Dr. Dawn Adams (she/her)
Dr. Dawn M. Adams is a nurse practitioner with more than thirty five years of clinical experience. She takes an integrative approach to healthcare focusing on the mind-body-spirit connection while treating medical conditions that includes the support of medical cannabis.
Dr. Adams received her undergraduate degree in Nursing from James Madison University, a Master’s degree in Nursing from the University of Virginia, a post-Master's Adult Nurse Practitioner certification for Virginia Commonwealth University, and a doctorate of Nursing from Old Dominion University.
In addition to her nursing education, she is a certified Health Counselor through Columbia University and the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. In 2020 she became Healer certified, and completed additional course work through TCMI Global in the clinical applications of cannabis.
Dr. Adams is the founder of Integrated Health Counseling LLC (DBA RVA Telecare), an integrative health practice designed to meet patients where they are and physically, emotionally and geographically. In addition to an experienced clinician, she is an author, policy maker, and professor.
Morgan Fox (he/him)
Morgan Fox is the Political Director at NORML, focusing on congressional lobbying and changing federal cannabis laws. As a professional cannabis policy reform advocate since 2008, Morgan has been directly involved in dozens of successful state ballot initiative campaigns to establish medical and adult use cannabis programs, as well as legislative victories at the local, state, and federal levels. He has been featured in hundreds of print, radio, television, and online publications. Morgan was most recently the Media Relations Director and chief spokesperson for the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) before joining NORML, and spent nearly a decade at the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) prior to that. He lives in Washington, DC, and when he's not working to end prohibition and repair the damage it has caused, he can usually be found exploring the numerous parks and playgrounds of our nation’s capital with his children.
Michael Johnson, RPh (he/him)
Michael Johnson has been practicing pharmacy in Virginia since 1993. He founded Michael's Pharmacy in Abingdon, which opened in 2000. Michael successfully grew this business by continually adding services to improve patient outcomes, such as the incorporation of compounding services, dosages, and dose forms that are easily customizable to meet each patient’s needs. Because of the unique circumstances of each patient or prescriber's needs, Michael has cultivated relationships with both to serve their needs better. In 2014, the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board accredited Michael’s Pharmacy. Michael is a fellow of the American College of Apothecaries and the American College of Veterinary Pharmacists. He has also been boarded by the American Board of Anti-aging Healthcare Practitioners since 2014. Michael specializes in hormone replacement therapies, metabolic and nutritional health, compounding, and non-sterile compounding. He also coaches patients concerning diabetes, lifestyle management, and immunizations. Michael also enjoys mentoring students he precepts from Appalachian College of Pharmacy and Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, allowing them to explore his unique practice. Michael is a member of the Virginia Pharmacists Association and Professional Compounding Centers of America. Michael is a founder of Dharma Pharmaceuticals in Abingdon and was their first Pharmacist-in-Charge. Michael is currently the District Manager for RISE Dispensaries in Virginia.
Radhika Murari (she/her)
Radhika Murari is the CEO and founder of OmBaked CBD Boutique, a wellness brand celebrated for its premium, handcrafted CBD products. With an entrepreneurial spirit and a knack for innovation, Radhika previously founded OmMade Peanut Butter, a pioneering brand known for its clean-label, small-batch nut butters in over a dozen flavors. Drawing on her success with OmMade, she brings the same commitment to quality, transparency, and community engagement to OmBaked.
Tamara Netzel (she/her)
Tamara Netzel has been a Virginia Medical Cannabis Patient since 2018. Netzel was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at age 42. She accumulated a long list of medications prescribed to manage her MS symptoms, which ultimately caused her liver to go into failure, ending her career of 16 years as a teacher. Since she replaced those prescription drugs with medical cannabis two years ago, Netzel has continued dedicating her time to educating others, and began advocating for medical cannabis patients. Tamara serves as the secretary of the Virginia NORML Board of Directors, and founded a 501c3 nonprofit, Cruel Consequences: Portraits of Misguided Law. Tamara also administrates the Virginia Medical Cannabis Patients Group, helping patients navigate the Virginia Medical Cannabis Program. Netzel was named Virginia NORML Activist of the Year for 2020 and has been featured in several media including NBC Dateline, The Emerald, and GRAM magazines.
Dr. Michelle Peace, M.F.S., Ph.D. (she/her)
Dr. Peace received her B.A. in Chemistry from Wittenberg University, a Master of Forensic Science from George Washington University, and her Ph.D. from the Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).
Dr. Peace is the CEO and a founding partner for Cardinal Quality Laboratories, LC, a 3rd party quality assurance testing lab for the cannabis and medical marijuana industry in Virginia. Our mission is to provide reliable, trustworthy analytical testing to assure purity, quality, and safety of consumer products and to support product development. Dr. Peace is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Forensic Science at VCU and is one of the founding faculty for the Department. She served as Associate Chair and as the Chair for nearly a decade. Dr. Peace has also served as a manager in a private forensic drug testing laboratory and has worked as a scientist for Procter & Gamble, where she holds 3 patents.
