Jim Gilbride

Publisher
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary/Hemp Grower

As the Group Publisher of the Horticulture and Cannabis Groups at GIE Media, Jim Gilbride oversees operations for 7 magazine titles and 3 cutting-edge industry events—including Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary, Hemp Grower, Greenhouse Management, Nursery Management, Produce Grower, and Garden Center magazines, as well as the Cannabis Conference.

Gilbride has been instrumental in the continued growth of the media groups, including the 2015 acquisition of Cannabis Business Times and the launch of the brand’s print magazine, which in 2018 was named Magazine of the Year from the American Society of Business Publication Editors. He also oversaw the launch of the Cannabis Conference and Cannabis Dispensary in 2017, and in 2019, he oversaw the launch of Hemp Grower.

Noelle Skodzinski

Editorial Director
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary/Hemp Grower

Noelle Skodzinski has 20+ years’ experience in publishing. She co-founded Cannabis Business Times with previous owner Tim Hermes in 2014. She has been named among the Top 50 Most Influential Women in Cannabis. In 2012, she founded mediaShepherd–a website serving media professionals–where she served as president and editorial director. Previously, she was editorial director of the Publishing Group at North American Publishing Co., where she oversaw two national business magazines, all related digital content products, as well as the annual Publishing Business Conference, and Publishing Business Virtual Conference. Skodzinski also held posts as editor of The Crafts Report magazine, managing editor for Inside Direct Mail, senior writer for Target Marketing, among other posts.

Michelle Simakis

Editor
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary

Michelle Simakis is editor of Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary. She joined GIE Media in 2012 and most recently served as editor of Garden Center magazine, the leading trade publication covering the independent garden retail market. Under her direction, Garden Center expanded its Top 100 Independent Garden Centers List by devoting an entire issue to telling the stories of the leaders and companies ranked on the list. She also helped to launch the Garden Center Executive Summit, the educational conference for key-decision makers in the industry, and recently developed a the only daily e-newsletter in the market. Simakis received her bachelor’s degree from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.

Eric Sandy

Digital Editor
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary/Hemp Grower

Eric Sandy joined GIE Media Inc. as digital editor of Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary in January 2018. He joined the Hemp Grower staff as digital editor for its August 2019 launch. Previously, he worked as managing editor and staff writer of Cleveland Scene, where he covered criminal justice and environmental issues. Elsewhere, he is an established freelance music writer. Sandy is a graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.

Cassie Neiden

Conference Programming Director
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary/Hemp Grower

Cassie Neiden rejoined GIE Media as Conference Programming Director for its Cannabis Group in February 2020. She has since also taken on the role as Editor of Cannabis Dispensary magazine, overseeing the brand’s continued digital growth. From 2014 to 2019, she held several editorial roles at GIE Media with titles such as Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary, Garden Center, Greenhouse Management, and more.

Previously, Neiden served as Director of Marketing & Communications for Firelands Scientific, an Ohio-based vertically integrated medical cannabis company. Within the state’s nascent and tightly regulated market, Neiden led the company’s community outreach efforts and helped to launch its infused products line—including tinctures, edibles and solventless concentrates.

Neiden is also an experienced freelance writer, with bylines in Martha Stewart Weddings, Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Cleveland Magazine. She is an alumna of Kent State University’s School of Journalism & Mass Communication with a bachelor’s degree in magazine journalism.

Melissa Schiller

Senior Digital Editor
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary

Melissa Schiller joined the Cannabis Business Times team as an Assistant Digital Editor in June 2017. Previously, she worked as an Audience Development Associate for GIE Media’s Ornamental Group of publications, where she managed the circulation for Cannabis Business Times, Garden Center, Nursery Management, and Greenhouse Management magazines. She has also worked as a contributing writer and editorial assistant for a community newspaper and as a freelance writer for Northeast Ohio Media Group and Modern Tire Dealer. Schiller is a graduate of Hiram College with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing.

