Ngiste Abebe (she/her)
Ngiste Abebe is a change-maker focusing on expanding medical cannabis programs and equitable legalization.
She is the former President and the current Vice Chair of the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association. Before that, she was co-founder of Undaunted Ventures, a political consulting firm specializing in innovative narrative, training, and leadership coaching services, which grew out of her work training organizations and working on campaigns across Virginia.
She is the co-founder and co-director emerita of New Leaders Council Virginia, a progressive leadership institute. Ngiste holds a BA in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and a Masters in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
She happily gives and receives recommendations for sci-fi novels and board games.
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.
Charles Alovisetti (he/him)
Charlie Alovisetti is a partner at Vicente LLP and co-chair of the firm's Corporate Department. He advises investors, companies, and other law firms on complex corporate transactions across highly regulated industries, with a particular depth of experience in cannabis, hemp, psychedelics, and emerging consumer products.
Extensive experience managing licensed transactions across major regulated markets provides Charlie with deep insight into state and local regulatory nuances, particularly regarding stock and asset acquisitions, management structures, and strategic investment planning. He also counsels emerging growth and portfolio companies on general corporate governance, commercial transactions, and compensation arrangements.
Recognized by Chambers & Partners as a leading attorney in cannabis law, Charlie is the co-author of The Business of Cannabis: Understanding Law, Finance, and Governance in America’s Newest Industry, the definitive industry legal resource. He frequently advises mainstream companies exploring investments in regulated markets, helping them evaluate and structure opportunities to mitigate risk.
Before joining Vicente LLP, Charlie practiced corporate law at Latham & Watkins and Goodwin in New York, representing clients across a range of industries. He holds a Bachelor of Arts, with honors, from McGill University and earned his law degree from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. Charlie is based in the firm’s Bethesda, Maryland office and he is admitted to practice in Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington, D.C.
Jennifer Bailey (she/her)
Jennifer is the driving force behind Homegrown4Heroes. What began as cultivating cannabis for a few close veteran friends has grown through word of mouth into a nationwide mission to provide safe, clean cannabis to veterans in need.
Jennifer’s passion, integrity, and hands-on dedication guide every step of the process, from seed to harvest, ensuring the highest standards of care and quality. Her vision has built more than an organization; it has created a trusted community rooted in healing, empowerment, and support for our heroes across the country.
Homegrown4Heroes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing safe access to clean, plant-based therapies specifically for veterans. Guided by the belief “Healing Heroes, Cultivating Change,” the organization focuses on improving veterans’ well-being through the therapeutic and medicinal benefits of cannabis, education, and community support.
Selina Bragg-Pastian (she/her)
Selina of BraggInWellness offers sound as a form of active and creative mindfulness—supporting deep listening, nervous system regulation, and reconnection with your natural rhythm.
Tristan Craig (he/him)
Tristan Craig is a Richmond, Virginia based cannabis consultant with more than ten years of experience spanning cultivation, technology, advocacy, and small business development. He began his work as a small grower and website operator, gaining firsthand insight into the challenges faced by independent operators navigating regulation, compliance, and market pressure. Over time, his role evolved to include consulting across the technical and operational side of cannabis businesses, including websites, secure communications systems, sales strategy, marketing, packaging, and customer education.
Dana De Los Santos, APRN (she/her)
Dana De Los Santos is the owner of and Nurse Practitioner for the Colonial Med Spa and Family Practice. Currently enrolled in the Nursing Doctoral Program at Old Dominion University. Received MSN from Simmons College, Boston, MA in 2016 (Cum Laude). Received BSN from Wichita State University in Wichita, KS 2002 (Cum Laude). Married and mother of five with residence in Newport News. Hobbies include walking outdoors and traveling. Avid patient advocate.
Colton Farris (he/him)
Colton Farris is a Commercial Insurance Advisor and Director of The Hilb Group's Cannabis Practice Team, specializing in cannabis risk management and insurance strategy. He and his team have worked with a wide range of operators from publicly traded multi state operators to small, independently owned startups, as well as groups preparing to pursue new licenses, helping them think through risk, compliance, and long-term scalability early in the process. Colton is actively involved in cannabis associations across the Mid-Atlantic and South and regularly speaks on insurance and risk topics impacting the industry. He is passionate about supporting the cannabis industry from both a medical and adult-use perspective.
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.
Peter Hilleary (he/him)
Peter Hilleary is a small business owner dedicated to helping people grow their own cannabis with confidence. As the co-owner of HomeGrown Va, he focuses on making cannabis cultivation approachable for beginners while still supporting experienced growers with practical supplies and advice about growing in Virginia’s unique climate. HomeGrown Va is education focused, offering classes for growers of all levels, and carries a wide selection of Virginia based products as well as industry leading national brands. HomeGrown Va is deeply community focused and believes that growing together not only strengthens individuals but also the Commonwealth.
