Dr. Callie Seaman

International Cannabis Scientist | Cultivator | Patient | Advocate | Public Speaker

Dr. Callie Seaman is a formulation chemist and plant scientist with more than 20 years of experience in the hydroponics and cannabis industries. She specializes in nutrient development, cannabinoid pharmacology, and cultivation research, and has been a key figure in advancing medical cannabis in the UK. As Co-Chair of the UK’s Cannabis Industry Council, she works to shape policy and promote evidence-based approaches that support patients, cultivators, and healthcare professionals alike.

Callie is also an epilepsy patient who uses cannabis as part of her treatment, giving her a unique dual perspective as both a scientist and a patient advocate. A proud cannabis mum, she is deeply passionate about women’s health, exploring how plant compounds such as flavonoids and phytoestrogens can support hormonal well-being. She regularly collaborates with universities, industry leaders, and advocacy groups, championing access, education, and support for women in cannabis around the world. Fundamentally coming from the grass root movement in the UK, having worked in the hydroponic industry for over 20 years, Callie aims to bring the gap between industry, patients, and the legacy culture.

Patient self-sufficiency, Cultivating Care: International Perspectives on Cannabis Home Growing and Maternal Empowerment

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Amy Chin

Founder and Cannabis Coach, Calm Better Days | Managing Partner, High Exposure Agency | Mom | Mental Health Advocate

Amy Chin, Cannabis Coach & Founder of Calm Better Days, Managing Partner at High Exposure Agency, Board Member of ACE Next Gen and Asian Cannabis Roundtable, Mom and mental health advocate.

Amy’s journey into the cannabis space began as a personal transformation. CBD played a pivotal role in managing her anxiety and postpartum depression, inspiring her to pursue a calling as a cannabis coach. In 2019, she founded Calm Better Days with a mission to educate and normalize cannabis, helping individuals integrate plant medicine into their lives effectively. Leveraging her extensive background in product development, merchandising at Federated/Macy’s, and hospitality management, Amy specializes in curating products from women-led, BIPOC-owned, and small-batch farms, while providing personalized treatment plans to consumers.

As the managing partner of High Exposure Agency, Amy spearheads growth and innovation within New York’s cannabis and small business sectors, empowering companies with strategic development and marketing resources. Her deep commitment to social equity is reflected in her role as an active member of the Cannabis NYC Five Borough Coalition and as a provisional retail license applicant. Amy’s vision is to create an inclusive, educational community hub that honors her Asian heritage, where cannabis was first discovered, and fosters a responsible, diverse marketplace.

IG: calm_better_days
Website: calmbetterdays.co

Plant Journey Basics for Mindful Consumption

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Khadisha Thornhill

aka MsWeedwiki | Founder & Lead Educator, Afro Budsistas

Khadisha Thornhill (aka MsWeedWiki) is founder and CEO of the Afro Cannada Budsistas, an online space created and dedicated to the normalization of cannabis use for Black women in Canada. Using her skills developed during 3 years of helping to grow another significant online community for Black moms, the Afro Cannada Budsistas has now grown to almost members and an Instagram following of over 3000 followers and growing. In addition to promoting theme days and education about cannabis use,

Khadisha also runs a virtual chat on Zoom called the Budsistas Mental Health Check-in for Black women across North America to share cannabis online while discussing their wins and their losses trying to manage mental health in an overwhelmingly triggering outside environment. Their ongoing mental health peer support group was featured in a recent report commissioned by the Mental Health Commission of Canada as a much-needed community resource for Black women needing information and support regarding cannabis and their mental health. 

Outside of the Facebook group’s intimate online space, the Afro Cannada Budisistas have their own website www.afrobudsistas.com where they promote blogposts, educational videos on how to use cannabis accessories and Khadisha’s own special baby: the MsWeedWiki SPEAKS Podcast, which features interviews chronicling the cannabis journey, passions and endeavours of amazing individuals in the North American cannabis space. They have also launched our brand new Budsistas Boutique so please
visit their website and make sure to subscribe to stay in The Know!

In addition, Khadisha is an advisory board member of EduCanNation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting a strong standard of cannabis education for medical patients and recreational users at large having completed the Cannabis Industry Specialization program at Durham College. Khadisha is also passionately committed to advocating for better medical cannabis coverage for patients across Canada by working on finding real solutions to eliminating the barrier of access to cannabis medication created by Canadian extended health benefits providers and property casualty insurance carriers.

