Advisory Board

Chris Ball
Owner and CEO
Ball Family Farms

Chris Ball is the founder of Ball Family Farms, the first Social Equity licensed vertically integrated cannabis facility in Los Angeles. Mr. Ball is an accomplished entrepreneur and innovative cultivator. The Southern California native began selling cannabis as a teen to put himself through junior college, where he played football. After discovering the cultivation side of cannabis while playing professionally in Canada, he began his self-taught botany education with no prior knowledge of the craft. Ball then acquired a 5,000-square-foot cultivation warehouse in Los Angeles –with only 14 lights in a tiny room and began growing for Prop 215 shops.

And in 2016, when Los Angeles adopted commercial cannabis regulations and announced its Social Equity Program (SEP), Ball saw it as the perfect opportunity to transition and grow his business. Ball Family Farms (BFF) incorporated in 2018 and launched its first commercial strain, Daniel LaRusso. The balanced hybrid instantly became a favorite strain in licensed cannabis retail. And in 2021, BFF doubled its facility size to 40,000 square feet and began expanding its slate of flower strains - from three to ten.

While Ball's initial goal was to create unmatched premium cannabis products, BFF also aims to promote equal pay, diversity and inclusion, and women's empowerment in the workplace. As a tribute to the company's activism and commitment to excellence, the company embraces its motto and tagline, "Cultivating the Culture…from the Ground UP!"

Megan Carl
Assistant Cultivation Manager
Fire Rock Farms

Megan Carl has served as Assistant Cultivation Manager for Akron, Ohio-based Fire Rock Farms, a cultivation company in Ohio’s medical cannabis program, since 2019. As a flower-forward cultivator, Carl’s team brings highly-curated new and classic cultivars—from Animal Face, Wedding Cake and Sunset Sherbert—to Ohio’s medical cannabis patient base under the brand Woodward Fine Cannabis. Carl received a Certification of Completion in Horticulture from the Cleveland School of Cannabis in 2017, where she also served as a Midwest CannaWomen Member.

Kaliko Castille
Co-Founder of ThndrStrm Strategies
President of the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA)

Kaliko Castille is the Co-Founder of ThndrStrm Strategies and President of the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA).

As President of the MCBA, Kaliko works to advance the cannabis industry by promoting the inclusion of minority-owned businesses and advocating for social equity. In this role, he has been recognized as a leading voice in the industry, working to address issues of social justice and equity within the cannabis space.

In addition to his work with the MCBA, Kaliko is also Co-Founder of ThndrStrm Strategies, a digital strategy firm that helps businesses in the cannabis industry develop and execute a holistic content strategy to reach their ideal customers.

Throughout his career, Kaliko has been recognized for his leadership and contributions to the cannabis industry. He has been featured in numerous media outlets, including MSNBC, Forbes, Bloomberg, Cheddar, The Hill, Rolling Stone, and High Times, and has received numerous awards for his work.

Kaliko is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in the cannabis industry and is committed to using his platform to advocate for social justice and equity.

Drew Duval
SVP of Cultivation and Post Harvest Operations
Cresco Labs

Drew Duval is senior VP of Cultivation and Post Harvest Operations for Chicago-based multi-state operator Cresco Labs. He was co-founder and CEO of FloraCal Farms, which he and his wife and business partner, Karen, successfully turned into a top 10 flower brand in California. Drew was also co-founder and CEO of Cub City LLC. He facilitated two mergers for Cub City and FloraCal Farms with Origin House, and then with Cresco Labs. Upon joining Cresco Labs in 2020, he scaled cultivation and post harvest, and scaled five times in canopy with the addition of three mergers. Drew was previously a real estate owner and developer. He is passionate about wild land preservation, social justice, and trying to make the world a better place through cannabis advocacy and access to quality products, and he believes: “If everyone smoked a joint once a day, the world would be a better place.”

Debby Goldsberry
Cannabis Writer and Advisor

Debby Goldsberry has more than 30 years of experience as a leader in the medical and adult-use cannabis industry. She ran Magnolia Wellness dispensary from 2015 – 2020, an award-winning dispensary in Oakland, CA, and is the Compliance Officer at Hi Fidelity dispensary in Berkeley. She co-founded the Berkeley Patients Group (BPG) medical cannabis collective in 1999, directing its growth for over ten years, from 1999 - 2010.

Debby is the author of “Starting and Running a Marijuana Business (Idiot’s Guide),” a well-known industry guide. She developed and implemented standard operating procedures for procurement, product safety, patient relations, and business management and operations, which have been replicated by dispensaries around the nation. She has proven experience in nonprofit business management, public and government relations, and product development and marketing.

