Dr. Janice Knox

www.americancannabinoidclinics.com

@affluentmark

Dr. Janice Marie Vaughn Knox has more than 35 years in the practice of medicine. She is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Washington School of Medicine. She is a wife, mother, best selling author and Board Certified Anesthesiologist.

Over her years in the operating room, Dr. Janice witnessed the increased use of life threatening pain medications and unnecessary medical interventions that yield low success rates while patients continued to get sicker. This awareness motivated Dr.Janice to become an expert in cannabis and the fields Cannabis Therapeutics and Endocannabinology.

Dr. Janice advises 400 new and established patients a month on the safe and effective use of cannabis.

Contrary to conventional medical belief, Dr. Janice feels that many cannabis treatments should become first line therapies amongst a catalogue of other natural modalities.

Dr. Janice is a much sought out speaker on the history and use of cannabis, as well as a passionate advocate for the use of medical cannabis by both patients and providers alike.

She is a resident expert at WeedHorn and www.abbibot.com.

Dr. Rachel Knox

www.americancannabinoidclinics.com

Dr. Rachel Knox received her medical and business degrees from Tufts university after completing her undergraduate studies at Duke. Though her formal training in Family and Integrative Medicine provides her with the know-how to treat acute illness and chronic disease, she is passionate about teaching her patients how to avoid and even reverse them altogether through natural means.

Dr. Rachel believes that a person's lifestyle is his or her truest determinant of health - not how frequently one sees their doctor or how many pills one takes. As a Cannabis Specialist who counsels over 500 patients a month in medical cannabis care, she has seen first-hand how significant a role cannabis plays in helping patients reclaim their health, overall sense of wellness and their ownership over their lives.

With cannabis, patients are able to quit prescription drugs, find relief from the side effects of toxic therapies, or avoid conventional pharmaceutical medicines altogether as they treat - and in some cases cure - their conditions naturally.

Cannabis will eventually be widely considered amongst the world’s most effective and valuable medicines. Until this day comes, Dr. Rachel has a mission to both encourage patients to be bold in using Cannabis as a safe, effective and powerful means to healing, and engage with fellow practitioners regarding the use of cannabis in the compassionate care we all strive to provide.

Through direction in the areas of cannabis therapeutics, nutrition, physical activity, toxin avoidance, and stress and relationship management, Dr. Rachel uses lifestyle as medicine in both treating and preventing disease, equipping her patients with lifelong methods to actualize their healthiest selves.

In recent months Dr. Rachel presented on cannabis medicine to the United Nations and was invited to give expert testimony in support of Nebraska's Cannabis Medicine Bill.

Dr. Rachel is the current Medical Chair of the Minority Cannabis Business Association, and a resident expert at WeedHorn and www.abbibot.com.

Dr. Chanda Macias

www.holistichealingdc.com

Chanda Macias, MBA, PhD, is the Owner and General Manager of the National Holistic Healing Center Medical Marijuana Dispensary (NHHC) in Washington D.C. NHHC is a patient advocated company dedicated to providing individuals with debilitating medical conditions, and specific illnesses with alternative allopathic medicine. NHHC provides patient education and support, medical marijuana, and medical marijuana infused products to qualifying patients or designated caregivers in compliance with the DC Department of Health.

Dr. Macias earned her PhD from Howard University in 2001 with a concentration in Cell Biology. She was extensively trained at the Howard University Cancer Center studying, breast cancer and evolved her studies to focus developing a model to understand how prostate cancer metastasizes to bone (Macias et al., 2002).

She was recruited directly from graduate school to a Fortune 500 Company, Colgate Palmolive Company, to research oral diseases and possible treatment options. Contributing to the launch of several billion dollar brands including Total® toothpaste and Simply White®, Dr. Macias innovation resulted in three (3) U.S. Patents, and eleven (11) Global Patients (World Intellectual Property Organization).

Due to her love of the District of Columbia and metropolitan area, Dr. Macias returned and engaged her passion to innovate through evaluating patients at the U.S. Patient and Trademark Office. Assigned to the Cancer Immunology Art Unit, Dr. Macias examined innovations from a myriad of inventors including Fortune 500 pharmaceutical companies and pro se inventors from academic institutions. Dr. Macias derived at an interesting skill set, the ability to innovate in conjunction with the ability to critique innovations.