IG: @afrocannadabudsistas @ms_weedwiki @afro_cannada_budsistas
Twitter/BlueSky: @MsKhadishaT
www.afrobudsistas.com

Nurturing Black-Women Centered Spaces for Cannabis

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Queenee Gonzalez

Cultivator | CannaMom | Patient | Educator

Queenee Gonzalez is a leading cannabis educator, content creator, and advocate specializing in cannabis concentrates and dabbing education. As the CEO and Lead Educator of House of Queenee, she is dedicated to breaking stigmas around dabs as medicinal and helping consumers make informed choices in New York’s legal cannabis market.

With 25 years of experience as a registered medical assistant, Melodie has worked in trauma, cardiovascular, orthopedic, neurosurgery, and pulmonary health. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Health Services Administration, she bridges her medical expertise with cannabis education, emphasizing the therapeutic benefits of cannabis extracts.

As a dab educator and brand activation specialist, she trains budtenders and dispensary staff, enhancing their product knowledge and customer engagement strategies. She also curates immersive dab bar experiences, showcasing premium solventless concentrates from both the legal and legacy markets.

Queenee is also the creator of A Dabber Is Born, a unique event series celebrating dabbing culture, and the host of a cannabis education podcast, where she shares insights on concentrates, consumption methods, and industry trends. Her engaging social media content on Instagram, TikTok, and podcasts blends humor, entertainment, and education, attracting a loyal community of concentrate connoisseurs.

Outside of her cannabis advocacy, Queenee enjoys journaling, meditation, and fitness. She is currently training for a 5K and embracing a plant-based, organic lifestyle as part of her wellness journey through endometriosis and perimenopause.

CPS Opened a Case, But I Opened My Voice

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Brigitte Mars

Herbalist, Author, Naropa Professor, Psychedelic Sitter, End of Life Doula

Brigitte Mars is an herbalist, author, psychedelic sitter and end of life doula. She is the author of many books including Natural Remedies for Mental and Emotional Health, Nettle Power, Dandelion Medicine, Natural First, The Country Almanac of Home Remedies, The Desktop Guide to Herbal Medicine, Addiction Free Naturally, The Sexual Herbal, Healing Herbal Teas, Rawsome!, Beauty by Nature, and co-author of The HempNut Cookbook. She designed a phone app called IPlant.

She teaches Herbal Medicine at Naropa University, Sage Woman Herbs, Colorado School of Clinical Herbalism and has taught at The School of Health Mastery in Iceland, Omega Institute, Esalen, Kripalu, Sivananda Yoga Ashram and many festivals including Arise, Tribal Visions, Envision, Burning Man, Red Earth, Botanica and even The Mayo Clinic. She is a founding member of the American Herbalist Guild, has a private practice, leads herb and has a weekly radio show called Naturally.

Brigitte has been holding space for psychedelic ceremonies both in groups and with individuals for over fifty years. In the early 1970’s Brigitte lived with Rosemary Leary (wife of Dr. Timothy Leary) and explored in depth how to create sacred sets and settings for psychedelic ceremonies. She has been the faculty advisor for The Psychedelic Club at Naropa University and is the voice for the audio version of The Psychedelic Prayers, based on The Tao Te Ching and translated by Dr. Leary and Dr. Ralph Metzner. She is a long-time member of MAPS and a recent graduate of The Psychedelic Sitter’s School based in Boulder, Colorado. Brigitte is also featured in Gaia TV’s series, Psychedelica.

She is also the mother of Sunflower Sparkle Mars and world famous Rainbeau Harmony Mars. Brigitte lived off wild edibles in the seventies and gave birth in tipi in the Ozarks.

Out on a Limb: Cannabis as The Tree of Life

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Kimber Arezzi

Founder & Formulator, Chime & Chill | Cannabinoid Educator | Advocate | Retail Development Director | Director of Education, The CannaDiva

Kimber Arezzi is a dedicated caregiver, entrepreneur, and cannabis advocate whose work is deeply informed by her personal journey. Since 2018, Kimber has been active in the medical cannabis space, developing education and training programs for pharmacists and wellness advisors to better serve patients and caregivers within medical marijuana programs. Her personal experiences as a full-time caregiver for her son—who lives with non-speaking autism, epilepsy, and severe bone marrow failure—have fueled her commitment to creating accessible, effective cannabinoid-based solutions.

