Alain Vo
Co-founder, CEO, Leafypack

Alain Vo, the enterprising CEO and Co-founder of LeafyPack, was inspired to launch the company by his keen appreciation for the subtlety of packaging and the impact of branding on consumer experience. With a strong background in marketing, sales, and a rich experience with startups, Alain has emerged as a driving force in the cannabis automation industry. Fueled by his unyielding passion for packaging and a steadfast belief in the power of automation, he has carved a niche for himself as an innovator in the field. Recognizing the importance of packaging as an essential yet often overlooked aspect of every consumer’s life, Alain has expertly employed cutting-edge technology to foster growth and streamline operations for cannabis brands within the sector. A distinguished alumnus of California State University Fullerton, Alain honed his expertise in storytelling, and team building, providing him with the eclectic skill set needed to excel. Through his marketing and sales expertise and an unwavering dedication to innovation, he has positioned LeafyPack as a leader in the cannabis automation market, bringing about a revolution in the industry.

Amy Deneson
Co-founder, Cannabis Media Council

Amy Deneson is co-founder of the Cannabis Media Council, a trade organization on a mission to deprogram the war on plants and people by ending the mainstream media moratorium on national cannabis advertising. Amy is also the co-founder of Pheno, an omni-channel ad agency for cannabinoid brands, businesses, and revolutions. In previous executive roles, she led marketing for Curaleaf, GLSEN, and Akamai Technologies. She lives in New York City.

Angelberto Ferrer
CTO, CMO, Hemper

Angelberto Ferrer is an innovative force in the world of e-commerce, social media growth engineering, and global brand building. His successes range from transforming startups into global phenomena to scaling existing businesses, demonstrating an uncanny knack for leveraging the power of social media and innovative marketing techniques.

As one of the driving forces behind SHREDZ® Supplements’ meteoric rise, Angel played an instrumental role in amassing a remarkable social media following of over 100 million followers across 120+ countries worldwide, generating over 65 million dollars in revenue within just four years (2013-2016). Adept at spotting new opportunities in various industries, Angel replicated his success in the culinary world. Paleo Seasoning brand FLAVORGOD transformed from a residential garage operation to a globally recognized brand. The company achieved exceptional growth, generating over 36 million dollars in revenue in just four years.

As the CTO/CMO at Hemper.co since January 2019, Angel continues to disrupt the market. His mission is to ensure every subscriber “Never Runs Out Of Supplies.” With his impactful growth strategies resulted in the company doubling its subscriber numbers within the first 30 days of his tenure. pushing the brand to further providing easy access to cannabis accessories right from the comfort of one’s home

Before his current tenure at Hemper.co, he was CTO at Creaze Media. The company’s marketing arm, Creative TRND, achieved world recognition by having one of its channels become “The World’s Most Watched Channel” across all social media platforms, generating over +5.4B minutes viewed in one single calendar month.

Despite only holding a High School Diploma and having no formal college education, Angel’s impact on the digital and e-commerce landscape is testament to his inherent talent and boundless dedication. His accomplishments demonstrate that unconventional paths can yield extraordinary outcomes, and that success is not always predicated on traditional education.

Today, Angel Ferrer stands as a testament to ingenuity, perseverance, and the power of digital transformation. His success stories serve as an inspiration for entrepreneurs and businesses worldwide, highlighting the untapped potential of the digital realm and the transformative power of innovative marketing.

Anthony Farina
Chief Operating Officer, THCNYC

Anthony Farina is a leading operator who has worked at the intersection of culture and commerce in NYC for the past 15 years. Having worked in both small and large-scale businesses, and most recently at Fotografiska, Anthony has led efforts to connect communities and industry-adjacent brands through experience-driven attractions, programming, and live events. As the COO, Anthony aims to bring his years of experience in the hospitality and tourism market to THC NYC.

Ariel Palitz
Founding Director, NYC Mayor’s Office of Nightlife

Ariel Palitz, served as the Founding Director of New York City’s Office of Nightlife at the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment from 2018 to 2023. Before establishing the Office of Nightlife, she operated her own nightclub in the East Village for 10 years called Sutra Lounge, while simultaneously serving on her local Community Board liquor licensing committee. She then ran her own hospitality & governance consulting company for 5 years which she has recently resumed. In her tenure Ariel built the NYC Office of Nightlife as a dedicated, non-enforcement liaison between the hospitality industry and the City to ensure a more vibrant, viable, safe and fair nightlife that works for all New Yorkers and visitors from around the world while navigating the industry through the Covid-19 pandemic and two mayoral administrations.

Axel Bernabe
Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Director, Office of Cannabis Management

As Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Director, Axel is responsible for standing-up all aspects of the new Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). The OCM is responsible for implementing the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) of 2021 which controls all aspects of the medical, hemp, and adult use cannabis economy in the State of New York. Prior to joining the leadership team at the OCM, Axel spent 6 years as Assistant Counsel for health to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, overseeing all legal and policy deliberations in the health and cannabis portfolios. As part of his responsibilities, he supervised and directed the expansion of the medical program and the launch of the State’s hemp program and was the lead drafter and negotiator of the cannabis law, implementing all aspects of this historic legislation until the launch of the OCM. Prior to joining the Cuomo administration, Axel was a partner at an international law firm where he was a nationally recognized antitrust expert, with a particular focus on the healthcare industry.

Barrington Rutherford
Chief Operating Officer, Combs Global Cannabis Ventures

Barrington Rutherford serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Combs Global Cannabis Ventures, the acquisition vehicle owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs, which is in the process of acquiring businesses and assets in the cannabis industry, including some of those sold because of the Cresco Labs Columbia Care merger.