In acknowledgement of Dr. Macias accomplishments, Dr. Winston Anderson of Howard University, the recipient of President’s Obama Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (2011), employed her to serve as a Program Site Manager in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The National Institutes of Health, Minority Health International Research Training (MHIRT) program sponsored the research activities that investigated infectious diseases including Malaria and Schistosomiasis. Dr. Macias trained six (6) cohorts of advanced undergraduates, master and doctoral students, and medical students, which resulted in five (5) health- related publications, and five (5) journal articles in review.

During Dr. Macias’ tenure in Ethiopia, she encountered unbelievable realities with the healthcare challenges for the country. The population did not have access to generic antibiotics, which could have saved numerous lives. Instead she witnessed as the communities perish because of healthcare disparities. It became Dr. Macias mission to be a transformer of change, through further education and experience.

Dr. Macias was accepted into the third (3rd) top program for Supply Chain Management MBA program in the U.S., and matriculated at Rutgers University. At Rutgers University, Dr. Macias was trained extensively on supply chain management, which is defined by APICS as, “the movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption. It is the design, planning, execution, control, and monitoring of supply chain activities with the objective of creating net value, building a competitive infrastructure, leveraging worldwide logistics, synchronizing supply with demand and measuring performance globally.”

Dr. Macias’ education, experience and skill set have prepared her for the venture in the medical marijuana industry. She is dedicated to the healthcare industry, and continues to find innovative ways to meet the population’s needs with healthcare solutions. Dr. Macias has the scientific insight to assist with dosages, and medical marijuana strain alignment according to specific aliments. Dr. Macias genuinely wants to assist patients with their healthcare needs, and she is qualified and has the passion to do so.

Sirita Wright

estrohaze.com/about-us/

Sirita Wright is a digital-savvy professional with a fashion and media background. A longtime cannabis enthusiast, Sirita began delving deeper into the business side of the cannabis industry in 2013 by 2015 Sirita and her colleagues Kali and Safon co-founded EstroHaze - a multimedia company providing cannabis business and lifestyle information to the masses! Sirita also consults with cannabis entrepreneurs and brands on how they can use social media to expand their reach.

Never one to sit idly, Sirita is also an actress and has had guest roles on the ID Channels ‘My Dirty Little Secret’ and her first web series, 195 Lewis, was recently unveiled at the International Film Festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands and has been taking the country by storm!

When Sirita isn’t spending her days crunching numbers, analyzing and optimizing marketing strategies, acting or consulting, you can find Sirita at a local museum or garden, taking a nap or doing her hair whilst binging on podcast or...something else!

Pierre Bagley

www.linkedin.com/in/pierre-bagley-830b651/

Pierre Bagley is a media, entertainment and marketing professional with broad experience in media strategy, content, marketing and distribution. Pierre has burnished his credentials by working in the very diverse, global marketplace of the public/private sector, bringing the concept of “disruptive collaboration” to a whole new level in the 21st century!

Pierre served as the director of the DC Office of Motion Picture and Television Development (MPTD) from 2014 to 2015. Bagley is also the producer, director, and co-writer of the independent feature From the Rough, starring academy award nominees, Taraji P. Henson (Empire, Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Michael Clarke Duncan (The Green Mile), and British actor Tom Felton (Harry Potter). He guided the project from development to production in less than six months and raised nearly $7.5 million in equity to complete the film. Other recent projects include two critically-acclaimed documentaries, A Legacy of Leadership, hosted by Sidney Poitier; and LAPD-Transforming the Dream, commissioned by LAPD Police Chief, and current NY Police Commissioner William H. Bratton.

Gia Morón

@gia_vm

Gia Morón is the Director of Communications for Women Grow, the largest professional networking organization in the cannabis industry. She is also the Founder and CEO of GVM Communications, Inc., a boutique public relations, brand development and business development consulting firm. Gia joined Women Grow New York market in 2016 and began working with headquarters in 2017. Gia oversees internal and external communications for the company and works closely with the CEO on client relationships and business development.

