Greenhouse Ventures
Presents

Innovation in the Cannabis Industry: Future Outlook December 9, 2016, Philadelphia, PA

Evan Nison is the youngest ever Executive Director of NORML New Jersey, and sits on the Board of Directors of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. He also runs a cannabis specific PR firm, NisonCo. In New York he is the Co-Founder and Director of the NY Cannabis Alliance, which has helped craft numerous pieces of cannabis related legislation in New York. In 2010 he moved to California to run the college outreach effort for Prop 19 in California, which spanned over 40 schools. He was President of Ithaca Students for Sensible Drug Policy for 4 years, which was rated the #1 college drug law reform chapter in the country in 2011, and under his leadership passed one of the first college policies in the country that equalized penalties for cannabis and alcohol on campus. Evan was instrumental in the passage of the New York 911 Good Samaritan Law and served as Drug Policy Advisor to Mayor Svante Myrick of Ithaca, NY, one of the youngest mayors in the country, where he helped spearhead an effort to pass a US Conference of Mayors resolution supporting the legalization of marijuana.

Roseanne Scotti is the Senior Director, Resident States and State Director of Drug Policy Alliance’s New Jersey office. Over the past 14 years, she has managed successful advocacy campaigns, including the Compassionate Use Campaign which resulted in the enactment of New Jersey’s medical marijuana law, the New Solutions Campaign that reformed mandatory minimum sentencing and pretrial justice laws, and various harm reduction campaigns to reduce drug overdose deaths and establish syringe access programs in the state. Before joining the Drug Policy Alliance, Scotti was a research coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Studies of Addiction in the HIV Prevention Research Division. Scotti received her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, and her J.D. from Temple School of Law.

Jim is on the forefront of the current federal and state issues affecting dispensaries, and works hard to achieve successful outcomes for his clients. He helps dispensaries, grow facilities, and other businesses navigate through complex legal issues including tax court and IRS audits. In addition to 280E issues, Jim also provides general business representation, and helping dispensaries comply with the regulations under the Colorado Medical Marijuana Code. Jim has received national recognition as a lead litigating attorney in the cannabis industry’s key cases; like Feinberg v. Commissioner of Revenue, as well as other high-profile cases. Jim speaks on marijuana legal issues across the country. In the near future, you will begin to find his 280E blogs on the NCIA website. Jim also provides legal representation helping dispensaries, grow facilities, and retail product companies comply with Colorado’s Cannabis laws and regulations.

Lezli Engelking is the Founder and President of the Foundation of Cannabis Unified Standards (FOCUS). FOCUS is an international, non-profit, cannabis standards development and third-party certification organization created to protect public health, consumer safety and safeguard the environment. Lezli possesses two decades of professional experience across pharmaceutical, mental health, non-profit, and cannabis industries. Her passion for new challenges and ability to envision simplified solutions to complicated situations makes Lezli the perfect candidate for work in the formulation of public policy ensuring the highest standards that protect public health and safety are met and maintained. More than twelve years with Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals laid the perfect foundation for Lezli’s role as Executive Director of the first chain of vertically integrated medical cannabis operations in Phoenix, Arizona. Lezli’s proven success in the highly regulated pharmaceutical industry, and her first hand experience working in the unregulated cannabis industry, place her in an ideal position to lead the company creating the first and only international, quality and safety based, voluntary-consensus cannabis standards.

Former commissioner, Deborah Miran, was a member of the Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission from 2013- 2016. While serving on the commission, she was also a member of the executive committee, policy, and research subcommittees, and was chair of the education subcommittee. She was responsible for developing education programs for doctors and patients, and was also an integral part of crafting the current regulations. Prior to the commission she was president and founder of Miran Consulting, Inc. There she advised both brand and generic drug makers on the FDA approval process. Ms. Miran was senior director of regulatory affairs for Alpharma, a generic drug manufacturer, where she directed the submission activities for new and abbreviated new drug applications to the FDA. She has spent over 30 years in the US pharmaceutical industry. Ms. Miran received her bachelor of science in chemistry from Iowa State University.