Coming into the cannabis industry in 2017, Barrington served as Cresco Labs’ Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Community Integration.  His work in real estate and community integration supported the company in the growth of its operations from one state to 10. Under Mr. Rutherford, his real estate team has successfully negotiated numerous real estate transactions that’s led to prime locations for the company’s cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensary locations, ultimately generating an annual revenue of over $100 million in 2021 alone.  In addition to overseeing the company’s real estate strategy, Mr. Rutherford founded and provided executive leadership to Cresco Labs’ social equity and justice initiatives. Under his leadership, the SEED (Social Equity & Educational Development) Initiative was thoughtfully designed to ensure that diverse a historically disenfranchised communities have access to the skills, knowledge, and opportunity to work in and/or own businesses in the cannabis industry. Mr. Rutherford’s community-first strategy led his team to focus on three main areas: social justice, workforce development and education, and a community incubator program. Through Mr. Rutherford’s leadership, the SEED Initiative has helped to provide opportunities for individuals in communities most negatively impacted by the excessive enforcement of cannabis during the War on Drugs.  After leaving Cresco Labs in 2021, Barrington served as the Chief Executive Officer of a privately-held cannabis focused investment firm where he successfully diligenced and executed investments in a southern California-licensed producer of branded vape products; completed development of a Bay Area cannabis distribution facility; acquired over $20mm in NY real estate assets; and sourced an additional $30mm of Massachusetts and Illinois-licensed cultivation and dispensary assets that were approved for acquisition – all within the first six months of joining the firm.

Prior to his tenure in cannabis, Mr. Rutherford has enjoyed an acclaimed entrepreneurial career as a real estate developer and fast-food restaurant franchisee.  His real estate experience dates to 2003 and includes both residential and commercial development; both new and adaptive reuse projects including office facilities, churches, gymnasiums, childcare facilities, and multifamily housing developments around the country.

Mr. Rutherford is proud to have served on Board of Directors of several community organizations in and around the Chicago area; and was the founding Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Amandla Charter School in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago’s southside. In 2019, Mr. Rutherford was elected Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association, the Minority Cannabis Business Association, and the New York Urban League.  Today, Barrington serves on the Board of the Marijuana Policy Project, and is the Chairman of Park Jordan Real Estate.

Barrington Rutherford is the loving husband to Dr. Patricia Castor Rutherford, and the proud father of five-year-old twin boys — Jaxson and Cassius.

Brandon Kurtzman
Partner, Vicente LLP

Brandon Kurtzman is a partner at Vicente LLP, focusing his practice on regulatory and licensing matters in Massachusetts and New York. Clients turn to Brandon for representation and assistance with navigating medical and adult-use application processes, preparation and submission of national merit-based license applications, ongoing compliance and regulatory matters with the Cannabis Control Commission, and regulatory due diligence in connection with M&A deals. Brandon is also a member of Vicente LLP’s national merit licensing team, where he served as the lead attorney for competitive marijuana licensing projects in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, Illinois, and Virginia.

Recognized as one of “Boston’s Top Lawyers” by Boston magazine, Brandon is often quoted in media publications related to the MA and NY markets.

Prior to joining Vicente LLP in 2014, Brandon’s practice focused on civil litigation and criminal defense. He attended law school at New England School Law | Boston, where he was a New England Scholar and senior editor on the New England Journal of International and Comparative Law.

Calvin Frye

Cannabis Pioneer, Dispensary Owner, Entrepreneur

Scientist, pioneering cannabis activist, entrepreneur and micro-business license holder, part-owner of one of the highly sought after West Hollywood edible consumption lounge licenses and equity stakeholder in licenses in Oklahoma and Illinois, Calvin Frye has over 16 years of experience cannabis industry. He currently is on the advisory board for the Cannabis World Cannabis Business Exposition, Chairman of the Social Equity Standing Committee for the National Hemp Association and holds board of directors seats at several other corporations. Frye has held several key positions in the Biotech industry for major companies like Xoma, Amgen and Baxter Biosciences, advancing his career from Research Associate to Associate Scientist. He has invaluable experience working alongside some of the founders of the MMJ industry (Dennis Peron) as well as many of the industry pioneering groups in Los Angeles (Americans For Safe Access and NORML).

Frye has one of the oldest licenses in Los Angeles and is one of the first dispensary owners in the entire country. He has been pivotal in the progression of the cannabis movement throughout the United States. He has appeared in numerous documentaries and television shows and has been featured in many magazines as one of the premier voices in cannabis. Nationally, Frye has been the keynote speaker at many conferences including the World Congress Cannabis Expo, Blunt Talks and others. Currently, he is participating in the sponsored mentorship program that oversees and teaches social equity program owners how to operate and run a successful dispensary for the City of Los Angeles. He has also branded his line of cannabis genetics and trademarked the name “Cloneville” which he has attached to his genetics. He owns Frye Consulting and Management Group, a full-service firm that provides consulting services from startup to full-scale production, including regulatory expertise.

Frye earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Iowa (Big Ten Conference) in Science Education. He also attended graduate college with an emphasis in General Science.

Carlyn S. Buckler
Associate Professor of Practice, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University
Chair, CALS Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, Cornell University

Dr. Carlyn Buckler came to the Cornell University School of Integrative Plant Science in 2018, where she teaches courses on the Public Communication of Science, and an overview course, Cannabis: Biology, Society, and Industry.

Buckler is a member of the International Network for the Public Communication of Science, and the Association of Science-Technology Centers.  She is the 2020-2022 Chair of the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Diversity and Inclusion Committee, serves on the SIPS Diversity and Inclusion Council, and led the Teaching Faculty group to facilitate faculty in transitioning to online learning in response to the pandemic.