As a community leader, Debby is active in the campaign to reform the cannabis laws and protect patients’ rights. She was a Commissioner on the Oakland Cannabis Commission from 2020 - 2021. She is a former board member of California NORML and the Marijuana Policy Project and is a former Professor at Oaksterdam University. Goldsberry has been a staff writer at DOPE Magazine and High Times Medical Marijuana Magazine, and Cannabis Dispensary magazine, and was a featured writer at Smell the Truth, Ladybud, and Freedom Leaf.

She is currently a professional and technical writer and advisor helping small companies succeed in a big business world. She also works with Sapphire Risk Management to ensure that cannabis businesses are safe and secure. Debby has been on winning cannabis application teams in CA, MA, NV, IL, OR, MO, WV, NM, OH, NJ, and MD. She is also a full-time college student studying Human Development at California State University, East Bay.

David Holmes
Owner & CEO
Clade⁹

David Holmes has a master’s degree in Mathematics and was an award-winning adjunct mathematics professor. He was awarded a fellowship to conduct research at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. Holmes was inspired to cultivate marijuana in 1999 after a visit to a high-tech indoor garden. He launched his first large-scale commercial facility in 2007. Shortly thereafter, Clade9 was formed to meet demand for cultivation experts. Applying his expertise in grow room design and management, as well as world-class nutrients, Holmes focused on medical marijuana strain breeding. He has developed over a dozen strains including Fig Bar and Diamond Dust.

Matthew Indest, Ph D.
Technical Director of Agronomy and Plant Improvement
Curaleaf

Dr. Matthew Indest is the Technical Director of Agronomy and Plant Improvement with Curaleaf’s National Technical Cultivation Team. He supports Curaleaf’s network of cultivators through a combination of in-person site visits and Image Analysis to diagnose plant health and provide recommendations to local managers. He designs, coordinates, and analyzes research projects, evaluates technologies, and advises on best practices for improving yield, quality, and consistency of cannabis.

  Dr. Indest applies his education and experience from an array of plant breeding programs to develop unique Curaleaf cultivars. After a decade of working with conventional agricultural and horticultural breeding programs to sift through germplasm libraries, Dr. Indest appreciates the value of vetted, high-performing genetics for commercial production. The breeding program leverages a national genetic library through specific breeding pipelines to develop improved, fit-for-purpose cultivars for each of the company’s highest-value product SKUs.

Nick Jack
Director of Operations
All Good Collective (Colorado)

Nick Jack is a professional cannabis retail sales expert and overall virtuoso on the subject of cannabis. His knowledge and physical work produced in the field is of the highest quality, accuracy, compliance, and dedication. Jack currently supervises the daily operations of All Good Collective’s Colorado division, as Director of Operations, including overseeing manufacturing and production, sales, cash handling, standard operating procedures, financial reporting, inventory management, customer service, regulatory compliance, client communication, and client education. He has a great understanding of the cannabis sector and its market demands and has a vast knowledge of cannabis operations, cannabis strains, customer hospitality, product mixes, merchandising tactics, cannabis marketing, human resources, and state compliance. Jack’s unrivaled work ethic and focus lead him to win the prestigious 2017 Manager of the Year as well as 2020 MVP by the Cannabis Business Awards. Jack is a member of the Cannabis Conference Advisory Board.

Colin Kelley
Operating Partner
Merida Capital Holdings

Colin Kelley is Senior Operating Partner for Merida Capital Partners where he has helped build cannabis operations across the country. He is a board member of Brytemap and Nautilus Botanicals. Kelley also serves on the Advisory Board for Cannabis Business Times’ Cannabis Conference, is a contributor to Cannabis Business Times and was on the Editorial Advisory Board and a frequent contributor to Cannabis Dispensary magazine.

Prior to Merida, Mr. Kelley served as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of vertically integrated LeafLine Labs in Minnesota. Additionally, he has held management roles at Dun & Bradstreet, Investors Bank & Trust, Wind River Capital Management, and Fresenius Medical Care. He has consulted to the SAP Business Incubator and the Civilian Research & Development Fund. Mr. Kelley earned his BSBA in Management and Finance from Bryant University in Rhode Island.

Josh Malman
Vice President of Cultivation Operations
Jushi

Josh brings over 12 years of cannabis industry experience to his role as VP of Cultivation at Jushi. Josh has extensive expertise in genetics, cultivation methodologies and facility design. During his time at Jushi, Josh has been an invaluable part of the company’s operations team creating sophisticated IP, KPIs and SOPs as well as scaling the company’s cultivation operations in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Nevada, Massachusetts and Ohio. Prior to Jushi, Josh worked at The Clinic where he helped grow the business into three cultivation facilities and six retail stores in Colorado. In 2019, Jushi acquired the IP and key team members from The Clinic, with Josh’s expertise being an important part of the transaction. Josh received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture from the University of Wisconsin. As a student, Josh researched international horticulture and spent time in Israel studying irrigation practices.