Patrick Williams

Senior Editor
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary

Patrick Williams is a senior editor for Cannabis Business Times and Cannabis Dispensary. He joined GIE Media in 2017 and worked as the associate editor and senior editor for sister publications Greenhouse Management and Produce Grower. Previously, he was a freelance writer for B2B and consumer media and an editorial intern on GIE Media publication Golf Course Industry. Williams graduated from Kent State University in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Theresa Bennett

Associate Editor
Cannabis Business Times/Hemp Grower

Theresa Bennett was hired as associate editor for Hemp Grower and Cannabis Business Times in November 2019 after working for GIE Media’s Recycling Group of magazines. Prior to joining GIE in 2018, Bennett was the K-12 education reporter for the Akron Beacon Journal. Outside of GIE, Bennett is also a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Modern Farmer, The Devil Strip and newspapers across the country. Bennett graduated from Kent State University in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Tony Lange

Associate Editor
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary/Hemp Grower

Tony Lange joined GIE Media as an associate editor of Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and Hemp Grower in January 2021. He spent the past decade working in the weekly newspaper business, contributing primarily to the Chagrin Valley Times as a beat reporter, sports editor, photographer and page designer. Before that, he was a staff assistant for a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., where he drafted responses to constituent letters and aided the communications director. Lange is a graduate of Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Andriana Ruscitto

Assistant Editor
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary/Hemp Grower

Andriana Ruscitto was hired as an associate editor for Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary and Hemp Grower in January 2021. Before joining GIE, Ruscitto attended Kent State University, where she worked in the university communications and marketing department, writing stories for the Kent State Today. Ruscitto graduated from Kent State in December 2020 with a bachelor of science degree in public relations and a minor in marketing.

Scott Anthony

National Sales Manager
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary/Hemp Grower

Scott joined GIE Media in 2013 as the regional Account Manager for the Ornamental Media Group. In 2014, he was promoted to Account Manager of Nursery Management, where he was responsible for driving sales and growing market share of the industry-leading brand. In May of 2015, Scott was promoted to Account Manager of the newly acquired Cannabis Business Times brand and was instrumental in CBT’s rapid growth, including the launch of the print magazine. In November of 2018, Scott was promoted to National Sales Manager of the cannabis division at GIE Media, where he is responsible for overseeing and driving revenues for Cannabis Business Times, Cannabis Dispensary, Cannabis Conference, and GIE Medias newest brand, Hemp Grower.

Sarah Birckhead

Account Manager
Cannabis Business Times

As a graduate of Ohio University, Sarah started her career in the finance industry in 2018 where she was responsible for driving revenues and sales growth for the largest mortgage lender in the US. In June of 2019, Sarah made the transition to join the Cannabis Division of GIE Media, ready to bring her energy and passion to the fast-paced cannabis industry. Sarah is responsible for driving sales for Cannabis Business Times and the Cannabis Conference.

Craig Thorne

Account Manager
Cannabis Business Times

Craig Thorne joined GIE Media in 2015 as the Account Manager for Golf Course Industry Magazine. In 2018, he was promoted to Account Manager of Cannabis Business Times Magazine and the Cannabis Conference, where he is responsible for driving sales and growing the market share of the industry-leading brand.

Michael Walsh

Account Manager
Cannabis Dispensary

As a recent graduate of Ohio State University, Mike joined the cannabis division of GIE Media in May of 2019. He was brought on as an Account Manager for Cannabis Dispensary magazine and Cannabis Conference, where he is responsible for growing the brands and continuing to establish Cannabis Dispensary and the Cannabis Conference as the premier business-to-business publication and trade show on the retail side of the cannabis industry.

Irene Sweeney

Marketing Director
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary/Hemp Grower

Irene Sweeney, Marketing Director, began her career at GIE Media in 2008. As part of the Cannabis team, Irene was responsible for developing the conference branding and oversees all marketing and communication efforts of the marketing team. Sweeney has been instrumental in driving conference attendance which continues to increase year after year. In addition to marketing for Cannabis Conference, Irene is also responsible for the marketing of all 18 publications owned by GIE Media as well as the company’s numerous conferences in other industries.