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.
Paul McLean (he/him)
Paul McLean is one of America’s most respected emerging voices in the cannabis industry, bringing a proven background in construction lending and multimillion-dollar sales to his mission of expanding economic opportunity through entrepreneurship. After recognizing the systemic exclusion of African-Americans from major industries, Paul founded the Virginia Minority Cannabis Coalition (VMCC) to help close the wealth gap by creating clear pathways into the rapidly growing cannabis market. Through VMCC, he unites economic, political, faith-based, and educational leaders to deliver cutting-edge training, eliminate red tape, advocate for record expungement, and equip participants with the tools needed to succeed in Virginia’s legal cannabis industry—because true social equity is only possible through economic empowerment.
Anthony Mijares (he/him)
Anthony is a U.S. Army Veteran who served 8 years as a Combat Medic during several combat tours in Kosovo, Iraq, Kuwait, Korea and several other countries.
Originally from Florida, he and his family currently reside in Richmond, VA where he is an energetic enterprise-builder, serial entrepreneur, industry thought-leader, jobs creator and community champion. Mr. Mijares currently owns SignScapes, Inc., a 12-year-old physical branding agency, Kloud Enterprise, AKA Old Manchester Hemp Co. and Old Manchester Cannabis Co. He is a partner in Pesos Management, the top-performing company in the gaming industry, and a partner in abZorb, LLC an emerging market leader in distribution of hemp protein products for consumers interested in athletic recovery and women’s health and wellness.
Anthony is a member and advocate for the VA Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and a graduate of ECPI University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and serves as a featured spokesperson in their marketing campaigns. Mr. Mijares is also an advocate for Military Veteran mental health, social equity, and small business rights in the cannabis industry.
Anthony and his companies are active sponsors and volunteers in numerous community activities in greater Richmond.
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 third 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.
Ashwin Raj (he/him)
Ashwin Raj is the Chief Executive Officer at LeafLink, the leading B2B cannabis technology platform that includes LeafLink Marketplace, Leaf Trade, and Dama Financial. He brings a wealth of experience from some of the world’s most influential technology and commerce platforms. As CEO of ezCater, he led the company’s rapid expansion into a category-defining enterprise food platform. At Lyft, he served as EVP and Head of Ridesharing, where he played a pivotal role in steering the company through its IPO, navigating the challenges of the pandemic, and achieving profitability. Prior to that, he held senior leadership positions at Amazon, where he led third-party seller services for Amazon Pay, and at Visa, where he helped spearhead the company’s growth into mobile payments and digital financial services.
Shannon Somogyi (she/her)
Shannon is a Holistic Health Coach and Trauma Conscious Yoga Therapist at Mobile OM Yoga & Wellness.
Mark Tavares (he/him)
Mark Tavares has had a passion for growing since he was a young child. His grandfather was a farmer and his mother was an avid gardener so he spent most of his time outside as a child. After attending VT and getting a degree in Turfgrass Management, he entered the lawn care industry where he created an organic approach to the otherwise chemical based industry.
In 2019, he partnered with his brother-in-law, Mason, to start growing hemp and bring small batch, artisan hemp products to the market. All our products were grown in our custom made soil, in a greenhouse in Doswell, Va.
In July 2021 Mark started making small totes of soil for homegrowers and helping the community grow their own. It was a great time to be a Virginian and it created another opportunity to help growers use organic inputs for cleaner, healthier harvests. Our Homegrowers Mix soil was first bagged in January 2022. We have since crated our Low Tide Dry Amendment, consisting of Fish meal, Kelp Meal, Oyster Shell, Crab Meal, Alfalfa Meal, Earth Worm Castings, Gypsum, Azomite, Basalt. We have also been able to bring in products like Organishield, FullOn, and Dynomyco to help Rooting VA's customers succeed even more!
Nick Virk (he/him)
Nick Virk brings over two decades of elite military experience to the veterans cannabis conversation. Over his 21 years of service, he served as a Marine Corps Scout Sniper, U.S. Army Recon Paratrooper, and Blackwater Designated Defensive Marksman/Tactical Commander, operating in some of the world’s most complex environments across Iraq, Kosovo, and Afghanistan.
Following retirement, Nick redirected his discipline, leadership, and operational focus into the cannabis sector, becoming the owner of Metro Leaf DC. His mission today centers around veteran empowerment, safe and informed cannabis access, and creating pathways for veterans to thrive within the industry. Nick’s perspective bridges the realities of combat, transition, and entrepreneurship—making him a powerful voice on any veterans cannabis panel.
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.