Gia launched GVM Communications in 2012, working with various small to mid-sized businesses, non-profit organizations, entrepreneurs, speakers and authors. Her client base covers many industries, as during her tenure at The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. one of the leading investment banks, where she was a Media Relations Officer for fifteen years, she oversaw several business lines. Her areas of focus ranged from Urban Investment/Private Equity, Investment Research and Technology to the firm’s organizational focus In Corporate Engagement, Diversity, Recruiting, Human Resources and Corporate Services. Prior to working on Wall Street, Gia worked for several years in the entertainment industry for The Fremantle Corporation as Director of Promotions and Publicity.

With a natural ability to cross and blend industries, in 2015, Gia expanded her business model to include the cannabis industry. She often partners with many organizations and has hosted dozens of workshops and events targeting women entrepreneurs. Gia facilitates workshops, participates on panels to organizes events. With a career over 20+ years of experience in corporate within the entertainment industry to financial services, she has a special niche for bridging gaps and merging industries. Using her public relations background, media training and personal development skillsets Gia works closely with corporate women and women owned businesses to provide tools to help balance work/life and succeed in our growing economy.

Shimika Clarke

@shimikalc

Shimika Clarke is the director of business development and partnerships for Claim it!, the marketplace mobile application that offers a simple way for brands and users to give, meet, share and claim the things they love for free; both locally and nationally. Reporting directly to the CEO, she drives business strategy and leads teams responsible for strategic partnerships, marketing, and ad operations.

Prior to Claim it! Shimika was the founder of SLC Branded Entertainment, a sales and marketing agency. Among the positions she held before that were digital integrations account manager for branded entertainment at Telepictures Productions (Warner Bros. Entertainment Company) and digital sales planner for ABC Owned Television Stations (Disney-ABC Television Group).

Shimika holds a B.S. in broadcast journalism from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida, where she minored in sales and marketing.

Divine

www.blakfintech.com

Divine is a disruptor in every sense of the word with his relentless ambition, determination, grind and hustle. A former substantial drug dealer, and Hip-Hop/Rap recording artist turned "techpreneur", he first appeared on the tech community radar in 2014 when he reached out to billionaire and famed Silicon Valley venture capitalist (VC) Ben Horowitz, Co-Founder of top-tier VC firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), on social media via Twitter, and the two eventually became friends.

With only an 8th grade formal education and no tech background, a year later, Divine would officially enter tech when he founded his first financial services and technology startup, BLAK Fintech (BLAK). BLAK is an acronym that stands for Building Leverage Acquiring Knowledge. BLAK builds affordable tech-driven personal financial and banking products with a focus on the financially excluded and disadvantaged Unbanked and Underbanked. Some of BLAK’s strategic partners include fintech startups MoCaFi and DisputeDoc. Divine’s extraordinary story of meeting Ben and entrepreneurial journey that followed, has been featured via such media outlets as Tech Crunch, Forbes, Black Enterprise, Entrepreneur, Inc., The Karen Hunter Show on SiriusXM Urban View, Breaking Banks with Brett King and American Banker.

Divine has been featured at numerous events focused on diversity and inclusion in tech. This year, he was selected as a keynote speaker by Georgia State University's Entrepreneurship & Innovation Institute's Russell Center, for their inaugural Influential Speaker Series, and the annual France Fintech: Revolution event held in Paris.

Being a formerly incarcerated individual with a decade of incarceration, Divine is now an advocate against mass incarceration and for criminal justice reform, and a brand ambassador for The Last Mile organization. As an inspirational speaker, Divine now utilizes his life story and journey of redemption to inspire others worldwide.

Divine is currently writing a book and recently had a screenplay completed on his life for a feature film. He was recently cast in the Ben Stiller directed and executive produced Showtime miniseries prison escape drama, Escape At Dannemora, based on the real life 2015 prison escape from Clinton Correctional Facility upstate New York.

Divine is a Contributor to Black Enterprise (BE), and is set to appear at this year's BE TechConneXt Summit on a panel with criminal justice reform advocate and New York Times best-selling author of Writing My Wrongs, Shaka Senghor and others.

