2023 Cannabis Industry Power Players

Sarah Stretchberry is a veteran cannabis and operations expert with more than 15 years of operations experience at Whole Foods, the nation’s leading natural and organic foods retailer. Sarah is currently a partner and the chief operating officer at ApptitudePlus, a full-service cannabis consulting and advisory firm with an unmatched track record of winning licenses, and standing up businesses, in highly competitive, limited-license cannabis application processes across the country.

Do you think there is a stigma around working in the cannabis industry and if so how do you work to overcome it?
As a mom this is something that has been a concern for me over the years. After having been in the industry for close to 8 years now, the reactions from others hearing about what I do for a living (and as a passion) have slowly shifted from eyebrow raising, to intrigue. The narrative is becoming much more about “How can I get involved” and less about “Are you afraid you’re going to get arrested”?

How can the cannabis industry work with health care and academic professionals to educate consumers about the benefits and risks of cannabis use?
Health care and academics need more education themselves to be able to properly provide advice to patients and students. I am hopeful with the recent passing of the Medical Marijuana and Cannabinoid Research Expansion Act, there will be more research done here in the U.S. that will arm professionals with the knowledge they need to be able to pass on truthful and science based advice to their patients and students.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York 10 years from now?
It depends on the regulators ability to quickly roll out a robust adult use program here in NY, and their ability to take effective enforcement against the illegal market. With a legal market in place that truly competes with the current widespread illegal market, and enforcement action taken against the illegal storefronts and distributors, the NY cannabis market will be a powerhouse in the industry and force for change within the country as a whole.

Kimberly Tanami is a mother of five and CEO of HPI Canna, a state-of-the-art cultivation, extraction, processing, co-packing, white-labeling and manufacturing facility nestled on 434 acres in New York’s spectacular Hudson Valley. With a brand portfolio including Drew Martin, Chef for Higher, Her Highness, and more. HPI Canna embodies Tanami’s vision of becoming the standard-bearer for New York’s emerging industry, bringing best-in-class brands to market with innovative partners at every supply chain level.

Do you think there is a stigma around working in the cannabis industry and if so how do you work to overcome it?
We still have some residual stigma, but its days are numbered here. Stigma is a barrier to progress and New Yorkers are all about moving forward. We like to innovate and move fast. It’s in our DNA.

How can the cannabis industry work with health care and academic professionals to educate consumers about the benefits and risks of cannabis use?
Cannabis is very quickly revolutionizing our world and just about every industry in it from agriculture, fashion, and food to pharmacology, waste management, construction, and renewable energy. It all starts with careful collaboration between cannabis industry stakeholders and academia. Together, we can advance the exploration of the cannabis plant and leverage science-based research to create a more sustainable, efficient, and safe industry for consumers.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York 10 years from now?
New York is in a position to become a global cannabis leader, and we absolutely will… but only if the State acts now to address our growing illicit market as well as our distribution and retail tax structure.  As we’ve learned from California, these forces will either make or completely break our industry, and quite rapidly. So maybe ask me again in three years.

Gregory Tannor, executive managing director and principal at Lee & Associates NYC, has been a commercial real estate broker for over 20 years. He has focused on retail leasing both domestically and internationally for the last 16 years. For the last three years, Greg has built the cannabis real estate practice at Lee & Associates with the help of his colleague Jessica Gerstein. 

Do you think there is a stigma around working in the cannabis industry and if so how do you work to overcome it?
We are commercial real estate brokers focused on leasing space to legal cannabis operators. We had to overcome the stigma of the “illicit” stores along with what a legal dispensary is and will be in New York. There were about 2+ years of educating the real estate market, brokers and landlords. 

How can the cannabis industry work with health care and academic professionals to educate consumers about the benefits and risks of cannabis use?
Cannabis is medicine. The benefits of using cannabis outweigh any negative effects that cannabis has. People use cannabis for various reasons. Personally, I suffer from anxiety along with not being able to sleep. I use cannabis to help me sleep and to calm my anxiety. The health care and academic professionals can use the data over the last 20+ years to educate the public on the positive benefits of cannabis

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York 10 years from now?
In 10 years the market will be mature in New York. The cannabis industry will continue to evolve and be as common as restaurants and liquor stores that you see on an everyday basis walking through New York State. There will be ups and downs, but we all believe more ups as this program engages fully. We’ve had a slow start, but the future of tomorrow is now. 