She is a member of the Cornell Institute for Digital Agriculture (CIDA) and is also the Advisor and Faculty Mentor for the Cornell SMART group (Student Marijuana Alliance for Research and Transparency). While at Cornell she has been interviewed by Bloomberg Television, the Wall Street Journal, and other national and international press agencies. In 2019, Buckler also helped to develop and is the lead faculty member for the SIPS Hemp Master’s in Professional Studies program, the first of its kind in the U.S.

Charles Smith
Founder, 5280Canna

Charles Smith is a cannabis regulatory consultant. He assists and advises clients on many facets of the cannabis business with a focus on licensing and compliance. A member of the New York State Bar, Charles is intimately familiar with cannabis laws and regulations throughout the United States. His experience spans across multiple states, including California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Charles is a Lifetime Member of both the National Cannabis Bar Association and the NORML Legal Committee.

He has assisted and advised companies in all aspects of the cannabis industry including: licensing/compliance, strategy and nationwide expansion. Charles works extensively with  Registered Marijuana Dispensaries (“RMD”) and Marijuana Establishment applicants in Massachusetts, providing compliance consulting in the licensing and regulatory process.

Charles is a frequent speaker at cannabis industry conferences throughout the country including the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Cannabis Business Summit and the Cannabis World Conference and Business Expo. Charles is a member of the faculty for Elevate New England, a nonprofit whose mission is to empower underrepresented populations to work and lead in the cannabis industry, and to empower communities to be educated customers and responsible consumers.

Education

BROOKLYN LAW SCHOOL
Juris Doctor, 2008
Judge Nathan Sobel Prize
CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Criminal Law

Activities & Affiliations

• NORML National Legal Committee, Lifetime Member
• National Cannabis Bar Association, Lifetime Member
• National Cannabis Industry Association, Member

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
B.A., Criminal Justice & Criminology
Bar Admissions

• New York

Christina De Giovanni
CEO, The Emerald

Christina de Giovanni is a seasoned marketing professional and corporate media executive who has garnered numerous accolades for her work in print and digital publishing.

After encountering an instance of civil injustice, Christina was inspired to create The Emerald™, a media platform dedicated to promoting the responsible use of cannabis and advocating for its decriminalization.

With her extensive experience and expertise, Christina has been invited to speak at numerous conferences and expos, and has successfully established The Emerald™ as a reputable and nationally recognized brand that serves as a trusted advocate and voice for the cannabis industry.

Dasheeda Dawson,
Founding Director, Cannabis NYC

Dasheeda Dawson is a global cannabis advocate, award-winning Fortune 100 business strategist, and bestselling author on the cannabis industry. Dawson has nearly 20 years of business development, strategic management, and brand marketing excellence while leading transformative organizations in both the public and private sectors, nearly a decade of which has focused on the growing cannabis industry.

As an advocate and policy advisor, Dawson was pivotal to the 2021 landmark passage of New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act. While fighting for legalization in her home state, Dawson led cannabis regulation in Portland, Oregon for a number of years. In that role, Dawson oversaw all regulatory licensing, compliance, education, and equity initiatives for the city’s cannabis industry. Under her leadership, Portland approved a multimillion-dollar Cannabis Emergency Relief Fund, becoming the first government jurisdiction in the country to allocate cannabis tax revenue to provide aid and emergency relief to the industry.

In October of 2022, Dasheeda was appointed Founding Director of Cannabis NYC by Mayor Eric Adams. As profiled by the New York Times, she returns home to lead the city’s efforts to become a global leader in cannabis industry excellence. As the founding director, she oversees the interagency creation and curation of citywide resources and services to help build a sustainable cannabis industry, including helping entrepreneurs to apply for licenses, access financing opportunities, and navigate municipal regulations.

Dawson serves as Board chair of the Cannabis Regulators of Color Coalition, a national organization of industry policymakers and regulators often referred to as the leading architects of cannabis equity and reform in the United States. She received her MBA from Rutgers Business School and completed her undergraduate degree in molecular biology at Princeton University.

David Feldman
Co-founder, President, CEO, Skip Intro Advisors

David Feldman is a lawyer, advisor and entrepreneur still deciding what to do when he grows up. He has been a leading out-of-the-box guide to hundreds of growing businesses in his over 30 years of experience. He’s the author of four books on finance and entrepreneurship, and is known as one of the leading cannabis finance attorneys in the U.S., having served as Co-Lead of the 60-lawyer Cannabis Practice Group for an AmLaw 100 law firm. He has received honors and accolades from the global guide Chambers & Partners, the National Law Journal, Business Insider and Schneps Media among others.

A Wharton School graduate and former Chair of the school’s worldwide alumni, David is not just a lawyer – he’s a community builder. He’s run, built, bought, invested in, and sold businesses. He feels his clients’ pain but provides the objective outsider’s point of view that founders need. He’s Skip Intro’s “Velvet Hammer”: a calm, clear, and firm guide and mentor, who is both practical and honest. His ‘no jerks’ policy in accepting clients, partners, and employees keeps morale, energy, and results ‘high on the list’ in Skip Intro Advisors company culture.

Douglas Dunlap
GTM Director, CCELL and AUXO

Douglas Dunlap, GTM Director at CCELL and AUXO, is a 12-year veteran of product development with 5 years of direct experience in vaping. Having worked for GoPro, Roku, August, and JUUL, he specializes in understanding consumers’ needs and translating them into innovative product roadmaps and creative launch campaigns.

Evan Nison
Member, Board of Directors, NORML; Founder, NisonCO

Evan Nison is a member of the NORML Board of Directors and sits on the Board of Directors of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. He is the founder of the PR firm NisonCo, which connects leaders in the legal cannabis, medical marijuana, and hemp industries with influential journalists across the U.S. and world. As part of his mission to build socially driven businesses, he co-founded Whoopi & Maya, a women’s-focused cannabis brand with actress Whoopi Goldberg and fellow NORML board member Rick Cusick. He then went on to co-found Emerald Farm Tours, a Northern California-based cannabis tour company to give the public a transparent hands-on view of the cannabis industry from seed to sale, and Bloody Good Vape & Smoke, a smoke shop in New Jersey he founded with a victim of cannabis prohibition who was held in jail for a year awaiting trial.