David is an entrepreneur and branding professional specializing in accelerating start-ups. Since founding PotBotics, identified as a top 10 technology company in the medical cannabis space by venture beat, Mr. Goldstein has ascended to the forefront of the industry and is now considered a pioneer and thought leader for cannabis. Mr. Goldstein leads PotBotics’ involvement in grassroots projects, speaking engagements, investment relations, and leads PotBotics’ market-specific product development, white label, and joint venture opportunities. Prior to his work with PotBotics, David founded CrowdPunch, an integrated crowdfunding marketing platform.

Nial is a young entrepreneur with executive leadership experience in the cannabis space from an operator and an ancillary business point-of-view. His extensive knowledge of the business requirements, compliance standards, and his progressive vision of cannabis therapeutics and technology, as well as his progressive industry reputation, allowed him access to the best minds outside of cannabis business. In six months, he has built a company and a team of unrivaled expertise in the area of cannabinoid medicines and delivery platforms. He is an autodidact that brings alacrity and intelligence into his projects and into the evolving, cross-disciplinary space of cannabis sciences.

Mark Doherty is urban-gro’s Director of Sales for the Eastern Region of the United States. Doherty’s extensive experience in the East Coast marijuana industry as the founder of MedCann Advisors, coupled with urban-gro’s position as a leading supplier of Cannabis cultivation product solutions provides Eastern Cannabis cultivators with top-notch solutions and support as cultivators begin to grow for this burgeoning market. Prior to establishing MedCann Advisors, Doherty created the Northeast’s first controlled environment agricultural facility using the aquaponic farming method. As a wholesale producer of aquaponic lettuce for the restaurant industry, Aqua Vita Farms garnered national and international attention for its contribution to controlled environment agriculture and sustainable farming. As an advisor and consultant, Doherty has been instrumental in building a foundation of success for dozens of entrepreneurs and startup companies. Mark has over a decade of experience in controlled environment agriculture, hydroponics, aquaponics, food security and distribution. Doherty has been featured in “USA Today,” “City and State Magazine,” “BBC World News” and “Horizons,” which recognized Aqua Vita Farms for its leadership in the future of food production. Doherty earned an associate’s degree in hotel and restaurant management from Paul Smith’s College, as well as a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s in business administration from the State University of New York Institute of Technology. As legalization marches down the East Coast, Cannabis producers need urban-gro’s core expertise in lighting solutions, integrated pest management, fertigation and water treatment.

Jahan serves on multiple expert government, trade association committees, and scientific organizations including AHPA, ACS, AOCS, AOAC, ASA, IACM, IMCPC and others. He is an author of the American Herbal Pharmacopeia Cannabis Monograph. His work has focused on the structure and function of cannabinoid receptors, the anti-cancer properties of cannabis compounds, Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), as well as method development & validation for analyzing complex formulations. Dr. Marcu was the first recipient of the Billy Martin research award from the International Cannabinoid Research Society. He is also a court-qualified synthetic cannabinoid and cannabis expert.

Graduated magna cum laude from Muhlenberg College with a double major in Natural Sciences and Biology. She was selected to be part of Phi Beta Kappa honor society. She went on to medical school at Rutgers, and residency at Temple University Hospital where she studied and became a clinical practitioner for over 15 years as a boarded Anesthesiologist with a subspecialty certification in Pain Medicine. She shares her knowledge by speaking with physicians to educate them about the endocannabinoid system and to help them to understand how medical cannabis can be an effective tool to help patients. She also consults with patients pro bono to introduce cannabis medicine as a treatment option. She has first-hand experience in successfully treating patients with a variety of medical conditions using an individualized treatment plan. She collects patient data and has presented the case studies at national and international conferences and seminars.

