Cannabis Industry Power Players

Chenae Bullock is an enrolled Shinnecock Nation citizen and descendant of the Montauk Tribe in Long Island, New York. Chenae is a community leader, water protector, cultural preservationist, and humanitarian. She is a recently published author of 50 Plant Medicines: Indigenous Oral History & Perspective. Chenae is the founder and owner of Moskehtu Consulting, LLC, which is a Native American-owned and -operated cultural and heritage preservation firm. She is currently the managing director for Little Beach Harvest, a cannabis business wholly owned by Shinnecock Nation.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
I see the cannabis industry becoming one of the leading industries in the state. I believe this industry is going to save many lives by reuniting families who have been broken by the incarceration of many during the times cannabis was outlawed.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
Helping to make sure Native Americans are not left out of the industry.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
One of my favorite medicinal values of cannabis is that it has the ability to bring ALL people together and create real solutions.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
My favorite way to stay healthy and fit is to NOT STRESS. I spend the majority of my time outdoors in nature. Being around plant medicines grown in the wild helps to cleanse and keep my immune system strong.

Aleece serves as general counsel and strategic advisor to MariJade Industries and MJI Solutions, both women-owned businesses out of Youngstown, New York. Her primary focus is structuring, licensing, and maintaining compliant cannabis businesses at all levels of government. She started her career in Portland, Oregon, working at a cannabis law firm and just recently left Barclay Damon, where she was the cannabis service team leader. Aleece is the former chair of the New York Bar Association’s Cannabis Committee and former treasurer of Oregon State Bar Cannabis Section.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
I hope to see New York leading the industry in diversity and inclusion for all cannabis licenses.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
As a young lawyer, I knew I had an opportunity to learn a practice of law that was ever-changing and overlooked by the older generation of lawyers. It afforded me the opportunity to differentiate myself and join a community I was passionate about.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
The percentage of women in executive level positions in cannabis dropped close to 15% from 2019-2021. Time to pick those numbers back up.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
Being outdoors cures all.

For the last two years, Jesse served as the deputy secretary for intergovernmental affairs for the Governor of New York State. In that role, Jesse served as a primary liaison for the executive chamber to elected officials, city, state, and federal agencies, community-based organizations and institutions, and key stakeholders. Jesse played a critical role for the state in helping to get adult-use cannabis passed in New York State. He was part of a senior team who worked on drafting and negotiating the final legislation. Now he is in the private sector.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
New York will be a supply-constrained market for the first couple of years. The ability to build the cultivation infrastructure and meet the market’s demand will take 3-5 years, at the end of which we will be reaching the “Goldilocks” zone where supply meets demand.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
I felt compelled to get involved when I saw the drastic underrepresentation in the compliant market. Less than 7% of the legal industry is owned/operated by BIPOC and women.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
The longer you cure the buds, in the right conditions, the better the end product will be. Just like fine wine.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
Play basketball with my friends, and use a cannabis-based salve to manage the inflammation in my knees.

As founder and CEO of Capalino, Jim is recognized as one of New York’s premier problem-solving strategists and has overseen the growth of the most well-respected government relations and urban strategy firm in New York City. Jim is responsible for helping some of the most well-known companies and projects achieve success, such as The High Line, Guggenheim, Related Companies, St. Vincent’s, Uber and more. Jim was named commissioner of general services at the age of 28 and is still the youngest commissioner in New York City’s history.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
The legal cannabis industry is expected to capture $1.2B in sales by 2023 and $4.2B by 2027, according to Forbes. It has the potential to be an engine for growth and build equity for communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
The tremendous potential both from a business and equity standpoint. We actively follow emerging markets to help clients navigate the business and political landscape. This industry will provide new jobs, businesses, and tax reinvestment into communities.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
It can change our retail landscape. I’ll also share one important fact: The social equity part of this new legislation sets aside 50% of licenses for minorities and women. This will ensure diverse communities will be able to take part in this new industry.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
I reside across the street from the Harlem Meer – the largest body of water in Central Park, just south of Central Park North. I walk around the meer each morning and just before dinner each evening. Each stretch is about ½ mile.

Kaelan founded Sovereign Vines: America’s Only Hemp Infused Wine in 2015 – the holder of New York’s first hemp processing license. As managing director at the Castetter Cannabis Group, his focus is on helping small businesses and entrepreneurs understand complex regulations and develop sound strategies for entering the New York cannabis industry. Kaelan is a co-founder and vice president of the New York Cannabis Growers and Processors Association, an advocacy group with over 200 members that was heavily involved in discussions around adult-use cannabis legalization and the Hemp Extract Bill.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
Leading the global cannabis industry in product innovation, social equity, and trend setting.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
My father has been growing cannabis for 30 years, so you could say I was born into it.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
Many of the plant’s characteristics are only expressed due to its environment – much like people.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
Taking everything in moderation, from work to cannabis use.

