Vote

The awards for Community Cultivation and for Lifetime Achievement are up to THE PEOPLE and will be posted online for voting. The online voting process will cost $1 per vote and 100% of the funds raised will be donated to the Saving Sophie Foundation.

Sue Taylor

Sue Taylor is a retired Catholic School Principal and the co-founder of Farmacy Berkeley, a cannabis dispensary known for providing the most up-to-date cannabis education, high-quality products, and caring staff. Sue founded iCANN in 2009 with her Son and Daughter-In-Law with the vision of opening a community dispensary focused on educating seniors about cannabis, improving their quality of life, and dispelling stigma. She is also the founder and creator of Mama Sue Wellness with two tinctures on the market suited for the needs of seniors. Mama Sue’s Mission is to close a generational gap and help eliminate the stigma surrounding the cannabis plant. She’s seen firsthand the healing benefits received and is out to change the mindset of ‘reefer madness’ to one of curiosity and social acceptance.

Dale Sky Jones

Dale Sky Jones is the original spokeswoman for the modern cannabis legalization movement & mom of 3 kids with industry pioneer Jeff Jones. The award-winning documentary, “American Pot Story: Oaksterdam,” is based on that legalization campaign, subsequent federal raid, and Oaksterdam’s decades-long fight to deschedule cannabis.

Dale & OU Team works across many states and localities, offering cutting-edge workforce development and Responsible Vendor Training, crafting The Budtenders’ Guide and Writers’ Style Guide. Since 2007, Oaksterdam University has taught over 100,000 alums from 110 countries with trusted certification programs for Business, Horticulture, Budtending, Extractions, and Manufacturing for workforce, owners, and regulators. She is the Program Director of Social Equity technical assistance, coaching, and accelerator programs for New Jersey, Connecticut, Los Angeles, and Oakland, California.

Aundre Speciale

Aundre Speciale began her lifelong love and dedication to cannabis advocacy in 1990 when her neighbor Jack Herer invited her to join him on the Hemp Bus. They toured California promoting hemp for fuel, food, fiber, fun, and medicine. For the last several decades Aundre has tirelessly advocated on behalf of the cannabis plant through community cultivation and organizing, and in 2004 she opened one of the first of many dispensaries in California. She implemented a legacy dispensary model that focused on compassion, patient services, and community responsibility. Her inclusive and welcoming way of dispensing cannabis includes opening community centers and working closely with community organizers and city officials. Aundre’s work within the industry continues to inspire women, create enlightened cannabis policy, and fund major cannabis research and reform projects. Aundre and her two adult children, Electra and Will, are currently operating one of the country’s oldest dispensaries CBCB in Berkley, California, which has been a community pillar since 1996.

Kimberly Cargile

Kimberly Cargile has been dedicated to advancing the cannabis industry as an activist, educator and business leader for almost two decades. She has been a cannabis cultivator and manufacturer for 20 years and has operated storefront dispensaries for 17, going back to the days when they were underground and it was a serious stand of activism. Over the years she has been a persistent voice at City Council and County Board of Supervisor meetings across California. She has been a boots on the ground advocate to enact many pieces of State Legislature and regulations, providing over 100 government tours of her businesses. Over the years, she has brought on 18 of her female employees to join her in the ownership role. Together they own 9 dispensaries, 2 farms and a shared manufacturing and distribution company. Without any corporate funding, they have become a force to recon with, proving that when women work together and support one another they can achieve anything!

Leila R Soveron Ovando

Leila Soveron Ovando is a cannabis culinary chef with over 20 years of experience in the kitchen. She was born and raised in San Francisco’s vibrant Mission District. Leila is a mother of three and has a remarkable journey in the culinary world.
She has worked with cannabis companies such as Mellows, Meadows and Cannasueir series a 5 course cannabis infused dinner.

Leila’s passion for cooking and cannabis led her to create a unique program for Cannabis Culinary Infusion program at MLVS, which was funded by the Office of Workforce Development of the city of San Francisco.

As a first-generation Mexican and Salvadoran, Leila’s heritage has greatly influenced her culinary style and creativity. Her relationship with cannabis began at a young age, starting at just 11 years old. It became a part of her daily routine, as she used it to find solace and creativity. In the challenging environment of the 90s, Leila navigated gang wars, using her love for cannabis, theater, and food as a means of escape and self-expression.

She is working hard to eradicate the cannabis stigma and give her community the eduction and access they need to be a part of this budding cannabis industry and medicinal plant.

This program is a testament to the
resilience and ability to turn life’s challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation in the culinary and cannabis world

Whitney Beatty

“Whitney Beatty is a dynamic former reality television development exec turned cannabis entrepreneur. Her cannabis storage company Apothecarry Brands, Inc. was selected for the first cohort of Canopy San Diego cannabis business accelerator and won the ArcView Groups 2017 Los Angeles pitch prize. She also serves as founder & CEO of Josephine & Billie’s, the first dispensary catered to the recreational and medicinal needs of women of color, which was selected as the first investment for the TPCO Social Equity Fund and recently partnered with Off The Charts. Whitney is a fierce advocate for equity and women of color in the cannabis space, and serves as VP for Supernova Women an 501c3 that encourages women of color to become equity stakeholders in the cannabis industry via advocacy, education and networking and also serves as the VP of the LA Cannabis Equity Retailers Association.
“

Rachelle Gordon

“Rachelle Gordon is a cannabis journalist and the editor of GreenState. She has become a critical voice in the emerging industry, traversing North America for the last seven years, covering the space as it developed. Rachelle has been featured in High Times, CannabisNow, MG Magazine, Cannabis & Tech Today, Beard Bros, Skunk, and many other industry publications. She is also a partner in the Women in Cannabis Study, a living history of women working in weed.
“

Luna Stower

Luna Stower is Chief Impact Officer at Ispire Vape Technology in L.A.

A renowned executive and thought-leader in the space, her expertise in designing and manufacturing high-quality cannabis vaporization hardware has significantly influenced the sector.

With 2 decades industry experience, Luna was recognized as ‘Top 100 Women in Cannabis’ by Green Entrepreneur for her role in developing prominent cannabis brands like Jetty Extracts & Click Spray.

Starting as the first employee at both Jetty and Ispire, she’s played a pivotal role in their growth.

A Bay Area native with a Master’s in Education (USF) & BA in Social Justice (UCSC), she’s an internationally-acclaimed keynote speaker, panelist & plant medicine educator, widely-honored for her contributions to drug policy & social equity.

Her work greatly impacted legacy cannabis brands via social responsibility & brand loyalty initiatives.

www.LunaStower.com

American Weed Co. is on a mission to legalize weed for Veterans nationwide, destroy the stigma, and give back to those who serve — the unsung heroes who enrich our daily lives.

A part of every purchase flows back into the very heart of our community through organizations like Stop Soldier Suicide and Responder Strong.

With American Weed Co., you’re not just elevating your own experience; you’re uplifting those who’ve selflessly served our society. Here, every choice you make is a step towards a more enlightened, inclusive future.

Sue Taylor

Dale Sky Jones

Aundre Speciale

Kimberly Cargile

Leila R Soveron Ovando

Whitney Beatty

Rachelle Gordon

Luna Stower

From entrepreneurs and researchers to activists and regulators, women are leading the way in shaping the future of cannabis.

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