Dr. Bryan Doner received his undergraduate education at Denison University and completed a graduate program in Medical Sciences at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. He then completed his medical education at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, immediately followed by residency training in Emergency Medicine at Saint Vincent Health System (Erie, PA). In addition to Emergency Medicine, Dr. Doner has undergone extensive, fellowship level training in both Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine. He is board certified in Emergency Medicine, a Certified Hyperbaric & Wound Care Specialist (CHWS) by the American Board of Wound Healing, and a Fellow of the American Professional Wound Care Association (FAPWCA). In addition to being the President/CEO of D&P Medical Group, Dr. Doner currently serves as Medical Co-Director of the Wound & Hyperbaric Center, Medical Director of the Primary Stroke Center, and attending Emergency Physician at Armstrong County Memorial Hospital outside of Pittsburgh, PA. A Medical Marijuana nursery and dispensary owner and investor, Dr. Doner is certified to attest for Medical Marijuana in New York, Florida and soon Pennsylvania and Ohio. He is also licensed to practice in New York and has attended many symposiums and educational meetings regarding medical marijuana and research. He is also an advocate for Medical Marijuana as an investor in many areas and is especially interested in future research within this field. Bryan is a member of the following professional organizations: American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine, American’s for Safe Access, and the Society of Cannabis Clinicians.

DeCarcer is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Financial Group Inc., dba New Frontier. She is an entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in business execution, management and strategic business development with an emphasis on emerging markets. DeCarcer worked in investment banking with JPMorgan Chase in both Manhattan and London, and served as a senior consultant in the Defense, Technology, and Telecommunications sectors for both the commercial and government sectors domestically and abroad. She has successfully launched and operated four data-driven businesses and is considered an expert in strategic positioning and risk management in emerging high growth markets.

Jeffrey Friedland is an emerging market pioneer — his firm, Friedland Global Capital, was one of the first American investment banks to establish a presence in China — and is now on the front lines of the cannabis industry. In his book, Marijuana, the World’s Most Misunderstood Plant, Mr. Friedland dives into the world of marijuana, discussing what we know and what we still hope to discover. Mr. Friedland was an owner of two retail marijuana stores in Colorado which were located in the mountain resort towns of Breckenridge and Crested Butte, and a marijuana cultivation facility south of Steamboat Springs, which were featured in CNN’s eight-part, 2015 reality series, High Profits. He is also CEO of INTIVA Inc., a multi-faceted company in the worldwide legal cannabis industry. INTIVA has established operating businesses and made venture investments in the cannabis industry in California, Colorado, and Canada. INTIVA’s primary focus is the leasing of proprietary CO2 supercritical extraction systems to cannabis growers, extractors and edible products manufacturers; and the formulation and manufacturing of proprietary products that include the non-psychoactive cannabinoid, CBD. INTIVA also has investments in two Canadian cannabis growers licensed as “Licensed Producers” under Canada Health Canada regulations.

Mr. Johnstone serves as Vice President of Business Development for Timeless Herbal Care and Director of its sports division. He is also currently a Partner of Star Angel Network and President of Bill Pickett Riding Academy. Mr. Johnstone has also served as a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch where he received has Series 7, 66 licenses as well as a Life, Health and Variable Insurance license. Mr. Johnstone has lectured at Wharton School of Business and been featured on Bloomberg TV, The New York Times, Philadelphia Business Journal and Forbes.com. He has also been the subject of a Harvard Business School case study. Mr. Johnstone holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Management, and Marketing from Temple University. He completed Harvard Business School’s Entrepreneurship Program, Wharton School of Business Management and Sports Initiatives Program and Stanford Business School’s Entrepreneurship Program. Lance was a second round draft pick by the Oakland Raiders in the 1996 Draft and went on play 11 seasons in the NFL, with Oakland & Minnesota Vikings.

