The cannabis industry is far too large to provide a comprehensive list of key individuals in any state market, let alone key individuals nationally or internationally. However given my affiliations with the University of Virginia and University of Denver I have compiled a list of UVA and DU alumni (and other related individuals) who are associated with the cannabis industry. Suggestions for additions or corrections are always welcome. Last updated: November 29, 2022.
University of Virginia
UVA Alumni on LinkedIn with “cannabis” in their profile (59 as of August 2022, 171 as of August 2021, 133 as of July 2020, 110 as of August 2019 – some are not working in the industry but reference cannabis in their profile in other contexts)
UVA Alumni on LinkedIn with “marijuana” in their profile (113 as of August 2022, 104 as of August 2021, 87 as of July 2020, 84 as of August 2019 – some are not working in the industry but reference marijuana in their profile in other contexts)
Brandon Barksdale, Director at CohnReznick (Los Angeles), UVA BA LinkedIn Profile
Charles Caliman, Founder & CEO, Greenbelt Group, UVA BA, LinkedIn Profile
Scott Cathcart, President & CEO, Pure Jamaican, UVA Communications 1989, LinkedIn Profile
Chris Colon, Founder/CEO, Highway Cannabis, former President, Nectar Cannabis, UVA 2007 LinkedIn Profile
Bailey Cooke, Strategic Finance Associate, Nabis, McIntire 2018, LinkedIn Profile
Carter Davidson, Former VP of Growth, Vangst and VP of Sales, Baker Technology) UVA BA 2001 LinkedIn Profile
Brendan Davies, Director of Corporate Development, Parallel (formerly Surterra Wellness), UVA BS Commerce, Finance, Accounting 2013, McIntire School of Commerce Alumni Trustee LinkedIn Profile
Marisa Escudero, Business Owner, Lucy’s Natural Remedies, UVA BA 1999, LinkedIn Profile
Alison Farley, Founder/President, Doctors on Cannabis, UVA Literature 1998, LinkedIn Profile
Cheis Garrus, Managing Member, Former CEO MannaWell LLC, former CFO, Canna Provisions, UVA BA, LinkedIn Profile
Sara Gluck, Founder, Ken Ahbus, former Manager of Green Sage and COO, American Israeli Cannabis Association, Darden MBA 2017 LinkedIn Profile
Elizabeth Garrett Hogan – VP Brands at GCH Inc. which owns Willie’s Reserve, UVA 2001 LinkedIn Profile, Westword Article
Ting Hu, Director of Finance, Nabis, McIntire 2013, LinkedIn Profile
Rob Koch, Director of Strategy & Information, Nabis, McIntire 2015, LinkedIn Profile
Michael Lavery, Analyst, Piper Jaffray covering the cannabis industry as well as packaged foods and tobacco, McIntire graduate Profile, LinkedIn Profile
Ted Lichtenberger, Co-Founder @Flower Company, CEO Humboldt Legends, McIntire 2013, LinkedIn Profile
Jason Marshall, Head of Sales and Business Development, Fairway Strategies, former Business Manager, Trulieve, former VP Sales & Marketing, Evermore Cannabis, UVA BA 2010, LinkedIn Profile
Vince Ning, Founder & CEO, Nabis (California Wholesale Platform), UVA Comp Sci 2015, LinkedIn Profile
Degelis Tufts Pilla, CEO TribeTokes (New York Cannabis Retail), UVA Commerce 2008, LinkedIn Profile
April Pride, Cannabis Consultant, Co-Founder Of Life Minds and The High Guide, UVA Architecture 1998, LinkedIn Profile