Evan has been mentioned in news sources such as the NY Times, CNN, Politico, USA Today, NBC New York, Bloomberg TV, Forbes, and has been profiled in The Cannabist, Civilized, Ithaca Times, Home News Tribune, The Marijuana Times, and the Sun Times. He also received the 2011 NORML Student Activism Award and High Times Freedom Fighter Award for his advocacy. He also received one of the pens used to sign the New York 911 Good Samaritan Law and New York medical marijuana law for his involvement in the passage of both bills.

Franklin Henderson
Member, Board of Directors, Cannabis Association of New York

Gretchen Gailey

Chief Strategist, CWCBExpo

Gailey has worked in the cannabis industry for the past seven years in a communications and government affairs capacity advancing the industry through its data and the stories of those involved. She is currently the founder of Panoptic Strategies, a Public Relations and Strategic Communications firm that specializes in the cannabis industry. Prior to Panoptic, she worked as a Vice President for KCSA Strategic Communications where she spearheaded the KCSA Congressional Cannabis Day Forum, the first cannabis event ever to be held under the dome of the U.S. Capitol.  Gailey also served as the Executive Vice President of Communications & Government Affairs for New Frontier Data where she developed and implemented an integrated strategic communications plan that made NFD one of the most recognized companies in the cannabis space

Before joining the cannabis movement, she served as the Communications Director for Congressman Bill Shuster (R-PA), the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She began her career as a journalist for NBC News and Fox News Channel in Washington D.C. and honed her communications skills covering politics and breaking news. She has interviewed heads of state, covered natural disasters, political campaigns, terrorist trials and told the stories of countless Americans across the country. Her vast experience across all sectors has made her an invaluable asset to building relationships and giving a voice to the cannabis sector.

Arana Hankin-Biggers
President, Union Square Travel Agency: A Cannabis Store

Arana Hankin-Biggers is the President of the Union Square Travel Agency: A Cannabis Store. A long-time supporter of cannabis legalization, Arana has over two decades of experience working in economic development policy, urban planning, and real estate development. As the NYS Assistant Commissioner for Economic Development, she managed the implementation of the inaugural $100 million NYSTEM program, a $50 million Small Business Revolving Loan Fund, and oversaw the disbursement of $35 billion in federal stimulus funding. She served as the Director of the Atlantic Yards Project, the President of the Queens West Development Corporation, and the Director of Columbia University’s Manhattanville Project for New York State Empire State Development.

Arana has led large complex capital projects in government, on behalf of not for profits, for start-ups, and for private real estate developers working as a senior executive and consultant at HR&A Advisors, WeWork, Lela Goren Group, Sugar Hill Capital Partners, New York Urban League, and BRIC Arts.

Passionate about creative placemaking, Arana has successfully negotiated inclusive partnerships across diverse sectors ensuring economic opportunities for Minority and Women Business Enterprises and local residents in partnership with not for profits.

In 2021 Arana teamed up with former real estate colleagues and a cannabis finance executive from Massachusetts to develop a purpose driven cannabis venture, Harbour Community, that seeks to redirect profits from the cannabis sector to not for profits that serve communities hit the hardest by the War on Drugs. Consequently, Harbour formed a successful partnership with The Doe Fund and partnered with the not for profit to secure one of the first dispensary licenses in New York.

Since being awarded a CAURD license, Union Square Travel Agency USQTA) has also partnered with the Cannabis Justice & Equity Initiative (CJEI) and Unloc to hire formerly incarcerated and legacy operators to work in the dispensary. USQTA is also committed to supporting BIPOC and women-owned cannabis brands to realize our mission of ensuring that the legalization of cannabis benefits those who were harmed the most during prohibition.

Arana received a BA from Howard University, a MA from Stanford University, and was a Loeb Fellow at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. She lives in Harlem with her partner, Sanford Biggers, a visual artist, and their five-year-old daughter and two-year-old son.

Harrison Bard
Co-Founder, Custom Cones USA

Harrison Bard is an accomplished entrepreneur, having started multiple companies in the eCommerce space. His first business, an avant-garde trophy company, was started during college, and has worked with many Fortune 500 companies including Mcdonald’s, Facebook, Yelp, Zappos, Wholefoods, and UPS. Upon graduating from the Kenan Flagler Business School at The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, Harrison worked for Amazon, managing the great Japanese power tool company Makita, as well as other key accounts in the power tools category for Amazon retail.  Most recently, Harrison co-founded Custom Cones USA, which is the leading ancillary company in the pre-roll space. Through Custom Cones USA, Harrison has worked with publically traded LPs and MSOs, leading U.S brands, and companies of every size in between. His expertise in every facet of the Pre-Roll sector, from paper science, to pre-roll manufacturing technology and techniques, to a deep understanding of packaging and compliance regulations, has allowed Custom Cones USA to help create new products, scale brands, and bring more consistency to the pre-roll sector of the industry.

Harry Carpenter
Partner, Co-Practice Leader, Cannabis Advisory Services, Citrin Cooperman

Harry Carpenter is a partner and cannabis advisory services practice co-leader with over 20 years of experience. Harry is a CPA, providing a wide variety of accounting, audit, and consulting services to private clients in a number of specialized industries, including the rapidly growing cannabis industry. Harry serves as the New Jersey Practice Leader and Co-Chairman for the firm’s Cannabis Advisory Services Practice.