Tiffany Norwood

www.tribetan.com

@TiffanyNorwood

As a global serial entrepreneur, Tiffany Norwood has done seven start-ups, spanning six continents and has had two IPOs. An entrepreneur before it was popular, she did her first start-up as a teenager more than thirty years ago and had a patent by the age of twenty-three. Her ventures have ranged from the first one-strap backpack, to the automation technology behind self-install kits for broadband internet, to a virtual reality gaming platform today. In her late twenties, she raised $670 million to fund a global digital satellite radio start-up, WorldSpace, which included XMRadio for the United States. After raising the money, she became Head of International Business Development and did some of the first ever digital content licensing deals, including Bloomberg News with Michael Bloomberg and CNN International with Phil Kent. Tiffany was also an early collaborator with the Fraunhofer Institute and their MPEG technologies, spending many nights at their labs in Erlangen, Germany in the 1990s. MPEG Layer-3 and MPEG Layer-4, are now known as MP3 and MP4 and both WorldSpace and XMRadio went public. By the time Tiffany left WorldSpace, it had launched 3 satellites covering the world, had offices in more than seven countries and nearly 400 employees. As a social entrepreneur, she was a co-founder and corporate vice president of Ethiopia Healthcare Network (EHN), a non-profit that provides full-service healthcare to low-income women and children in Ethiopia. As of today, Ethiopia Healthcare Network has treated more than 10,000 patients at its partner clinic in Addis, and built a full service hospital in Dukem, which is operated by the local government. Currently, Tiffany is the Founder and CEO of Tribetan. In this role, she speaks globally on the science of turning imagination into reality, leveraging the currency of faith in others and the natural connection that exists amongst the seven billion people in the world- her dream is that the entrepreneurial skill set of manifesting ideas is as well known as reading, writing and math. Some of her past venues include Cornell University, the Italian Parliament, Platform Summit, Global Entrepreneurship Week, Dev4Ethic, KPMG UK, Center of American Studies, the Creative Business Cup, the Mexican Embassy and others. Tiffany is also Co-Founder of Emortal Sports, a virtual reality e-sports gaming start-up and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Georgetown University. Tiffany has an MBA from Harvard and a Bachelor’s in Economics with a concentration in statistics and electrical engineering from Cornell University. She has lived, worked and visited nearly 50 countries. Tiffany believes in the power of imagination and storytelling to make ideas real. She encourages everyone to tell the story of their dreams- everywhere, anywhere and all the time. …

Guaylon Arnic

www.linkedin.com/in/guaylon-arnic-31260215/

I've worked in the investment industry for over 15 years as a buyside analyst covering technology stocks for last seven years. Last July my partner and I launched Samadi Capital. Currently I'm a portfolio manager on a long/short technology fund at the firm. Prior to launching Samadhi Capital I worked at Profit Investments from 3/09 to 7/16 where I was responsible for all of the firm’s technology investments.

Dasheeda Dawson

mjmstrategy.com

@thecannabisceo

Dasheeda Dawson is The WeedHead - a Cannabis executive, digital growth hacker, and brand equity builder. Featured as a speaker and contributor across multiple media outlets & conferences, including Entrepreneur.com, Women Grow, and the Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo, Dasheeda is a corporate cross-over pioneer helping Cannabis brands “hack into mainstream America” with real talk, top-ranked training and digital expertise. From Target to THC, she has successfully launched and managed multi-million dollar brands for companies such as Target Corporation, Victoria’s Secret and Fullbeauty Brands prior to transitioning to the cannabis industry. Dasheeda received her MBA from Rutgers Business School and completed her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology at Princeton University in 2001.

Currently, Dasheeda is the President of MJM Strategy (f/k/a MaryJane Marketing), a digital-focused hemp and marijuana consulting group leading the rebranding of the cannabis industry. Committed to legitimizing and diversifying the industry, she recently became the Founder of The Higher Community Corporation (THC Corp), the industry’s first digital Cannabis business accelerator focused on cultivating diversity ownership in the industry. A member of the Executive Leadership Committee, she is also the Western Region Director of Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM) helping to lead the “Diversity in Cannabis” national campaign.