Vikiana Clement is the founder of the Legacy CORE Foundation, which provides free support services to Legacy constituents in their transition to a new world free of shadows. Additionally, she serves as the executive director of the MEC Cannabis Education Task Force, a team of 4 volunteers (Dr. A. Reid, Dr. M. Crump, J. Strothers, and Vikiana). In their grassroots-like efforts, they approached the introduction of cannabis education on campus. In 2021, with the support of President Crew, President Milbank, staff, and faculty, CUNY approved 12 cannabis education degree-bearing courses, available at all 24 CUNY campuses.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
I envision government, academia, and the community working together to develop rift elimination programs to improve workforce development, entrepreneurial acumen, and bridges to financial resources for those who choose to enter the industry.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
The open landscape of great possibility can create unique educational opportunities that can facilitate the development of innovation projects to address problems, needs, and deficits in the cannabis industry while also increasing motivation and drive.

Tell us a fun fact about cannabis!
Shakespeare smoked cannabis.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
For me health encompasses mind, body, and soul. My favorite way to stay healthy and fit is by engaging in Shi Heng Yi’s teachings as often as possible.

New York State Senator Jeremy Cooney represents parts of the city of Rochester and the Finger Lakes Region. He was named co-chair of the Marijuana Task Force for the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus and was instrumental in passing landmark legislation to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana. Named by Business Insider as a ‘Power Player’ in New York’s cannabis industry, Senator Cooney has introduced new legislation centered on ensuring equity in the new cannabis marketplace.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
My hope is that, in addition to the NYC market, Rochester and other upstate cities are a focal point for both cannabis production and retail sales. Most importantly, in five years, we should begin to see the results of our community reinvestment with the new local and state tax revenue derived from cannabis. Reinvestment is critical to addressing the historic wrongs of the failed War on Drugs to ensure that this new economy is benefiting those communities where systematic disinvestment over decades did the most harm.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
My cannabis policy interest is driven by the positive impact it can have on my hometown of Rochester and the state’s economy as a whole. I am laser-focused on ensuring equity in this new industry for underrepresented groups that were negatively impacted by cannabis policy. This law can’t just be about changing the rules, rather it should be about repairing social and economic harm done to New Yorkers. The legislation allows us to provide justice to New Yorkers, primarily people of color, by expunging low-level marijuana drug convictions. It also allows those most harmed by the failed War on Drugs the ability to financially benefit in the new adult-use recreational market, with the opportunity to build generational wealth through our licensure process. Moreover, the earned sales tax revenue from the sale of recreational cannabis will be turned around and directly reinvested back into communities that have experienced systematic disinvestment — that means more youth programming, workforce training, and neighborhood safety initiatives.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
The first American Flag, sewn by Betsy Ross, was made of industrial hemp. Cannabis is part of our national history.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
Undoubtedly, the pandemic has changed how each of us focus on our health. I enjoy walking around the historic neighborhoods of Rochester with my wife, Diane. Nothing clears my head better than unplugging for a brisk walk while exploring our beautiful city.

Jen is a proven business leader in both large blue chip institutions and at lean start-ups. A former managing director at Goldman Sachs with extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, Ms. Drake institutionalized the businesses of several multi-billion dollar asset management firms, ensuring compliance within complex regulatory frameworks and creating a foundation for accelerated growth. Jen leverages her deep experience in these areas while leading corporate functions for Ayr, including capital markets strategy, investor and strategic communications, government affairs, and corporate compliance.

John R. Durso is the president of Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW, a union that represents over 13,000 working men and women across New York State. Local 338 members are employed in a variety of different industries including grocery and food retail, drug stores and retail pharmacy chains, health care and human services. Local 338 also represents 80% of the workers in New York’s cannabis industry who are employed across the supply chain from seed to sale. John also serves as president of the Long Island Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in New York State in five years?
In five years, my hope is that we will have a robust and diverse market with tens of thousands of New Yorkers working in good, union jobs helping to ensure our state is a leader in cannabis marketplaces. I also expect that we will see fully formed educational opportunities for workers and first-time business owners to not just ensure a well-trained group of industry experts, but also those who can innovate and create new opportunities either directly in the cannabis industry or within a cannabis-adjacent industry. Additionally, I think that many of the communities that chose to opt out will recognize that the sky hasn’t fallen and that they’ve only deprived themselves of opportunities for revenue and economic development. 

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the formation of a brand new industry. As advocates for workers, it was an opportunity to ensure that as this industry continues to develop, it does so in a way that creates quality union careers that uplift working people. The last thing New York needs is more low-paying jobs and companies that don’t invest in their workers or the communities in which these workers live. Cannabis legalization is centered in equity and justice and it was crucial that we advocated for workers to be included in these conversations as a valued stakeholder in the industry.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis!
Cannabis is one of humankind’s oldest crops.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health. Tell us your favorite way to stay healthy and fit.
I start my day with a long walk (usually with my dog) and try to stay mobile as much as possible throughout the work day.

Khari is an experienced leader in healthcare and government. During his 25 years of public service, he worked for several elected officials, nonprofit organizations, and city agencies with a focus on strengthening communities by addressing racial, health and civic disparities. He ran for Brooklyn Borough President after serving eight years as vice president of external affairs at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center. As Ayr’s head of corporate responsibility, Khari is responsible for advancing Ayr’s commitment toward being a force for good by providing avenues for inclusion and opportunity in the cannabis industry.