For the second year in a row, Cannavision Institute at Stautzenberger College was named one of the best companies to work for by Cannabis Business Times, an honor driven largely by anonymous employee feedback. In fact, 80% of the score reflects how employees rate their own experience, across categories like culture, satisfaction, benefits, and work-life balance.
It’s a meaningful signal in any industry. In cannabis, where rapid growth can sometimes outpace structure, it’s a marker of something more: a foundation built with intention.
This year, ranked third, is proof that in just five years of existence, the Institute has grown into a credible, forward-looking force in cannabis education earning trust not only for what it teaches, but for the way it supports the people behind it.
A Culture Built On People
Cannavision is built around its people, with a culture that respects boundaries (email and voicemail can wait until business hours!) and a flexible, remote or hybrid structure that makes space for real life, from celebrating milestones to taking time off when it matters.
The benefits reinforce that same philosophy. Cannavision covers between 75% and 100% of healthcare premiums, and staffers are trained with a focus on supporting both performance and wellbeing. Personal development isn’t treated as a bonus; it’s part of the culture.
The result is something you can feel:low turnover, strong continuity, and a team that holds institutional knowledge. It also reflects a broader commitment to excellence that extends to students and graduates who can feel proud to be part of this culture. These factors may not appear in a syllabus, but together, they shape the student experience as much as any curriculum.
Meet Our Team
Jasmine Viola: Dean and Program Director
For Jasmine Viola, the work is both professional and deeply personal. A human services leader with four master’s degrees from Tiffin University Jasmine brings a rare combination of analytical rigor and human-centered insight to the cannabis industry. Her background in sociology and justice administration allows her to navigate not just the regulatory landscape, but the broader social and behavioral context that shapes it.
Jasmine quickly rose through the cannabis industry, from Regional Manager overseeing five Ohio dispensaries to National Operations Manager at Bloom Medicinals, leading multi-state operations. She later became Director of Operational Compliance, specializing in regulatory and operational excellence. Alongside this, she helped shape cannabis education—first at Stautzenberger College, then at Cannavision Institute, where she built the programs from the ground up. In 2024, she was named Dean and Program Director.Her focus is on expanding access, advancing education, and advocating for responsible cannabis use, all while helping to shape an industry that is still defining itself. At Cannavision, she’s part of a leadership team working to ensure that growth is matched by responsibility, and that education keeps pace with a rapidly evolving field.
Gustavo McClain: Director of Career Services
For Gustavo McClain, workforce development is about creating access. As Director of Career Services at Cannavision Institute, he brings more than a decade of experience as an educator, entrepreneur, and program builder focused on connecting underserved communities to high-growth industries. His work sits at the intersection of education and opportunity, aligning academic pathways with the evolving needs of the workforce.
Gustavo has played an active role in shaping New York’s emerging cannabis ecosystem, partnering with the New York State Office of Cannabis Management and collaborating with organizations like The Bronx Defenders and Get Out Stay Out to support expungement efforts and expand access for justice-impacted individuals. He has also spoken at the New York State Capitol alongside his students, advocating for youth workforce development and equitable access to careers in emerging industries.
He holds a Master of Professional Studies in Cannabis Business, Policy, and Legislation from LIM College, along with OSHA’s highest level of recognition across Construction, General Industry, and Hazardous Materials.
Building For What Comes Next
Accolades like this don’t stand alone. Cannavision is committed to investing in people, prioritizing continuity, and building programs that reflect the realities of an ever-evolving industry. The result is an organization that is not only participating in that growth, but helping to shape what credible, career-focused cannabis education looks like by strengthening outcomes for graduates while reinforcing the talent pipeline employers depend on.