Britni Tantalo is the co-founder of Flower City Hydroponics, a retail grow store located in Fairport, NY. Britni is also a woman minority New York State CAURD applicant looking to obtain a retail dispensary license as Flower City Dispensary. She is the co-founder and CEO of the NY CAURD Coalition, an organization that aims to create educational pathways in cannabis and ensure access to resources in order to create a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive cannabis industry. 

Do you think there is a stigma around working in the cannabis industry and if so how do you work to overcome it?
There are absolutely stigmas still related to working in the cannabis industry. I do however believe that this is a downward trend. Where I have noticed it the most tends to be with other parents that I may meet when doing things with my children. The question comes, “what do you do for a living?”. I’m very open and honest and say I work in the cannabis space. Some reactions are positive and others you can see are not as welcoming. I perceive it as a form of caution as cannabis has not been legal and regulated so the hesitation is normal. Those that may not consume may feel their child is not safe around a family that consumes cannabis due to lack of understanding. With that lack of understanding comes judgment. I do my best to provide another perspective through my career and life in cannabis to show what they may never have been exposed to. Cannabis is professional, it is a science, it can be safe and it is medicine, most just need to be educated. 

How can the cannabis industry work with health care and academic professionals to educate consumers about the benefits and risks of cannabis use?
Those that work in the cannabis industry can utilize their platforms to share and provide information from health care and academic professionals to educate consumers. For example, I am a CAURD applicant, if I was licensed I could very easily work with my local medical dispensaries to gather information such as a pamphlet that educates consumers on the benefits and risks of cannabis use and offer it for consumers to take and read. As a dispensary owner I could also choose to hire an academic professional who is qualified to train my bud technicians on the benefits and risks of cannabis use in order to properly educate consumers. The cannabis industry, health care and academic professionals must work collaboratively to ensure that our communities have a greater understanding on what the impacts of consuming cannabis are. 

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York 10 years from now? 
It’s very difficult to say what the next 10 years will hold for us in cannabis. We have had a rocky start here in New York. But, I do have hope. I do believe through a collaboration over competition mindset throughout the supply chain, we will be able to achieve the strong infrastructure we so desperately need in New York cannabis. Having fluid communication throughout the supply chain will allow for increased efficiency, greater transparency and increased growth opportunities for cannabis businesses. Building any industry from scratch is difficult but New Yorkers are relentless and resilient. We do not stop and when we come together everything now becomes possible that wasn’t before. I see stability, endless opportunities and a thriving diverse cannabis industry in New York 10 years from now. 

As a legendary operator who experienced poverty and faced numerous hardships due to his father’s absence and a drug-addicted mother, Jayson Tantalo funded his college education through illegal financial transactions from drug-related activities. Rather than teaching others how to launder money, Jayson aspires to guide legendary operators toward success by sharing the knowledge acquired in college and the lessons learned by persevering through difficult times. Jayson is also the co-founder of the New York CAURD Coalition and Flower City Dispensary (CAURD Applicant)

Do you think there is a stigma around working in the cannabis industry and if so how do you work to overcome it?
Absolutely, I think there’s still a stigma surrounding cannabis, but my perception is different than most. The stigma around cannabis has inadvertently created many insecurities that I’m still battling with today. I feel like it’s more of a PTSD response. I say this because I’ve been hiding in the shadows for over two decades and I feel like pre and post prohibition the general perception of me is not the same as someone who has a long lasting career in the corporate world. Overcoming this topic has been challenging to navigate to say the least, but by continuously sharing my experiences to help others gain access or information is what helps me. 

How can the cannabis industry work with health care and academic professionals to educate consumers about the benefits and risks of cannabis use?
Creating opportunities for consumers, educators and healthcare professionals to engage in the research needed to truly study the plant, behavioral patterns and effects cannabis may have on a person who uses it.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York 10 years from now?
This is a great question, to be honest it’s very difficult for me to answer. In a perfect world, we will have a fair and equitable environment for normal business activities. Normalizing cannabis to have the same equal rights as any industry that provides consumer goods. The predatory behaviors and the stigma associated with financial gains have made it nearly impossible to not be subjected to inflated costs associated with the industry. The perception of money laundering created by the law’s associated with cannabis makes it impossible in obtaining banking and the industry’s surrounding cannabis that restricts investing into the infrastructure places cannabis at a complete disadvantage. If the federal government gives the industry a green light, then I see international commerce, interstate commerce and plenty of opportunities for the medical sector to expand their research and educational programs. The United States can use the cannabis industry as leverage to aid in our economic distress by reinvesting back into the communities the War on Drugs have destroyed while creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, just like when they legalized alcohol. 

