremonies, he is often found waiting outside the maloca and walking participants part of the way back to their rooms, providing quiet companionship during moments of integration.
While he is not a trained therapy animal, many participants share that Rocky helps them feel safe, grounded, and welcomed. His presence is a simple but meaningful part of the everyday rhythm of Planta Maestra.