Alain Bankier is a co-founder and Managing Partner of VS TechVentures, a partnership platform that provides legal, tech and business advisory help to early stage and high growth companies in the legal cannabis industry. VS TV focuses primarily on “high value added” cannabis companies including extraction, brands, technology and research. Alain is an active early stage investor and entrepreneur, and invests in a variety of companies in the legal cannabis, technology and food/tech industries. As an active board member and advisor to a variety of companies, he has been instrumental in helping companies achieve their business milestones and exits/liquidity events. Alain is the co-founder of the New York Angels, one of the leading early stage investment groups in the US. He is also a member of ArcView. In the cannabis industry, Alain has invested in variety of (public and private) legal cannabis companies, including: cultivation, processing, dispensaries, R&D, technology and other ancillary businesses.

Respected thought leader and entrepreneur with a history of business bullseyes that have been in line with her mission to help organizations uncover their potential and harness change. An instinctive problem solver popular for her signature intuition and way of distilling the complex down to the manageable, at Electrum Partners she spearheads global strategic planning, value creation initiatives, and international business development while also leading branding, communications and reputation for company interests, partners and investments. As the woman known to ‘influence the influencers’ for over 25 years, Johnston’s career has been characterized by high-speed entrepreneurism and innovation. Her ability to draw pioneers into high impact teams and think tanks speaks to her dynamism – what’s been described by partners as a gravitational pull that aligns the realms of invention and progress. Through consumer engagement, corporate strategy, and business innovation, her unconventional approaches and astute methodologies have impacted a wide range of industries.

Mr. Greiper is the president and founding partner of Viridian Capital Advisors. He has had a distinguished 20-year career in the technology, security, and IT sectors as both a research analyst and investment banker. Mr. Greiper is also the president and founder of Secure Strategy Group, which provides capital, strategic advisory, and M&A services to growth companies in the technology, security, and IT markets. Previously, Mr. Greiper was a principal and senior analyst at C. E. Unterberg, Towbin, where he covered public companies in the global security industry and was consistently ranked as one of the top analysts in the sector. He has been involved in raising more than $400 million for both public and private companies and has completed a range of M&A assignments. Mr. Greiper attended the Executive MBA program at Columbia University and holds a B. A. in economics from the University of Chicago. He holds FINRA Series 7, 63, and 79 licenses.

Lindy has more than 20 years of experience in identifying, developing and growing innovative companies, and is a passionate entrepreneur and a champion of both start-ups and women owned businesses. She is the founder of a fill line of skin care products for cancer patients.

Program Developer, Startup Advisor, and Career Coach focused on collaborative technology and business models that improve Workforce, Education, and Capital opportunities for Creatives, Students, Startups, and Small-Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs). Current CEO of CoFund360, a network of crowdsourcing accelerators bridging early-stage funding gaps in nontraditional industries and markets underserved by traditional venture capital.

Prior to co-founding LeafLink, Ryan successfully founded and exited two companies, one of which he sold to an NYSE public firm. Ryan brings his experience creating and managing B2B firms and an online marketplace in a highly-regulated space to LeafLink as Chief Executive Officer. LeafLink, the cannabis industry’s standard platform for orders, sales and relationship management, raised $1 Million in angel investments. Since its launch in Colorado in March, more than 500 retailers and brands such as CannaPunch, Dixie Elixirs, Keef Cola, Wana, ZOOTS, and Sweet Grass Kitchen have joined the platform. In 2016, Ryan was the first CEO of a cannabis-facing company to be listed on Forbes’ 30 Under 30.

Recognized expert in the legal cannabis industry. Published in Forbes, Wall Street Journal, US News, CBS News, World Report, Chicago Tribune, and Market Watch, among other prominent media outlets. Served as an officer and member of the board of a publicly traded cannabis company. Previous partner in a private, state-based investment vehicle providing legal and sage investment opportunities into legal medical marijuana dispensary operations and legal medical marijuana cultivation facilities. Additional experience in Private Equity, Board of Directors and C-level management roles.