Dr. Peace has been funded by the National Institute of Justice since 2014 to study the efficacy of electronic cigarettes, particularly as they pertain to substance use and abuse. Her total award for 5 years has been $2.3M. Her research has highlighted emerging issues of electronic cigarettes as a tool for vaping drugs other than nicotine and has characterized the merging of the cannabis and e-cigarette industries. Her current project is a clinical study to assess the impact of vaping on roadside impairment evaluations for suspected DUI.
Dr. Peace is a Past President of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists and is a member of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists and the Toxicology Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. She is a member of the National Safety Council’s Alcohol, Drugs, and Impaired Driving Division. She has also served on the Scientific Working Group for Forensic Toxicology (SWGTOX) to help develop standards in the practice of forensic toxicology.
Dr. Peace speaks regularly to train law enforcement and probation/parole officers, addiction specialists, attorneys, health system personnel, and primary and secondary education administrators on relevant issues regarding the mechanism of vaping and e-cigarettes as a tool to deliver drugs other than nicotine, as well as the effects of CBD and THC. She has provided testimony and opinions to develop scientifically relevant and robust policy and legislation at the state and federal levels, and she consults with companies and school systems as they re-develop smoking policies to include vaping.
Dr. Peace has testified to the Food and Drug Administration regarding issues of quality assurance, public health, and public safety with the emerging cannabis industry. She has been featured in the New York Times, Consumer Reports, and AARP. The American Chemical Society and Discover Magazine recognized her research in 2018 and 2019 as some of the most influential research in the nation.
JM Pedini (they/them)
JM Pedini is the development director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and serves as the executive director of the state affiliate chapter, Virginia NORML.
In Virginia, their work has directly resulted in the legalization of medical and adult-use cannabis, decriminalization of personal marijuana possession, and the establishment of the Virginia Legislative Cannabis Caucus and the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. Appointed to the Governor’s Marijuana Legalization Work Group and as co-chair of the Legal and Regulatory Subcommittee, their current focus is on the Commonwealth’s continued effort to establish a fair and equitable adult-use cannabis regulatory structure that prioritizes consumer safety. At NORML, they oversee the global chapter affiliate network and ensure availability of resources and tools necessary to leverage the organization’s powerful grassroots support.
Prior to drug policy reform, they enjoyed a successful entertainment and media career with The Walt Disney Company.
Eric Postow (he/him)
As Managing Partner and Chief Strategy Officer at Holon Law Partners, Eric Postow is responsible for the strategic design and implementation of the firm’s service areas and relationship development. He leads the firm’s growth by cultivating multiple practice areas in close collaboration with partners, including Holon’s innovative AI group, and positioning the firm as thought leaders across diverse markets and the legal industry.
Eric specializes in Outside General Counsel services, providing strategic support to C-suite executives in vision development and metric-driven milestone achievement. His expertise encompasses complex legal portfolio management, strategic negotiation, contract drafting, brand development, employment law, and complex litigation. Eric’s top-tier business management consulting focuses on staffing, design, management flow processes, communications, branding, and relationship development.
Eric is a key figure within the emerging THC-infused hemp Beverage marketplace. He has supported the development of the industry through engaged client support from start-up through mature distribution in mainstream retail establishments. Eric provides compliance strategy, design, and oversight management. Eric’s clients look to him for relevant and current advice for how to enter and scale within this dynamic market.
With a diverse client portfolio ranging from multi-state operators to local family-owned businesses, Eric’s strategic insight and tailored legal support are instrumental in enabling clients to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. He remains responsible for the firm’s revenue growth and strategic positioning.
Licensed in Virginia, Eric is a member of the Virginia State Bar and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, and the United States Court of Federal Claims in Washington, DC. He also holds pro-hac vice membership in the United States District Court for the District of Maine.
Eric is a member of esteemed organizations such as the NAACP, the International Cannabis Bar Association, NORML, and is an active founding member of the Psychedelic Bar Association, where he serves on the Religious Use Committee. He resides in Northern Virginia with his wife Brittany and children Max, Zevi, and Sela.
Rosie Remedy (she/her)
Rosie's Remedies RVA provides cannabis education, consultations, and educational events on how to integrate cannabis infusions into your daily living. From seed to table, Rosie provides her students with techniques and recipes on how to utilize the entire plant, how to infuse and use the vast array of cannabinoids, and most importantly how to cook with cannabis in your home safely and responsibly.
Sheba Williams (she/her)
Sheba Williams was born and raised in Richmond, VA. She is a Norfolk State University alum with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, she has professional licenses in Cosmetology and Barbering, and her Master Instructor's license. Sheba is the founder and executive director of Nolef Turns - a Richmond, VA based grassroots organization that works to break the barriers of the criminal legal system. She is also the co-founder of the Institute of Forgiveness, which focuses on juvenile legal systems. Sheba has a passion for empowering and uplifting others with court and justice involvement and fights daily to remove the policies and stigmas around a past conviction. Realizing that racism is deep-rooted in Virginia's history, Sheba isn't afraid to reach across every intersection necessary to find the best ways to reach true equity and inclusion by actively working to break down systemic policies that keep barriers in place for those most impacted by mass incarceration.
Max Yarrow (he/him)
A cannabis and floriculture specialist with a honed eye for perfection from years in the industry, as a NORML chapter lead, and as a professional cultivator.