Howard Hoffman
CEO, Omnium Canna

Howard Hoffman is a Philippine-born American entrepreneur and humanitarian committed to changing the world through proper health and nutrition education. He is the CEO of The Omnium Group, which provides quality private label, co-packing, and bulk supply services for clients in the Dietary  Supplement, Nutraceutical, HPP Beverage, Cosmetic, Hair, Body, Skin Care, and OTC industries. He is also the founder and CEO of PHPD; Howard operates two brands – pHresh Products and Dream Nutrition – and is a formulator and creator of the world’s first narrow-range pH testing strip, a Class One medical device.

Howard is also the co-founder and CEO of Omnium Canna, the first minority-owned cannabis processor and extractor in the United States.

As an executive, Howard has an impressive track record of leading diverse teams of professionals to new levels of success across highly competitive industries, cutting-edge markets, and fast-paced business environments. His technical and business qualifications, paired with hands-on experience in strategic planning, product development, and system engineering strategies, have proven his ability to successfully analyze an organization’s critical business requirements to develop highly efficient strategies and cost-effective solutions.

Omnium Canna, which operates in Long Island, NY, is a cGMP-licensed, regulated cannabis extractor and processor with a seasoned management team of over 90 years in the dietary supplement and highly regulated industries. The company operates out of a 45k sqft state-of-the-art facility powered by renewable energy and offers a one-stop supply chain infrastructure solution to support the cannabis industry within New York. The company ensures consistent quality of the highest standards throughout the supply chain process, from the final product to dispensary shelves.

Jared Mirsky
Founder, CEO, Wick & Mortar

Since 2009 Jared Mirsky and his award-winning cannabis-focused branding and marketing agency, Wick & Mortar, have been featured in dozens of magazines including Entrepreneur Media, Forbes, National Geographic, Wired, Cheddar, Huff Post, and CNN Money. 2018 was the most explosive growth year yet, and Wick & Mortar continues to rack up awards and honors such as Top 40 under 40 in Cannabis Now and Marijuana Venture Magazine, 2x Dope Industry Award Winners, ranked #193 by Entrepreneur 360, Global Packaging Award Winners and most recently, Clio Award winners for their documentary “A Humboldt Story.” Not content with simply winning awards, Jared continues to shape an industry and is now a regular contributor to Forbes, High Times, Entrepreneur, High Times, Beauty Packaging Mag. and has recently launched his new podcast, Rebranding Cannabis. Despite the successes, for Jared, the greatest achievement in his life is his son. Rebranding Cannabis is his mission, and he aims to accomplish this by helping to educate the industry on the power of successful branding in the cannabis space and the impact it has on the world.

Jenny Argie
Founder, Owner, Jenny’s

Jenny Argie, is the founder and owner of Jenny’s Home Baked Goods and is a Brooklyn based small-business owner, a plant-based eating and CBD advocate, single mother of three, and a breast cancer survivor. She went full-steam ahead on a journey toward wellness. Her number one goal—getting healthy for her three children, and for herself.

Incorporating plant-based foods made her feel energetic and including full-spectrum hemp oil into her daily regimen, Jenny noticed significant improvement in her physical, emotional, and psychological health. She teaches others how to incorporate CBD oil into plant-based cooking and she focuses on hemp and healthy foods as part of a holistic approach to one’s overall health. Jenny’s BAKED at home products are organic, full-spectrum CBD infused foods and skin products, derived from non-GMO, pesticide-free hemp that’s 100% grown in the USA.

John Kagia
Director of Policy, NYS Office of Cannabis Management (NYSOCM)

Joshua Keough
Director of Solutions Engineering, TC Controls

Maxime Kot
President and Partner, The Cannabis Business Advisors

Maxime Kot is president and part owner of national consulting firm The Cannabis Business Advisors. A cannabis licensing and compliance expert with eight years of direct industry experience, Kot has built a proven track record securing multiple cannabis licenses across 17 state markets. Kot’s strategic approach and in-depth knowledge on government policy and rulemaking has led her to excel in the highly regulated market. As president, Kot oversees client relations at The Cannabis Business Advisors and serves as company lead on projects involving application and licensing preparation, operational analysis, policy and procedures, and business development planning.

With a keen understanding of cannabis market trends, Kot evaluates new opportunities and builds complex business cases encompassing opportunity sizing, competitive strategy, functional requirements, and execution timelines for license applications. In addition to her professional expertise, Kot is a valued industry spokesperson who has presented at high-profile business and investor focused conferences, including MJBizConINT’L, MJBizCon Las Vegas, Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, and the Marijuana Industry Trade Association’s 16-week Social Equity Mentorship Program. Kot holds a Bachelor of Science focused in Marketing from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Leo Bridgewater

Co-founder, Collective 60 New Jersey
Co-founder, Heart Community Capital

In 2001, Leo Bridgewater enlisted into the United States Army in response to the September 11 attacks. There, he spent 5 years as a Telecommunications specialist with multiple deployments to Iraq. After separating from the Army in 2006, he spent another 2 ½ years working for the Dept. of the Army at the Pentagon in Washington DC. Having had 3 battle buddies attempt suicide and 2 being successful, Leo’s advocacy for veterans’ rights has seen him testify in NJ Senate Committee to have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) added to the NJ Medical Marijuana Program (NJMMP). As a result of his efforts, in September of 2016, NJ Gov. Chris Christie signed bill S-2345 adding PTSD to the NJMMP.

Luis Pilonieta
Canapa by Paxiom

Luis Pilonieta is a business-minded and enthusiastic sales professional with over 14 years of experience in packaging automation solutions. He is skilled at developing the right action plan for each of his client’s unique needs and committed to helping them choose the right equipment for their businesses. Throughout his career, Luis has supervised and managed machinery sales of over 325 million in revenue. He has earned the trust of many national and international companies and maintained strong client relationships that generate repeat business.