Ralph Kindred

www.linkedin.com/in/rkindred/

A dynamic business and technology executive who brings a multi-disciplinary approach of Business, Law, and Technology to aligning Corporate Strategy with Business Execution. A proven track record of exploiting technology to deliver innovative solutions, grow revenue, increase market share, and reduce operational costs. A leader of global teams who possesses a flexible balance of business, technical and interpersonal skills necessary to thrive in the most challenging and competitive business environments.

Tiana Wells-Lawson

Tiana Wells-Lawson manages The Harbor Bank of Maryland’s Retail Branch Network as the Vice President of Branch Administration. She has worked in the financial services industry for 17 years and has been with The Harbor Bank of Maryland since 2014.

Prior to joining The Harbor Bank of Maryland, Tiana played a key role in developing the Private Banking Programs at SunTrust and PNC Banks. As the first Vice President Private Banking Relationship Manager in the Greater Washington area in 2012 for SunTrust Bank; she was able to become the number one second mortgage loan producer in the company. Tiana was a member of the Private Client Group start-up team in Baltimore County in 2008. She was the first Private Banking Relationship Manager at PNC Bank to manage the Jacksonville, Phoenix, Sparks and Hunt Valley MD territories. In 2006, Tiana managed a $400 million portfolio as a Premier Relationship Manager at Bank of America. She began her career in Banking at MBNA America in 1998 where she managed the Credit, Collections, Billing Disputes, Risk and Fraud Departments.

Tiana received her Bachelor s of Science Degree in Mass Communications and Public Relations from Towson University. She currently holds Series 6 and 63 Securities Licenses along with a Life and Health Insurance License.

Tiana is dedicated to helping children; she currently is a Board Member of Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) of Baltimore County. Tiana currently resides in Laurel, MD and enjoys traveling and spending quality time with her husband and two children.

Marvin Washington

Marvin Washington is a retired NFL player who played a total of eleven years with three teams: the New York Jets, Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers. He was a member of the Denver Broncos 1998 Super Bowl winning team and was voted by Sports Illustrated as the 36th best N.Y. Jet of all-time. A voice for former NFL players in the NFL’s concussion lawsuit,Washington addresses the truth about the outcome as well as the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). An advocate for all-natural, non-habit forming cannabis, Washington is speaking out on the topic of using cannabinoids as neuroprotectants as well as an avenue to alleviate the nation’s #1 health epidemic: prescription opioid abuse and addiction. He has also lobbied the NFL Players Association to push for changes in the sport’s drug policies.Washington is a graduate of Idaho University and a 2004 inductee into the University of Idaho Vandal Sports Hall of Fame.

After football Washington worked for William Small Wealth Management Group as a Financial Advisor. At Williams advised high net worth individual investors and Professional Athletes in the NFL and NBA. Washington worked in financial services for 10 years focusing on financial planning, retirement planning and estate planning. Now a serial entrepreneur, Washington is focused on the cannabis industry. He is an investor and co-owner of a number of cannabis ventures. One of his companies is Isodiol which he co-founded. The company is a CBD THC-free hemp derived product line which has from skin care, tinctures, topical products, sprays and water. IsoSport a division of Isodiol to offers hemp sports drinks and products. Along with his partners, Washington is launching a cannabis information education series as a gateway to help people of color enter the cannabis industry.

Washington is also an ambassador for Athletes For CARE, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness for important issues facing professional athletes and the public at large, including addiction, chronic pain, access to alternative medicines, mental health, CTE and traumatic brain injury.

Virgil Grant III

The Los Angeles Times refers to Virgil Grant as ”the de facto leader of the cannabis industry.” MG Magazine called him “the King of Los Angeles.”

Virgil Grant, III co-founded the California Minority Alliance, a leading civic engagement organization, to guide minority equitable interests throughout the cannabis space with education, economic opportunity and strong results-oriented advocacy work. Grant, has also unified the entire southern California cannabis community as co-founder and President of the Southern California Coalition (SCC), the region’s largest most inclusive cannabis industry trade organization.