Troy Meadows
Co-Founder, Chief Marketing Officer and Sustainability Officer
Legion of Bloom

Troy Meadows is a Co-Founder, CMO, and Sustainability officer at Legion of Bloom. As the owner of the marketing department, he has worn many hats, building and growing the LEGION Brand. With proficient knowledge in website design, social media strategy, SEO, email marketing, content marketing, and digital advertising, whether working with a small internal team or outsourced agencies, he is not afraid to roll up his sleeves to get the job done. Troy has effectively woven his passion for sustainability into the fabric of the company he has helped build. He was integral in removing all single-use plastic from product packaging and incorporating give-back programs around sales of specific product lines to help protect the Monarch Butterfly and Plant Trees in California. These efforts did not go unnoticed as he was a recipient of one of Cannabis Business Time’s inaugural Leadership Awards given to a handfull of leaders in 2021 who are helping to shape the industry. Prior to founding the LEGION, Troy spent over 17 years cultivating cannabis as the founder and head grower at multiple farm projects across the state of California. With extensive knowledge of all aspects of the plant's life cycle and experience operating full sun outdoor, light deprivation greenhouse, and indoor facilities.

Claudio Miranda
Co-Founder
Guild Enterprises

Claudio Miranda is the co-founder and CEO of Guild Enterprises, a brand management company that oversees a family of cannabis brands including Guild Extracts, Guild Cannabis and The Guild. The brands have received numerous industry awards and media recognition, and Guild Extracts in particular is considered one of the most reputable innovators in the field of cannabis concentrates. Claudio was recently named among the 100 Most Influential People in Cannabis by High Times Magazine.

Kenneth Morrow
Owner
Trichome Technologies

Kenneth Morrow has been writing cannabis-related articles and books for more than 20 years. He owns Trichome Technologies, a cannabis R&D company. He also is an award-winning grower and breeder. He has made contributions to many of today's extraction methodologies and holds multiple patents. He consults on all cannabis-related subjects. Find him on Facebook at: Trichome Technologies or Instagram: TrichomeTechnologies.

Laurie Parfitt
Principal
LKP Impact Consulting, LLC

Laurie Parfitt is an accomplished executive, leader, and coach with more than 20 years of experience driving innovation and execution across various functional areas of start-ups and Fortune 500 companies, including Kraft Foods, Beam Suntory, Topco Associates, Mizkan America, Mission Dispensaries, and LKP Impact Consulting. Through her company, LKP Impact Consulting, Parfitt works with cannabis and consumer products companies as a Fractional CMO on brand strategy/design, consumer insights and commercial go-to-market strategy. Her expertise and achievements have made her a renowned speaker at prestigious industry events such as the Cannabis Conference, Benzinga, Illinois Women in Cannabis, Cannabis Beverage Expo, Lackawanna College, and The Hatchery. As Vice President of Marketing & Customer Engagement at 4Front/Mission Dispensaries, Laurie played a crucial role by leading marketing efforts and engaging with customers., and she also held senior positions in marketing, sales strategy, operations, and finance at Topco Associates, Walgreens, Beam Suntory, and Kraft Foods. Laurie's educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University. Laurie serves on the advisory boards of Cannabis Business Times-Cannabis Conference & CannaReg Summit and has been a mentor, coach, and teacher for The Hatchery, Illinois Women in Cannabis, CIMA (Chicago Interactive Marketing Association), and Lackawanna College. Laurie's outstanding vision, execution skills, and results-driven approach make her a sought-after leader who can inspire and take any business to the next level.

Lindsey Renner
Owner
Native Humboldt Farms

Lindsey Renner is an enrolled member of the Round Valley Indian Tribes of Northern California. She is the owner of Native Humboldt Farms, and is fully integrated into the California recreational market. She’s a 25-year cannabis advocate and has been growing outdoor sungrown cannabis for 15 years. She uses natural and indigenous farming practices to grow craft cannabis, and she is always looking out for the best interest of the consumer. Vertical integration allows her the ease of pivoting to combat the volatile regulatory structure and market in California. Lindsey was one of the first 250 companies, one of the first 10 women, and the first enrolled tribal member to be licensed in California January 1, 2018. She is currently consulting with Tribal Nations to help write local and National ordinances to ensure the sustainable and successful roll out of the Tribal cannabis market. She highly emphasizes regenerative cannabis and food agriculture. Her mission is to help support a regenerative supply chain from Humboldt County to the Bay Area, as well as restoration efforts within Tribal communities. She sees cannabis as a catalyst to support the regeneration of Tribal communities throughout the nation, and she is working diligently to help facilitate that vision. Lindsey is also an instructor at Cookies U and partnered with Cookies Enterprises on their Humboldt Grown Initiative.