Katie Tuttle

Marketing Associate
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary/Hemp Grower

Katie joined GIE Media in January of 2013 as an editor. In 2017, Katie switched roles and joined GIE Media's growing marketing department as the marketing associate. In this role, she now works across all 19 of the company's publications, marketing both the magazines and industry events hosted by GIE. Some of her frequent projects include annual media kits, print and digital ad campaigns, writing press releases, promoting conference attendance, and acting as a project manager between sales and clients on some projects.

Alexander Garrett

Marketing Content Creator / Videographer
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary/Hemp Grower

Alexander Garrett joined GIE Media in 2018 as a Marketing Content Creator. As part of the Cannabis team, Alexander is responsible for fulfilling business goals and strengthening customer loyalty with the help of content. In addition to the cannabis team, Alexander is also responsible for creating digital content for the 18 publications owned and operated by GIE Media.

Clark Quick

Digital Marketing Strategist
Cannabis Business Times/Cannabis Dispensary/Hemp Grower

With 8 years’ experience in Digital Marketing, Clark has had a front row seat to the rise and evolution of Social Media. Working for Facebook and several marketing agencies, Clark has helped develop campaigns and social strategies for The Indiana Pacers, Tennessee Titans, Dunham’s Sports, Pinot's Palette and more. Clark grew up in Northeast Ohio but spent his early career in Phoenix, Arizona. He has since returned home and is presently the Digital Marketing Strategist at GIE Media.

Maria Miller

Director of Conferences & Tradeshows
Cannabis Conference

Maria Miller, Director, Conferences & Events, has been with GIE Media since 1998 and helped launch GIE Media’s Conference Division across all of its media groups. During her time at GIE Media, the conference division has grown from just a few events annually to more than 30 events a year. Miller graduated from the University of Mount Union, with a bachelor of arts degree in business administration and a concentration in marketing.

Kim Tabor

Conference Coordinator
Cannabis Conference

Kim Tabor joined GIE Media’s Conference Division in 2013, and as conference coordinator, she is responsible for managing registration, website maintenance, virtual events, and event logistics for sponsors and exhibitors. During her tenure in GIE Media, Kim has assisted in the launch of numerous conferences and three new tradeshows, helping the division expand from organizing 10 events to now executing more than 30. Kim received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Akron.

Liz Ziots

Conference Coordinator
Cannabis Conference

Liz Ziots joined GIE Media in September 2019 as Conference Coordinator. She comes to GIE after establishing herself as an expert in outreach while working for the National Association of Mortgage Field Services since 2012. There she was responsible for maintaining relationships with over 600 Member companies and government agencies. Included in this was the development of a needs based Member-to-Member benefits program, the creation of the NAMFS Foundation, all organizational communication, and the coordination of annual conference.

Prior to her work with the NAMFS, Liz was Director of Development for United Way of Portage County where she worked with local business to increase campaign donations and employee participation, including management of volunteers and committees for employee campaigns. Liz also chaired the Northeast Ohio Collaborative Marketing Subcommittee for United Way.

Liz is a Magna cum laude graduate of the University of Akron in Business and Organizational Communication.

Katelyn Boyden

Graphic Designer
Cannabis Conference

Katelyn Boyden joined GIE Media in 2015. In her current role as graphic designer, Boyden designs and lays out each print issue of Cannabis Business Times and all marketing materials for Cannabis Conference. She is a graduate of Ohio University.

Michaela Dodrill

Market Coordinator
Cannabis Conference

Michaela Dodrill joined GIE Media in 2018 as a market coordinator for ten of the company’s publications. As the Market Coordinator she is responsible for tracking sales and budget reports as well assisting in the facilitation of trade shows, events, and planning meetings for the Horticulture group.

Ladonne Wilson

Audience Development Associate
Cannabis Conference

Ladonne has been the audience development associate with GIE Media’s cannabis group since 2017.