Gail Rand, Founder and CEO, grand consulting and former CFA and Patient Advocate, ForwardGro (Maryland Medical Marijuana Company), UVA BS Accounting 1995 LinkedIn Profile
Jack Rubin, Cofounder, Wholesome Ag (Utah Medical Marijuana Provider), UVA BSc Commerce 1976, LinkedIn Profile
Ellen Lee Scanlan, CEO & Co-Founder, Magellan Ventures and How to Do the Pot Podcast, LinkedIn Profile
James Whitcomb, CEO Frontier Risk, former Chief Development Office and Board Member, Parallel (formerly Surterra Wellness) in Atlanta, UVA BA 2010 LinkedIn Profile
Prof. Michael Timko, UVA Biology, (Licensing & Ventures Group article)
University of Denver
University of Denver Alumni on LinkedIn with “cannabis” in their profile (74 as of Aug 4, 2021, 70 as of Sept 28, 2020, 61 as of July 9, 2020, 50 as of Aug 30, 2019, 47 as of May 8, 2019, 37 as of May 4, 2018, 25 as of May 13, 2017)
University of Denver on LinkedIn with “marijuana” in their profile (28 as of Aug 4, 2021, 28 as of Sept 28, 2020, 29 as of July 13, 2020, 33 as of Aug 30, 2019, 38 as of May 8, 2019, 30 as of May 4, 2018, 30 as of May 13, 2017)
Aaqil Anwar, Curaleaf (Los Angeles), Daniels BSBA, LinkedIn Profile
Courtney Barnes, Associate Attorney, Vicente Sederberg LLC, DU Law Grad 2017, Profile
Jerico Perez Bennett, Associate, Vicente Sederberg LLC, DU Law Grad, Profile
Ryan Brown, CEO Native Roots, formerly Chief Revenue Officer LinkedIn Profile, June 2019 Interview with the Mary Jane Experience
Nathan Cocanour, Director of Sales/Retail, Leafly, LinkedIn Profile
Matt Comfort, Product Analyst/Account Executive, Coda Signature, formerly at LivWell, Leaflink, Daniels BSBA 2017, LinkedIn Profile
Carter Davidson, former Chief Revenue Officer, Vangst and former VP of Sales, Baker Technology) Daniels MBA/MA 2006 LinkedIn Profile
Neil Demers, CEO Frost Exotic Cannabis, Daniels MS Finance 2010 (December 23, 2021 Westword Article)
Orin Dlin, Manager Green Cross Caregivers, Daniels BSBA 2017
William Eagan, Distillation Manager at Colorado Cannabis Company, BA 2015, LinkedIn Profile
Steve Flaks, VP of Sales, BioTrack THC, LinkedIn Profile
Cameron Forni, President of Select at Curaleaf, Daniels student 2004-2006, LinkedIn Profile
Amanda Fox, Pioneer Interests, Daniels PMBA student, Profile
Fran Garzelloni, former Cannabis & Hemp Recruiter at Bradsby Group, BA 2017, LinkedIn Profile
Greg Gershengorin, former CEO of Denver Clone Store, LinkedIn Profile
Nello Gonfiantini III, CEO, Diego Pellicier Worldwide, Daniels MBA Grad, Hiring Announcement, LinkedIn Profile
Chloe Grossman, Policy Specialist, Vicente Sederberg LLC and Deputy Directory of VS Strategies, DU Sociology/Pyschology 2011 Grad, Profile
Sue Harank, Co-Founder/CEO, MRM Compliance, LinkedIn Profile
Shawn Hauser, Senior Associate, Vicente Sederberg LLC, DU Law Grad, Profile
Joe Hodas, Chief Marketing Officer, Wana Brands, former President/COO at GoFire Inc, DU Mass Communications/PR 1996, Linkedin Profile
Alyson Jaen – Associate, Messner Reeves, DU Law Grad, Profile, LinkedIn Profile
Justin Johnson – Associate, Vicente Sederberg LLC, DU Law Grad, Profile
Tommy Joyce, Co-founder, Black Rock Originals, LinkedIn Profile