Marvin Morales
Founder, Morales Family Farms

Marvin Morales is a first-generation Puerto Rican, Native American farmer and Founder of Morales Family Farms, from Mount Morris, NY, located in Livingston County. Marv is a practicing Torah-observant Jewish adherent and US Air Force veteran, having served our country from 1977-1987, primarily stationed in Hawaii and Nevada. Marv began his career in farming by growing organic vegetables in 2005 and in 2019, transitioned into the cannabis industry by becoming one of NY’s first hemp CBD growers, operating as MoHemp. Since July 2022, Marv has expanded his family farm operation to include an adult use conditional cultivator license and plans to rollout Morales Natural Farms branded products. In his spare time, Marv is an avid chess player.

Mary Pryor
Co-founder, Cannaclusive

Mary Pryor is a powerhouse who has made a name for herself as a trendsetter, innovator, and strategic problem solver. Based in New York, Mary’s diverse background in automotive design, electrical engineering, music, education, digital arts, and marketing has allowed her to bring a unique perspective to her work.

With an impressive list of employers and clients across the music, media, technology, and marketing industries, including Sony Music Group, Viacom, Attention PR, City Parks Foundation, Mirrorball, Black Enterprise, CBS News, Ebony Magazine, Essence Magazine, Rolling Stone, VaynerMedia, Mindshare, SheKnows Media, McCann XBC, McCann Health, Byron Allen Group, Sean Combs Enterprises, and McGarryBowen, Mary has established herself as a bicoastal media expert.

Recognizing the need for businesses that cater to culturally rich and niche audiences through digital and social marketing integration, Mary founded her own consulting firms, WeFancy and UrbanSocialista.

Mary’s expertise in trend forecasting and innovation has led her to speak at events across the country, and in 2014, she was recognized as SXSW’s Innovator of the Year. Her goal is to empower communities through the utilization of digital tools, providing online branding and digital trend-forecasting for the general market.

In addition to her consulting work, Mary sits as Senior Director of Digital Strategy and Web3 at Wasserman. She is a co-founder of Cannaclusive, a collective focused on inclusive marketing and business advocacy in the cannabis industry, and the founder of Sheba Baby, her brand new self-care plant-based wellness brand. She currently serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for Tonic CBD and Tricolla Farms and holds equity and advises two companies, Dieux Skin and Flor De Maria.

Mary is a proud native of Detroit, Michigan, and a graduate of the University of Michigan. Her passion for wellness in all forms and her commitment to empowering marginalized communities through digital tools make her a force to be reckoned across various industries.

Matthew Bernardo
President Housing Works, Executive Director, Housing Works Community Healthcare

As President of Housing Works, Matt oversees all of Housing Works’ businesses and programs, including healthcare, housing, fundraising, retail services (10 Thrift Shops and an eShop website, a Bookstore and Café), and advocacy.

Most recently, Matt worked to conceptualize, research, plan and launch New York State’s first dispensary, Housing Works’ Cannabis Co., in late December of 2022. Building on his retail experience, Matt is turning Cannabis Co. into New York’s most successful dispensary.

Matthew previously served as Chief Operating Officer and oversaw Housing Works’ social enterprises. His goal has always been to offer the best products and customer service, build revenue, and grow a devoted fan base to support advocacy initiatives and services. As COO, Matt spearheaded two high-profile fundraising events that support Housing Works’ mission: Design on a Dime and Fashion for Action. Combined, these events contribute $1.5 million annually.

Prior to joining Housing Works, Matt worked in the retail sector. He started his career at Bloomingdale’s, developing their private label men’s line. After Bloomingdale’s, Matt merchandised and launched a new in-flight magazine for American, Northwest, and TWA Airlines and eventually was the lead merchandiser for Skymall magazine.

Matt graduated from Boston University’s School of Management with a concentration in marketing. He received his Master of Social Work from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College. He sits on the Board of EngageWell IPA, which advocates for and promotes access to lifesaving, community-based services provided by a network of agencies across New York City.

Michael Harlow
Partner, Co-Practice Director, DC Metro Tax Practice, CohnReznick

Michael Harlow is a partner and the Co-Practice Director for the DC Metro Tax Practice for CohnReznick. As such, Michael enjoys working with a variety of clients across the Washington region. He has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting serving clients in attestation, accounting, and tax advisory roles Michael has extensive experience across multiple real estate-related industries including homebuilding, land development, residential management, commercial management, and land engineering.

For the past seven years Michael has focused his efforts on growing the tax services of the CohnReznick Cannabis Practice.  The CohnReznick Cannabis Practice services clients in regulated adult use and medical markets ranging from single state dispensary operations to some of the largest MSOs in the country.  He is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of Maryland.

Michael Markarian
CEO, Contempo Specialty Packaging

Michael Markarian is the CEO of Contempo Specialty Packaging, a cannabis packaging company that designs and manufactures beautiful child resistant packaging for every cannabis product. Contempo Specialty Packaging has been in the cannabis packaging business since 2017 and its parent company has a 45 year successful track record creating beautiful packaging for the top brands and retailers in the fashion industry. Contempo services many of the top cannabis brands across North America. Markarian is host of The Sustainable Packaging Show Podcast, where he provides education and outlines strategies to create a world where sustainable packaging is the norm. He also has a YouTube channel called The Cannabis Packaging Show and a LinkedIn Newsletter called Sustainable Packaging.

Michael Williamson
Director of Cultivation, PIPP Horticulture

As the Director of Cultivation, Michael fuses his 14 years of commercial cannabis ownership and operational excellence to provide support and strategy for Pipp‘s engineering/sales teams and client operators. Michael co-founded Greenhaus Industries in 2013, now a Division of Pipp Horticulture and is an early pioneer in vertical farming. Michael has operated and consulted on over 7 million sq. ft. of indoor, greenhouse, and outdoor cultivation facilities worldwide. Michael has 35,000+ hours in cultivation and dispensary operations, including over 3,000 compliant cannabis harvests. Michael is GAP certified from Cornell University and an advocate for Lean Farming and Manufacturing practices. 

