Advisory Board

We're here to help guide the future of cannabis

OUR MISSION

The Advisory Board provides employers with a skilled workforce, paves new career tracks, and creates jobs and efficiencies based on science-first, evidence-based decision-making. Direct communication with the industry steers a cannabis curriculum parallel to the rapidly developing market, producing entry-level graduates who meet and exceed the industry’s demand.

The Board’s focus paves the way for positive student and employer outcomes. It thrives on collaboration, resources, reach, and relationships in a boundless industry, sharing its insight into education through the How we grow™ content and data platform.

Adam Abodeely, MD, MBA, FACS, FASCRS

Founder & CEO,
Adirondack Gastrointestinal & Colorectal Surgery LLC

“In the ever-evolving landscape of medical cannabis, growth manifests not only in cultivation techniques but also in our collective commitment to research, education, and patient-centric care. Success for the industry lies in fostering a culture of innovation, integrity, and collaboration that elevates cannabis as a legitimate tool for healing and well-being.”

Gretchen L. Temeles, Ph.D.

Partner,
Lipton, Weinberger & Husick

“When most people think of patented technologies and intellectual property (IP), they think of cell phones, computers, and pharmaceuticals. What entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry may not know is that cannabis and cannabis-related products are also patentable.”

Hirsh Jain

Founder,
Ananda Strategy

“We grow as an industry by building unlikely allies, those who may think differently than us on other issues, but that we can find common ground with and enlist into our plant medicine movement.”

Jeffrey C. Raber, Ph.D.

CEO & CVO,
The Werc Shop

“The trees of the future only reach their full potential when they take root in fields properly cultivated and continuously cared for. Our job as educators and industry stewards is to prepare the fields of exuberant minds and plant a diversity of seeds of knowledge within them to ultimately provide a fruitful forest in the future. We embrace this challenge and look forward to cultivating opportunities and excellence in areas directly relevant to our emerging industry.”

Luna Stower

Chief Impact Officer,
Ispire Vape Technology

“Growth stems from connections and collaborations born of integrity, united by our shared dedication to plant medicine, wellness, and collaboration. This industry flourishes through trust, purpose, and a commitment to progress. When we stand together against the obstacles, we can achieve long-term growth, with real passion and unwavering integrity, a steadfast commitment to plant medicine and personal freedoms.”

Michael Sexton

Entrepreneur and Founder,
Dope Scientific

“We either grow together, or we wither alone. I’ve watched the cannabis industry rise like a plant breaking through concrete—from the shadows of stigma to the light of acceptance, and now, blossoming into a field of thriving respectability. As we sow the seeds of innovation and sustainability, we’re not merely growing plants. We’re building a community rooted in wellness, knowledge, and responsibility.”

Whitney Beatty

CEO,
Josephine & Billies

“We grow when everyone – including women entrepreneurs and people of color – are not just allowed but encouraged to grow with us. We believe that there are large holes in the retail marketplaces because people are blind to the needs of those from marginalized backgrounds and communities. We’re advocating for women and women of color in particular who are ready to bootstrap their way into the cannabis space, because that has been our experience towards achieving equity.”