On March 7th, 2017, Grant’s organizations united the City of Los Angeles’ government, communities and cannabis stakeholders together, ushering the landslide passage of LA City Proposition M, which sets new precedents for the world’s largest cannabis market with responsible guidelines, regulations and licensing. Civic municipalities like Los Angeles, have entrusted to Virgil, guidance in drafting their ordinance and regulations with his wide-ranging expert insight and knowledge of the industry.

Grant is a longtime pioneer of the legal cannabis industry for over two decades, as owner/operator of up to one time, six medical marijuana dispensaries. With his multi-faceted cannabis business experience, Virgil specializes in establishing commercial sites in all cannabis market sectors from construction, licensing and permits to grand opening from the state of California to other states throughout the U.S.

Virgil Grant ongoing activism efforts to codify the cannabis industry interests into “safe and sane” legislation at the local municipal, state and national level continues as one of the founders and a former steering committee member for the Greater of the Los Angeles Caregivers Alliance (GLACA), a member of America for Safe Access (ASA), board member of Patient Advocacy Network (PAN) and as an active committee member of the NAACP.

Recently, Grant joined his SCC co-founder Donnie Anderson, who also chairs the California Minority Alliance, in receiving the California State Assembly's Community Pioneer Award during the 2017 California Democrats State Convention, where they were honored for their work helping Los Angeles to get a handle on its cannabis industry, as annotated in a June 2017 Forbes magazine feature story.

Kia Jackson

Kia L. Jackson is an educator first, a leader, a visionary, an entrepreneur, and a curator of quality experiences. . As the CEO of W.O.M.M.A.N LLC., Kia L. Jackson, coordinates, manages, and leads an enterprise of ventures that work together for a common purpose of effective change. Her current mission is all about decriminalization of Cannabis through education. She seeks to change minds about cannabis through targeted educational and entertainment experiences that break stigmas and defy stereotypes.

Kia L. Jackson serves as a bridge for those operating in the underground market of the cannabis industry seeking to transition to a legal, Initiative 71 compliant operating business within the District of Columbia. In one year, Kia L. Jackson has curated and produced over twenty-five events promoting legal cannabis consumption, cultivation, and education. Through these targeted efforts she has impacted thousands of people and built strong alliances with key stakeholders, other pioneers, leaders, and organizers that share the vision of changing minds about cannabis. The purpose of these events were to create a safe, legal space for the Nation’s Capitol Cannabis Industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and other industry related business owners to congregate for education, support, resources, networking connections, and collaboration.

Jesce Horton

Jesce Horton is the owner of Panacea Valley Gardens, a medical cannabis cultivation center and co-founder of Panacea, an award-winning dispensary in Portland, OR. He is also the co-founder and Chairman of the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), the first non-profit organization founded to create equal access and economic empowerment for cannabis businesses, their patients, and the communities most affected by the war on drugs.

Currently, Jesce is developing Saints Cannabis, a vertically-integrated cannabis campus that will house adult-use (recreational) retail, cannabis lounge, indoor and greenhouse cultivation, processing and R&D operations all on one flagship property in Portland, OR. Saints Cannabis recently earned the 2016 Oregon Dope Cup award for Best Medical Hybrid Flower. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Resource Innovation Institute (RII) as well as numerous state and city appointed committees that oversee rules and regulations shaping the Oregon cannabis industry.

Jesce has received recognition from Marijuana Business Magazine, Willamette Weekly, Dope Magazine and High Times Magazine for local and national contributions. He sees it as his mission to leverage his resources and experience to make a positive and sustaining impact in the cannabis industry: “Cannabis has the ability to do amazing good in our society, but the industry will never reach its full potential without keeping sustainable business practices, like diversity and environmental efficiency, as core principles of development and growth.” Jesce bikes and runs with his dog Buddha in his beloved hometown of Portland, OR.