Diane Jones, CFO, General Cannabis Corp, former Adjunct Accounting Professor at Daniels College of Business (press release)
Darren Kaplan, Associate, Hoban Law Group, DU Law Grad 1998, Profile
Joshua Kappel – Partner, Vicente Sederberg LLC, DU 2010 Law Grad, Profile
Brendan Kinney, Former Controller, SJ3D Holdings (Nevada medical marijuana company), LinkedIn Profile
Mickey Kreger, Partner, NativeRoots, Daniels EMBA, LinkedIn Profile
Jill Lamoureux, Pure O&M, Former 2nd Chair NCIA, Daniels MBA, LinkedIn Profile
Nick Levich, Co-founder, Key To Cannabis (formerly Black Rock Originals), Linkedin Profile
Theresa Mohan, VP of Finance, Cannabis One, LinkedIn Profile
Daniel Morgan, Founder/Owner, Social Cannabis, first applicant for Denver’s first social equity retail license, Denver Post article
Bruce Nassau, CEO, Tru Cannabis
Michael O’Neill, Safe Harbor Private Banking, MBA 2009, LinkedIn Profile
Amanda Ostrowitz – Founder of Slap Consulting and founder of CannaRegs, now part of Fyllo, LinkedIn Profile
Amy Poinsett, CEO, Zera Hemp Labs, MJ Freeway Founder and former CEO LinkedIn Profile, DU BSBA 1990
Sarah Reidy, Director of Project Management, Cure Solutions, formerly Simplifya, Sweet Grass Kitchen, Daniels MBA 2018, LinkedIn Profile
Alexander Romero, Co-Founder and CEO, CannaVer, Founder and CEO of Beacon North Consulting, DU MBA, LinkedIn Profile
Evan Romero, Managing Partner, Curnativ, Larimer Resources, DU MAcc 2014, LinkedIn Profile
Brian Ruden, CEO, Starbuds (former lawyer and DU law graduate) – MSNBC Pot Barons of Colorado profile, LinkedIn Profile
Jessica Scardina, Associate, Vicente Sederberg LLC, DU Law Grad, Profile
Matthew Shifrin, Pioneer Interests, Daniels BSBA Finance/Economics, Profile
Dustin Shroyer, COO Revolution Enterprises, DAniels MBA 2020, LinkedIn Profile
Bill Silver, President and former CEO, Cannacraft, former Daniels Sr. Associate Dean and former Dean, School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University – (Jan 2018 Interview, November 2020 North Bay Business Journal Profile, LinkedIn Profile)
Katrina Skinner, General Counsel and Chief Banking Officer, Simplifya, DU Law Grad, LinkedIn Profile, Simplifya Hiring Announcement, Burns & Levinson hiring announcement
Ryan Smith, COO Cure Holdings until April 2020, previously The Clinic, Dollar General, The Gap, LinkedIn Profile
Christopher Stefan, Desarollo Real Estate and Cannabis Capital Advisors, LinkedIn Profile
Judy Steele, former Director, Accela Center of Expertise – Cannabis Regulation, BBA 2008, LinkedIn Profile
Ray Thompson, COO, Akerna (formerly MJ Freeway), DU MBA 1994 LinkedIn Profile
Frank Traylor, Founder/CEO Agriscience Labs, Cofounder Terra Health Care Labs, Daniels MBA LinkedIn Profile
Brian Vicente – Partner and Founding Member, Vicente Sederberg LLC, DU Law Grad, Profile
Leif Wagner, Former Owner – Mile High Green Cross, LinkedIn Profile
Jane West (aka Amy Dannemiller) DU Masters in Social Work – Cannabist article, LinkedIn Profile
Seth Yakatan, TO Pharma, Partner, Katan Associates & Board Member, Kalytera Therapeutics, Inc. DU BA 2002 LinkedIn Profile
Adam Ziegler, Former Owner – Mile High Green Cross, Daniels BS Accounting 2002 LinkedIn Profile
Business of Marijuana 