Guy Rocourt
Chief Executive Officer
Papa & Barkley

Guy Rocourt is the Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer for Papa & Barkley, a leading California cannabis wellness company. At P&B, Rocourt is responsible for optimizing production practices, ensuring the company complies with rigorous testing and lab standards, and developing the product roadmap as the brand continues to expand into different areas of the cannabis marketplace. Previously, Rocourt designed and built manufactured infused products facilities (MIPs) in multiple states, making him an expert in Cannabis science, tech, strategy, and production. Due to his vast experience he is an asset to those hoping to invest in the space. He also has experience caring for patients with Cannabis. Rocourt graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology and is a U.S. Navy veteran. Rocourt uses his keen understanding of the Cannabis plant, Cannabis culture, and business acumen to craft a variety of wellness products and is on a mission like P&B to unlock the power of the plant to improve people’s lives. Rocourt is passionate about advocating for Cannabis through public speaking and maintaining an authentic space within Cannabis Culture even as Papa & Barkley continues to grow.

Anna Shreeve
President
Urban Paragon, Inc., Targeted Intent, Inc., and The Bakeréé

Anna Shreeve is President of Urban Paragon, Inc., Targeted Intent, Inc., and The Bakeréé. Shreeve entered the medical cannabis industry seven years ago with her son, and she and her team opened The Baker, a division of Cookie Fam Genetics, a collaboration with legendary breeder “Jigga.” Shreeve’s group holds two recreational producer/processor licenses in Washington, and a recreational retail/processor license in Oregon.

Mason Walker
Co-Owner/CEO
East Fork Cultivars

Mason Walker is Co-Owner and CEO of East Fork Cultivars, an Oregon craft cannabis and hemp company. He also serves as Treasurer for the Craft Cannabis Alliance.

Prior to joining the cannabis industry, Mason worked as a journalist for the Portland Business Journal where he co-founded and served as Interim Editor of Sustainable Business Oregon. He also served as Vice President of Oregon Environmental Council's Emerging Leaders Board, working to engage young people on policy and advocacy work at the state level.

A native New Yorker (the state, not the city), Mason holds a degree in supply chain & logistics from Portland State University. He enjoys making dry cider, playing basketball, and backpacking the wild corners of the Pacific Northwest.

Mackenzie Wilcox
Director - Compliance/Legal
PharmaCann, Inc.

Mackenzie Ditch Wilcox currently serves as Director - Compliance/Legal for PharmaCann, Inc, a vertically integrated, multistate cannabis operator headquartered in Chicago, Ill. Wilcox’s legal background in tax, business and grant writing brings a unique and focused perspective to merit-based cannabis applications. Prior to her current role at PharamCann, Wilcox served as Counsel - License Applications for Cresco Labs and most recently, as an Attorney with Dickinson Wright PLLC. Throughout her career in cannabis, she has focused on merit-based license applications, regulatory compliance, and cannabis mergers and acquisitions. Wilcox leverages her experience in the cannabis industry, as well as her legal education, to guide the license application process, including business incorporation, regulatory compliance, and application strategy. She has assisted numerous clients ranging from leading MSOs to family-owned businesses, in their application and award of numerous cannabis business licenses in highly competitive markets.

Wilcox received her bachelor’s degree from Loyola University Chicago and her Juris Doctorate at DePaul University College of Law. Prior to entering the cannabis space, Wilcox worked as a civil litigator in Chicago, Ill. She is a member of the Cook County Bar Association and Illinois State Bar Association, where she serves as a Cannabis Council Member and regularly presents at legal conferences.

Hope Wiseman
Owner
Mary & Main Dispensary

Born and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Hope Wiseman has always been passionate about serving her community. In 2014, Wiseman graduated with an economics degree from the illustrious Spelman College. After spending a year at SunTrust as an Equity Institutional Sales Analyst, Wiseman decided to continue striving for excellence by pursuing her dreams of entrepreneurship. In Fall 2017, Wiseman became the youngest Black woman dispensary owner in the United States with the opening of Mary & Main dispensary in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She has been featured in Black Enterprise, Huffington Post, Blavity, and more. In addition to her entrepreneurial pursuits, Wiseman is a speaker and consultant to individuals who are looking to enter the cannabis industry.