Jay Sutton

Jay Sutton (Owner of Sutton Enterprises) is a native Washingtonian, and Entrepreneur who recently launched two companies here in the District. CASHCROP , a trendy apparel line which caters to those fashion minded individuals, and Green Tie, a members only Canna-Club, that offers Free cannabis products for its members. Jay is master grower and advocate for minority advancement in the cannabis industry. He has been extremely active in numerous Cannabis Business Expos, and hopes to create opportunities for local Washingtonians in the industry. Green Tie carries their own genetics ,which have been carefully selected and tested using the same procedure as corporate cultivation centers. This is to insure safety and content of product being gifted to Green Tie Club members.

Michael Beal

Michael Beal is the Co-Founder of Data Capital Management; a machine-learning Hedge Fund based on "Big Data" Technologies and Data Feeds. He is passionate about investing, the onset of the “Data Economy” and the new technologies required to bring the next Industrial Revolution to fruition.

Pierre LeVeaux

Pierre is a Vice President in the Investment Management Group at Goldman Sachs. He joined the firm in 2009 after receiving an MBA from The Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. While at Darden, Pierre served as one of four Portfolio Managers responsible for overseeing a portion of the schools endowment through Darden Capital Management. Prior to business school, Pierre was a Portfolio Analyst at Profit Investment Management in Silver Springs, Maryland as well as a Senior Consultant at Personnel Decisions International, a global human capital consulting firm. Pierre received both a BA and MS Degree in Social Science from California State University and he currently serves on the board of Community of Unity as well as the Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation. Lastly, although New York based Pierre still has personal and professional ties to California.

Kyla Hill

Kyla Hill is the owner, creator, and CEO at Get Hemp Butter. Get Hemp Butter, winner of the 2015 Cannawards, is DC’s premier topical company specializing in Hemp based products for hair, hands, body and more. Growing up in a military family enabled Kyla to experience various areas of the US. She has incorporated some of those influences into her product.

Kyla is an advocate for hemp in support of full legalization for the purpose of creating alternative resources and sustainable practices. She is a certified Medical Marijuana Provider in the District of Columbia and has been involved in the industry for more than four years. Through her involvement in the legal Cannabis industry, Kyla has built a strong network of leaders in DC, Maryland, California, Colorado, Washington, and Nevada.

Kyla has appeared in The District, a local PBS show, was a contestant on season one of The Marijuana Show and appeared on Viceland. She was featured in The NY Times and over a dozen other publications among them Forbes magazine and The Washington Post.

Shara Gibson

Shara Gibson is founder of CaniVenures, a business development firm for entrepreneurs moving into the cannabis industry and is Managing Director of Creative Capacity, a management firm activating vacant spaces for entrepreneurs in the creative economy. Her experience includes organizing small business workshops and trainings, structuring strategic partnerships to develop new programming, developing outreach strategies for small and minority-owned firms, and serving as a resource connector for businesses seeking new contracting opportunities. Through her work, Shara has reached an audience of over 3,000 entrepreneurs throughout the Washington Metropolitan area. Her most visible program, CEO Growth Academy, resulted in the inaugural cohort acquiring a collective $14.2 million in new contracts. Shara has over seven years of sales and marketing experience, having worked for two of the largest global consumer marketing companies. She has also taken her skills aboard, serving as a consultant on international business development projects in Shanghai, China and Rio De Janiro, Brazil. Shara received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Hampton University and is a graduate of the Howard University MBA program. Shara is an active member of the community through her work mentoring at-risk youth in Washington D.C.

Francois Giovanni Merle

International Award Winning Master Chef Giovanni Merle creates extraordinary fine cuisine guaranteed to tickle your taste buds! His journey around the globe has allowed him to have a deeper understanding and appreciation for food. Hailing from Mauritius and based in Washington DC, he believes cooking is an art and eating is an experience, using only the finest ingredients that are incredibly pure and delicious!

Chef Giovanni’s training in classical French, European and Creole cuisine has prepared him to bring you the ultimate dining experience! He currently operates a full-service catering business for every kind of event: social galas, corporate events, fundraisers, weddings and more!

Master Chef Giovanni Merle has been featured in several media outlets including FOX, MyTV , Voice of America, The Washington Post and more! He was recently named one of the top chefs in the U.S. by Barilla “Represent Your Region” Contest and the Winner of the 2016 Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament!