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Best Practices in Cannabis Marketing for 2019 — Washington D.C. Legal cannabis has arrived. But with seemingly endless opportunities coming into focus for marketing professionals in our nascent industry, it can be hard to know where to spend your time, money and energy when bringing the next great cannabis product or service to market. With new legal frameworks and regulations, marketing and communications professionals often find themselves working harder than they need to, spending too much on simple execution, and often finding their campaigns don’t earn the proper reach for the investment. Cannabis companies continue to struggle for access to traditional marketing channels like digital advertising, social media, and mainstream publications. Not to mention, cannabis still faces a huge branding issue as the stigma still pervades. Join us for a deep, candid conversation with the top local minds in cannabis marketing, communications, and public relations. This panel discussion will be expertly moderated by Lisa Buffo Founder & CEO, Cannabis Marketing Association. Reserve your Early Bird tickets in advance. Ticket pricing goes up Day-Of. Members of the press please email [email protected] with your credentials for press access.   Topics to be addressed in our discussion include: Navigating Existing Marketing Regulations Authenticity and Inclusivity in Cannabis Advertising Improving Your Bottom Line Through Best Practices Agenda There will be time for a moderated audience Question & Answer session at the end of our panel discussion. Attendees are encouraged to come prepared with their relevant cannabis marketing questions for our panelists. Light snacks and non-alcoholic refreshments will be provided. 6:00 pm - Doors Open 6:30 pm - Panel Discussion and Q&A 7:30 pm - Open Networking Sponsorships Available Now Get your brand in front of a targeted group of cannabis business owners, executives, and communications professionals. Email [email protected] to secure an event sponsorship. There are 3 corporate sponsor slots available for each event. Event sponsors receive: One 6 foot table and two chairs at the event to showcase your brand to 100 cannabis professionals May provide one item for the raffle May provide swag items for the group (quantity 100) Your company logo permanently branded on the official CMA event video which is made available to all CMA members nationally through the CMA Member Portal 20% off a First Year CMA Corporate Membership May submit a 100-word blurb to the CMA National Newsletter   Speaker Bios Joan Parrot-Fonseca Consultant & Patient Advocate, Herbal Alternatives Joan Parrott-Fonseca has had a comprehensive career on all levels of government service, as well as in the academic, nonprofit and private sectors. Her demonstrated commitment to advocacy in the areas of education equity, community and economic development is bolstered by effective working relationships with leaders in the public and private sectors; coupled with a strong business background and a record of transformative leadership budget. She was appointed as the first woman to serve as National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) of the United States Department of Commerce During her historic appointment, Parrott-Fonseca directed the overall management and administration of the agency’s multi-million dollar budget. Her ability to forge new public and private partnerships with the corporate and nonprofit sectors resulted in the expansion of the agency's services. Currently, Parrott-Fonseca is a  patient advocate and consultant for Herbal Alternatives,a DC  licensed medical marijuana dispensary. Herbal Alternatives’ missions stop promote natural cannabis solutions that enhance the health and well-being of registered patients in a safe, open and caring environment, She advocates for patients to ensure that they have safe, affordable and reasonable legal access to the District of Columbia medical marijuana program Ms.Parrott-Fonseca educates and communicates the health and economic benefits of medical cannabis to the community at large, and  to public and elected officials. She serves as a  pivotal voice of patients to support reasonable regulations and enforcement of the program,while promoting industry best practices.appointment. Her educational achievements include a Masters in Public Administration from the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University; J.D.Georgetown University Law; Masters Degree in Education/Human Resource Management, George Washington University; B.A. History Howard University. Certificate In Money Management, Wharton School of Business.
Served as Trustee on D.C. Pension Board, and The Women's Leadership Board, J.F.Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Leah Heise Chief Experience Officer, Mission As Chief Experience Officer, Leah oversees the Mission brand and is responsible for ensuring all patients have positive experiences when they visit Mission dispensaries and interact with its employees, products, and services. Leah was the cannabis industry’s first-known professional CXO, a senior-level position that has recently gained prominence in the healthcare industry as hospitals and other providers have realized that providing clients and patients with a pleasant experience along with the necessary treatment not only helps the bottom line, but pushes them closer to being able to fulfill their core mission as healthcare organizations. Leah formerly served as CEO of Women Grow, the largest professional networking group in the cannabis industry. Her interest in the cannabis industry began in 2015 when she founded Chesapeake Integrated Health Institute, which received pre-approval of a license to dispense medical cannabis in Maryland. Prior to that, she served as an enforcement attorney with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Jesse Thomas CEO, JESS3 Jesse Thomas is the CEO and founder of JESS3, a creative interactive agency specializing in data visualization, social strategy and visual storytelling. Described as one of the "Web's Hottest Designers" by Mashable, Thomas has been working toward owning his own agency since he was in his late teens. Obsessed while growing up with comic books, all things Disney and Pixar, MTV and video games, Thomas has built a company that produces the wonderment and magic he remains inspired by for awesome clients that include The World Bank, NASA, Facebook, Google, The Washington Post and Red Bull.

Best Practices in Cannabis Marketing for 2019 — New York City Legal cannabis has arrived. But with seemingly endless opportunities coming into focus for marketing professionals in our nascent industry, it can be hard to know where to spend your time, money and energy when bringing the next great cannabis product or service to market. With new legal frameworks and regulations, marketing and communications professionals often find themselves working harder than they need to, spending too much on simple execution, and often finding their campaigns don’t earn the proper reach for the investment. Cannabis companies continue to struggle for access to traditional marketing channels like digital advertising, social media, and mainstream publications. Not to mention, cannabis still faces a huge branding issue as the stigma still pervades. Join us for a deep, candid conversation with the top local minds in cannabis marketing, communications, and public relations. This panel discussion will be expertly moderated by Lisa Buffo, Founder & CEO, Cannabis Marketing Association.**Reserve your Early Bird tickets in advance. Ticket pricing goes up Day-Of.** There are only 75 tickets available for this event. Members of the press please email [email protected] with your credentials for press access.   Topics to be addressed in our discussion include: Navigating Existing Marketing Regulations Authenticity and Inclusivity in Cannabis Advertising Improving Your Bottom Line Through Best Practices Agenda There will be time for a moderated audience Question & Answer session at the end of our panel discussion. Attendees are encouraged to come prepared with their relevant cannabis marketing questions for our panelists. Light snacks and non-alcoholic refreshments will be provided. 6:00 pm - Doors Open 6:30 pm - Panel Discussion and Q&A 7:30 pm - Open Networking (Light refreshments provided) Event Sponsorships Available Now Get your brand in front of a targeted group of cannabis business owners, executives, and communications professionals. There are 3 corporate sponsor slots available for each event. Event sponsors receive: One 6 foot table and two chairs at the event to showcase your brand to 100 cannabis professionals May provide one item for the raffle May provide swag items for the group (quantity 100) Your company logo permanently branded on the official CMA event video which is made available to all CMA members nationally through the CMA Member Portal 20% off a First Year CMA Corporate Membership May submit a 100-word blurb to the CMA National Newsletter   Speaker Bios Amy Deneson Director of Marketing for Curaleaf New York Curealeaf New York is a medical cannabis company with dispensaries throughout New York State and a grow facility in Ravena. Prior to Curaleaf, Ms. Deneson led senior marketing roles at Akamai Technologies and startups, including ShareIQ, which was recently acquired by Cision, and dedicated over ten years to developing marketing innovation in the arts and publishing. @amydeneson Elana Frankel Co-founder Indigo and Haze Editor-in-chief Women and Weed Entrepreneurs are known for heading out into uncharted territory with superhuman dedication and Elana Frankel is no exception. Add to that the grey area of working in the cannabis industry and she knows there are possibilities…challenging but feasible. One thing is for certain, Elana is one of many women who are flocking to the industry and doesn’t mind working in high-risk, uncharted territory. She started her online business Indigo and Haze as a highly curated place for people to have access to safe hemp-derived products, learn about cannabis and get inspired. Elana's own personal story, fracturing her skull and suffering a TBI, led her to learn (and unlearn) about how cannabis could help heal. This model (access, inspiration and education) has led to an in-person Tupperware-type party business where Elana hosts events at people's homes. When it comes to cannabis, it’s rarely obvious what to do next in the ever-changing political, social and medical scene, and, traditionally a woman would have relied on herself when challenges arise. To help those without support, Elana produced the magazine Women and Weed, where the power of personal narratives brings a better understanding to complex issues. When asked to share their own stories within the context of the industry, the women on these pages made connections between their own biographies and the industry, and happily pass on that knowledge. If you want the more traditional CV, check out her Linkedin profile and see where she used to work as a Creative Director and content producer at various magazines and newspapers. Dan Goldman Co-Host, Marijuana Today Dan "Grassroots" Goldman is part of the founding generation of activists who created Students for Sensible Drug Policy and the only person to have attended every one of their annual international conferences. Today, he is one of the co-hosts of the leading cannabis business and politics podcast, Marijuana Today.      

Best Practices in Cannabis Marketing for 2019 — New Jersey Legal cannabis has arrived. But with seemingly endless opportunities coming into focus for marketing professionals in our nascent industry, it can be hard to know where to spend your time, money and energy when bringing the next great cannabis product or service to market. With new legal frameworks and regulations, marketing and communications professionals often find themselves working harder than they need to, spending too much on simple execution, and often finding their campaigns don’t earn the proper reach for the investment.Cannabis companies continue to struggle for access to traditional marketing channels like digital advertising, social media, and mainstream publications. Not to mention, cannabis still faces a huge branding issue as the stigma still pervades. Join us for a deep, candid conversation with the top local minds in cannabis marketing, communications, and public relations. This panel discussion will be expertly moderated by Victor Pinho, California Director, Cannabis Marketing Association. Reserve your Early Bird tickets in advance. Ticket pricing goes up Day-Of. Members of the press please email [email protected] with your credentials for press access.   Topics to be addressed in our discussion include: Navigating Existing Marketing Regulations Authenticity and Inclusivity in Cannabis Advertising Improving Your Bottom Line Through Best Practices Agenda There will be time for a moderated audience Question & Answer session at the end of our panel discussion. Attendees are encouraged to come prepared with their relevant cannabis marketing questions for our panelists. Light snacks and non-alcoholic refreshments will be provided. 6:00 pm - Doors Open 6:30 pm - Panel Discussion and Q&A 7:30 pm - Open Networking Sponsorships Available Now Get your brand in front of a targeted group of cannabis business owners, executives, and communications professionals. Email [email protected] to secure an event sponsorship. There are 3 corporate sponsor slots available for each event. Event sponsors receive: One 6 foot table and two chairs at the event to showcase your brand to 100 cannabis professionals May provide one item for the raffle May provide swag items for the group (quantity 100) Your company logo permanently branded on the official CMA event video which is made available to all CMA members nationally through the CMA Member Portal 20% off a First Year CMA Corporate Membership May submit a 100-word blurb to the CMA National Newsletter   Speaker Bios New Jersey Assemblymember Raj Mukherji  Raj Mukherji is an Assemblyman in the New Jersey State Legislature who represents the 33rd Legislative District as well as a lawyer, businessman, former Deputy Mayor of Jersey City, and political science professor. On November 7, 2017, Mukherji was reelected to a second term. Mukherji is the Democratic Majority Whip. According to media reports, he started multiple successful businesses before leaving his teens and was sworn into his first public office at age 24. Kelley Crosson Vice President, New Jersey Cannabis Industry Association Kelley Crosson is a horticulturist, designer, and cannabis advocate. She owns KC, Inc., a horticulture and design consulting company based in Manhattan. From October 2009 – May 2018 she worked with major donors for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP.) MPP played the leading role in drafting, funding, and staffing the historic 2012 Amendment 64 initiative in Colorado - which made CO the first place in history to legalize marijuana for adults and regulate it like alcohol. MPP also led the coalitions that passed measures to legalize and regulate marijuana in Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada in 2014 and 2016. Through MPP, Kelley is knowledgeable about marijuana policy at both the state and federal level. Currently, serving as the Vice-President of the New Jersey Cannabis Industry Association. She received her BA in English from the Pennsylvania State University in 1991 and is a 2013 graduate of the School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden. The main emphasis of her horticulture studies and her current practice is low-impact, sustainable design and the use of native plants. While a student at the NYBG, Kelley interned with the US Fish and Wildlife Service in New Jersey to study Helonias bullata, a plant federally listed as a threatened species. She was an instrumental part of the installation team for the 3.5-acre, $15 million Native Plant Garden at the NYBG, which included Helonias bullata and other plants native to the region. Evan Nison Founder & President, NisonCo Co-Founder & Cheif Financial Officer, Whoopi & Maya  Evan Nison is the Treasurer and youngest member of the Board of Directors of NORML, and sits on the Board of Directors of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. In 2013, he founded the PR firm NisonCo which connects leaders in the legal cannabis, medical marijuana, CBD and hemp industries with influential journalists across the U.S. and the world. NisonCo has been recognized as a top cannabis pr firm since 2016. That same year he co-founded Whoopi & Maya, a women-focused medical cannabis product with actor Whoopi Goldberg and Maya Elisabeth, creator and owner of Om Edibles. In college, Evan studied business with the goal of creating socially conscious for-profit businesses. During his career as an advocate, where he was personally involved in public relations, Nison was instrumental in the passage of the New York 911 Good Samaritan Law, the New York medical marijuana law, and a US Conference of Mayors resolution calling for the legalization of marijuana. Heather Kumer, Esq. Associate Attorney  Heather Kumer, a LEED-Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction, practices primarily in the areas of real estate, land use and cannabis law. Heather guides clients in making their real estate project’s vision a reality. As part of her practice, she regularly works to obtain approvals in front of planning boards, zoning boards and historic preservation boards, as well as provides counsel on redevelopment agreements and redevelopment plan amendments. She has been involved with real estate development throughout the City of Jersey City for almost a decade in both the private and public sector. Combining her background in land use and zoning, sustainability, redevelopment, cannabis, municipal law, and regulatory and government affairs, Heather provides a unique perspective on development projects. In addition, she represents not only real estate developers, but also cannabis companies with applications and site plan approvals as well as related legislative issues. In fact, Heather has been involved with drug policy reform and cannabis legislation since 2004, when she was involved with Students for Sensible Drug Policy during college. She continues to work in cannabis industry advocacy as the Municipal Policy Advisor for the New Jersey Cannabis Industry Association. Prior to joining Connell Foley, Heather was an in-house counsel and sustainability coordinator for the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency for over five years, where she worked closely with the general counsel on legal matters. As part of this work, Heather was involved in redeveloper designations and agreements, as well as large scale projects related to the redevelopment of the City of Jersey City, including the construction of Berry Lane Park, a 17 ½ acre former brownfield site. While working in the public sector, Heather secured and implemented federal, state, county and private grants, including Major League Baseball Grant, Tony Hawk Grant, Hudson County Open Spaces Grant, NOAA Resiliency Grant, and the NJDEP Post Sandy Resiliency Grant.