Nicole Buffong
National Community Program Director, Minorities for Medical Marijuana

Nicole’s pursuit for the truth has opened doors of opportunity for her. Nicole began this career after being diagnosed with HIV in March of 2017. Determined to not take synthetic drugs for the rest of her life she went against her doctors recommendations and launched her own holistic healing initiative, becoming a pioneer in the green foods movement. Entrepreneur, cannabis patient and advocate, Nicole is now National Community Program Director for Minorities for Medical Marijuana. Minorities for Medical Marijuana is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides advocacy, education, training and outreach to underserved communities. In her new role, she leverages over a decade of experience to help consult clients on the benefits of a holistic healthy lifestyle, speaks globally about the many benefits of using medicinal plants, helping them to understand the power of food and self care and advises individuals seeking to become a part of the legal Cannabis industry. Nicole has also been selected to serve for a 3rd year as a Board of Director for The Chamber of Cannabis in Las Vegas. The Chamber of Cannabis is a 5o1(c)(6) non-profit organization designed to unite cannabis industry professionals who strive to build a more inclusive industry through strengthening commerce, improving justice, and positively impacting the community. Nicole also volunteers as a Board of Director with Association for Cannabis Health Equity and Medicine (ACHEM) a mutual benefit, professional medical association for BIPOC healthcare professionals and students active or interested in cannabinoid medicine and health equity.

Nicole’s experience in executive and community outreach operations also includes launching the Georgia Chapter for Minorities for Medical Marijuana and was the acting Chapter president for the state of Nevada, bringing a diverse perspective to the new, and rapidly growing hemp and cannabis industry. Pairing passion with philanthropy, Nicole is seeking to become a Cannabis legislative lobbyist fighting for health equity throughout the globe. Nicole is also excited about expanding the legal Cannabis industry throughout the Caribbean region & African continent and ensure that the people have the resources they need to become a part of this thriving global billion dollar legal Cannabis industry. Her experience includes being on all sides of the patient and caretaker role, building a campaign to achieve legislative goals, a magnetic public speaker and thought leader.

Precious Hester Brown
Co-founder, Entertaining and Elevating with Cannabis

Precious Hester Brown is a visionary entrepreneur and hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience in organizational management. She is the co-founder, alchemist and driving force behind Entertaining and Elevating with Cannabis (EEWC), a groundbreaking hospitality and lodging business that aims to transform the perception of cannabis consumption and create intentional spaces for culture and conversation.

With a passion for creating meaningful community commitments that support change, Precious Brown is dedicated to rectifying the harm caused by cannabis stigmatism, particularly for women and mothers in her community. She believes cannabis can be a powerful tool for empowerment and generational change, and seeks to inspire and educate her community through EEWC’s unique approach to cannabis-infused experiences.

As a seasoned professional in organizational management, Precious Brown brings a wealth of expertise to EEWC. Her leadership skills and strategic vision have been honed over two decades of successfully managing teams and operations in various hospitality settings. Her ability to create and implement efficient systems and her keen eye for detail has been instrumental in establishing EEWC as a premium hospitality Bud and Breakfast. Cureent locations in Mt Airy, Philadelphia and coming soon upstate New York.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Precious Brown is deeply committed to social justice and community empowerment. She understands the historical and ongoing disparities faced by black and brown communities in relation to cannabis and is actively working to rectify these injustices through EEWC’s initiatives. Her dedication to creating intentional spaces that center culture and conversations reflects her unwavering commitment to positively impacting her community.

With her visionary leadership, organizational management skills, and unwavering commitment to social change, Precious Brown is driving the mission of EEWC to normalize cannabis consumption, empower communities, and create lasting change. Her passion for hospitality and cannabis advocacy makes her a formidable force in the industry and a driving force behind EEWC’s success.

Roland Conner
CEO, Smacked Village

Ryan Himmel
VP, Head of Strategic Partnerships, LeafLink

Ryan Himmel is VP & Head of Strategic Partnerships at LeafLink, the world’s leading wholesale cannabis platform. Ryan leads the strategy and execution for partnering with financial services, technology and logistics providers to support and grow LeafLink’s GMV of $4.5B annually. Through this strategy, LeafLink has delivered the most successful embedded finance platform in the highly regulated cannabis industry.

Prior to joining LeafLink, Ryan spent over 20 years in leadership positions within the accounting tech and FinTech space. Moreover, he has led several industry-defining partnerships with small, mid-size and large-scale financial institutions and technology companies. Ryan’s demonstrated expertise and success has been covered in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Crains and Entrepreneur Magazine.

Sarah Stenuf
Founder and CEO, Ananda Farms, Founder and Director, Veteran’s Ananda

Sarah Stenuf is a native of Syracuse, NY. She served 4 yrs & 1 deployment in the U.S. Army, as an Apache Crew Chief, prior to being medically retired for epilepsy from a TBI & PTSD. Through years researching and utilizing alternative medicine, treatments, and program, Mrs. Stenuf became dedicated to helping others, specifically our nation’s veterans.