Mary C. Toale currently serves as the officer in charge at SUNY Oswego. Ms. Toale has previously served the university in various leadership roles since her arrival in 2014 and is a tenured member of the faculty. She has been recognized for her excellence in teaching and service, and is an engaged member of her communities. Ms. Toale continues to lead and advance strategic initiatives in alignment with institutional priorities.

Marjorie Velázquez is the chair of the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection and represents District 13 in the Northeast Bronx. Her powerful story of healing following a series of life-altering accidents enabled her to transform her pain into power. She has championed legislation that supports families, small businesses, and workers’ rights. Her goal is to hold bad actors accountable and give consumers and workers respect and a seat at the table.

Do you think there is a stigma around working in the cannabis industry and if so how do you work to overcome it? 
By implementing educational campaigns and resources, we tend to take a different approach that ultimately uplifts and supports both consumers and retailers. Legal cannabis is responsible cannabis, and if we can overcome the stigma, our communities will be not only safer, but healthier. Breaking the stigma means we are holding bad actors accountable and giving the good actors a chance to thrive.

How can the cannabis industry work with health care and academic professionals to educate consumers about the benefits and risks of cannabis use? 
There are many benefits to a legal, regulated cannabis industry. With responsible community engagement and educational campaigns, and a comprehensive rollout, we can inform our communities about the benefits of cannabis. By including health care and academic professionals, consumers will have all the resources they need to make meaningful decisions at their discretion. 

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York 10 years from now?
Once New York State navigates through the honeymoon stage of licensing, we will be in a much better place where we can see real growth. Cannabis was already in NYC, and now it’s time that we elevate it the right way. Through meaningful licensing, we could see real benefits, including economic growth, social justice, and more. 

Nicholas Vita co-founded Columbia Care in 2012 and serves as chief executive officer. Nicholas has over 25 years of experience serving in corporate leadership roles, investing capital, structuring and funding public/private partnerships and providing strategic advisory services to Fortune 500 companies throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia and Latin America. Prior to Columbia Care, Nicholas served in leadership roles at investment banking and management companies.

Do you think there is a stigma around working in the cannabis industry and if so how do you work to overcome it?
The stigma around working in cannabis still lingers, but the industry has made so much progress that there is certainly less of a barrier. One of the ways we work to overcome the stigma around working in this industry is through partnerships with cannabis training and academic programs – finding like-minded people who have the same passion for the plant and want to be a part of this sweeping movement. 

How can the cannabis industry work with health care and academic professionals to educate consumers about the benefits and risks of cannabis use?
As an industry, it is important that we support efforts such as medical training programs, cannabis business education and research initiatives. We have worked with established entities like the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai as well as partnered with several academic cannabis business training programs. However, there is still more work to be done to help consumers better understand the plant and its many benefits.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York 10 years from now?
What New York looks like in ten years depends on what happens today. New York could be one of the world’s leading cannabis industries if it succeeds at building a marketplace for cannabis businesses of all types to collaborate, begins civil enforcement against illicit shops, and ensures patient access. New York has long driven cannabis culture and could become a hub for product and brand innovation.

Emily is an attorney at the Albany lobbying firm Brown & Weinraub, PLLC, where she chairs the firm’s Cannabis Practice. She has lobbied for more than a decade on behalf of a broad range of clients including cannabis entities, hospital systems, corporations, not-for-profit organizations and professional associations with a particular focus on cannabis, health care and professional licensing. Emily’s cannabis work has involved representation of CAURD applicants, cannabis tech companies and entrepreneurs.

Do you think there is a stigma around working in the cannabis industry and if so how do you work to overcome it?
I find the best way to overcome any stigma is to talk about it, so I don’t hesitate to tell people I work with cannabis entities. Acceptance of cannabis use is widespread and people generally find the topic of cannabis interesting and exciting. It used to be more stigmatized but that has changed a lot in the last several years.

How can the cannabis industry work with health care and academic professionals to educate consumers about the benefits and risks of cannabis use?
Health care and academic professionals can have a role in educating consumers from a public safety AND a public health perspective, sharing health benefits or research opportunities and advancements. Community organizations are doing a lot of this work, too, and reaching groups of people that may not feel comfortable asking a doctor or healthcare professional about cannabis use. 

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York 10 years from now?
I am hopeful that in a decade New York will have a bustling cannabis industry that reflects the goals of the MRTA.

Jason Wild first joined the board as chairman of TerrAscend after leading a private placement into the company in 2017. Having built a deep knowledge base and network in the cannabis industry over the years, Mr. Wild brings strategic value as an investor and partner. He works collaboratively with the board and management team to help guide the company’s strategy and source M&A opportunities with his extensive network.