Which is why Mrs. Stenuf founded Veteran’s Ananda Inc. a 501(c)(3) non-profit, homestead & retreat that provides care, support, & rehabilitation to our nation’s veterans & their families through traditional & nontraditional treatments & therapies – riding a one-size fits all approach to support and healing.
Mrs. Stenuf is also co-founder of the not-for-profit Service-Disabled Veterans In Cannabis Association, Chairwoman for the City of Fulton Cannabis & Hemp Advisory Council and Founder and CEO of Ananda Farms – Veteran’s Ananda Inc for-profit subsidiary. A portion of Ananda Farm’s proceeds are donated to Veteran’s Ananda Inc. to support the non-profit’s mission. Ananda Farms is NYS WOB, SDVOB, NGLCC company. Ananda Farms was one of the first 28 awarded a conditional Adult-Use Cannabis Cultivation license and is dedicated to providing jobs, opportunities, and incentives to veterans.
Because of the dedication to give-back efforts, Ananda Farms and Mrs. Stenuf have received recognition and awards on a state and national level to include being recognized by Emerald Magazine as one of the “top 10 cannabis brands dedicated to social equity,” by Hemp Connoisseur Magazine as one of the “top 100 people you should know list” as well as awarded MVP at the national Cannabis Business Awards.

Stella Morrison
Founder, CannaContent

Steve Blank, Jr.
Founder, Dolo Media

Steve Blank, Jr., Founder of Dolo Media, delivers brand strategy solutions driven by organizational core values and unapologetic authenticity. For years he has explored and documented the evolution of the industry through “Cannabis Today,” empowering the community and culture to reflect, react or collaborate with clarity and confidence. His ability to help businesses and brands identify and market their most valuable traits and most relatable values has contributed more than seven figures in sales volume.

Steve Gelsi
Reporter, MarketWatch

Experienced reporter, blogger, editor and book author with a passion for news. Specialties include on-camera and public speaking, plus quick analysis and reporting on private equity, financial markets, the energy sector, legal cannabis, initial public offerings and general assignment journalism.

Thomas Sauvageau
Managing Partner, ERTC Filing

What is the background story behind your product or service? Thomas Sauvageau is an accountant and consultant with over 20 years experience in accounting helping small businesses owners.  He founded Sauvageau & Co., LLC, a regional accounting firm, which he sold in 2016 and had since been offering outsourced CFO services and teaching accounting in continuing education.  When the ERTC program was announced, in particular when it changed in late 2020, Thomas was one of the firsts to recognize the benefits of the program and the lack of available providers to help businesses file for ERTC.  His first step was having a program, ertcfiling.com, written to mimic Turbo Tax to allow business owners to go online and fill out the forms themselves which would then print out the forms businesses would need to file in order to take advantage of the tax credit.  It became quickly apparent that because this program is one of a kind, it was confusing to the business owners and other accountants and CPA’s and therefore required a pivot to a new model which included consultants which walk business owners through the information gathering process and filing process with the ertcfiling.com software.  At the end of these meeting, the client would pay a flat fee (rather than the industry standard 15%) and the business owner would receive their documents which need only be signed and mailed to the IRS.  Overall, our business model has allowed a considerably higher amount of small business owners(those under 50 employees) take advantage of this program all while charging total fees equal to only 1.83% of the funds we were able to get back for our clients.  This has led us to be one of the top ERTC providers in the nation.

Thunder Walker
Dispensary/Processor Owner, Real Estate Professional

Thunder Walker has over 40 years in real estate, finance and construction, with 7 years of cannabis and cbd legacy experience. She
currently is the licensed owner of 7 dispensary and processing companies in the United States, with her own CBD products in other countries
Walker has developed consepts and lead the team of creatives to develop commercial retail clothing stores in several states.

Walker has helped developed a very successful vegan restaurant and food trucks. The trucking industry also called her to help them strategize future growth of their fleet of trucks by successfully helping them receive cannabis transport licenses and obtained and consulted on a government trucking contract netting over $7,000,000. She owns a digital magazine Women Pushing Dirt. Walker also holds a coveted liquor and tobacco license in Texas.

Walker and her team of developers are developing an Agri-Hood with a budget of S875 + million in Texas and Colorado. She won Woman on the Rise In Cannabis in Atlantic City, New Jersey and San Francisco, California at Women In Cannabis Conference. She spoke on Cannabis Real Estate topic Damn The Man Save The Dirt and the Diversity and inclusion panel Women Of Color in Cannabis while speaking in Las Vegas on Not One Word About My Dirt! Thunder Walker was the first Black Woman to judge a Cannabis Cuol and participated in the Hawaiian Legislative meeting.

Walker covered Consumption Park at Super Bow 57 in Phoenix. AZ unleashing The Thunder Walker Experience! Thunder interviewed several celebrities, politicians and entrepreneurs. She gave out solid Green Zone advice as she graced the Stage, with thousands of people attended this history making event.
She also spoke at KushCon in Tampa the topic was On the 2rd Day God Created Dirt!

And again on the Diversity Panel speaking about the special population that are not only our patients but can also he diligent workers, through her nonprofit Need A Voice LLC.

From Cannabis Banking to Cannabis Real Estate to Cannabis Appraisal I set the Value of the Dirt and the Smoke
Thunder Walker is the Regional Director of Cannabis for Women In Cannabis Chamber Of Commerce
She is also an Executive Member of National Society Of Real Estate Appraiser
And a Member of National Association Real Estate Brokers
Both are African American Real Estate Trade Organization with over 75 years in the industry
She has her own Brand of CD and Cannabis – Proud Mary Botanicals and Proud Mary Cannabis
Thunder is a cannabis and CBD Influencer
Me Walker is a mom
She creates turn key businesses for others wanting to start their own business.

Will Yakowicz
Staff Writer, Forbes

Will Yakowicz is a staff writer at Forbes, where he covers the cannabis industry.

Zach Fowler
Business Development Representative, Argus Controls

Zacharie Fowler joined Argus Controls in 2020 as the North-East Business Development Representative. A graduate from the Asper School at the University of Manitoba, Zach utilizes his background in the Ag-Tech industry to help clients automate their facilities and increase yields. Zach has worked with numerous cannabis clients, ranging from large MSOs to Independent Cannabis Entrepreneurs.