In response to her own autoimmune condition and her son’s complex needs, Kimber founded Chime & Chill, a product line focused on safe, THC-free, MCT-free, and nut-free formulations. These products are designed to be easily administered, gaining support among caregivers and medical professionals alike, particularly in elder care. Kimber and her team were among the first to introduce CBG, CBN, and THCV products to their market and recently expanded to include CBT-infused vapes and edibles. Her company has earned recognition as the #3 topical brand in New York State, with several products ranking in the top 10.

Through her innovation, Kimber champions the thoughtful layering of minor cannabinoids to create powerful, manageable wellness solutions. Her work is a testament to how personal experience can drive compassionate innovation, offering hope and tangible support to caregivers and patients navigating complex medical challenges.

From Care to Cannabinoids: A Mother’s Journey in Plant-Based Wellness

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Dr. Jannah Rasul, LHD, MSEd, NBC-HWC

Board Certified Coach, Educator, Author, Cannabis Therapeutics Specialist

Dr. Jannah Rasul is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Cannabis Therapeutics Specialist, Amazon Best-Seller Author, and founder of Herban Holistic Healthcare LLC. With over 20 years of experience as a master educator and holistic practitioner, she integrates behavioral change strategies, plant medicine, metaphysical principles, and traditional health and wellness practices to support clients on their path to balanced health and restored wellness. Her coaching approach centers client empowerment, sustainable lifestyle shifts, and evidence-informed practices that honor the mind-body-soul connection.

With her soon-to-be-released book, Plants Over Pills: A Comprehensive Canna-Infused Guide to “High”-tened Health & Elevated Wellness, Dr. Rasul is committed to dismantling stigma and expanding awareness around the healing potential of cannabis and other alternative medicine practices. Her advocacy work has included contributions to national cannabis reform efforts through organizations like NORML, and she continues to champion access, education, and empowerment through her publishing company, Higher Learning Publications, Inc.

Honored with a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award and an honorary doctorate for her humanitarian work, Dr. Rasul continues to advocate for health equity and healing justice- especially in underserved communities. Through her work, she offers an empowering message: caring for ourselves is not an afterthought; it is a revolutionary act of self-love, legacy, and liberation.

Mothering Ourselves: Canna-Infused Wellness Practices for Nurturing the Nurturer

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Empress Q

Founder, The Herbees Awards | Creator, Stay Calm It’s a Plant

Empress Q is a trailblazing advocate, educator, and cultural curator at the forefront of Trinidad and Tobago’s cannabis liberation movement. A proud Rastafarian and a steadfast believer in the healing power of the plant, her activism is deeply rooted in the spiritual and cultural teachings of her faith. To her, cannabis is not merely botanical—it is a sacred sacrament, essential to personal wellness and communal harmony.

She is the visionary behind Stay Calm, It’s a Plant—an affirming campaign that fuses cannabis education with Rastafari healing traditions and legislative advocacy. Through this movement, she challenges societal stigmas, reframing cannabis as a life-affirming medicine and sacred herb rather than a criminalized vice. Her work within the All Mansions of Rastafari (AMOR) further underscores her commitment to cultural preservation and justice, where she has played a key role in national conversations around legalization.

In 2022, Empress Q founded The Herbees Awards, Trinidad and Tobago’s first cannabis awards ceremony, created to honor and uplift excellence across the local cannabis ecosystem. These awards recognize the resilience and innovation of cultivators, educators, herbalists, and entrepreneurs—many of whom have operated under risk and marginalization due to outdated laws and lingering stigma.

Whether speaking on panels, leading workshops, or curating community events, Empress Q fearlessly brings cannabis dialogue into public spaces, disrupting silence around taboo topics and demanding policy reform. She is a bold champion for women in cannabis, tirelessly making space for their leadership and visibility in an industry that too often overlooks them.

Passionate about grassroots empowerment, she uses her platform to support homegrown herbpreneurs and canna-hustlers, offering voice, visibility, and validation to those working the land, healing their families, and reshaping local economies. Empress Q’s impact continues to ripple across the Caribbean and beyond—bridging tradition and transformation with every step.

Rastafari Rights to Reparations and Ganja Justice

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Sister Kate

Founder, Sisters of the Valley

Sister Kate is the founder of the internationally recognized Sisters of the Valley, an ecofeminist enclave of non-denominational nuns who live by a spiritual vow of service, activism, and healing. Before founding the Sisterhood in 2015, she spent four years operating a cannabis collective that delivered medicine exclusively to terminal patients — an experience that shaped her understanding of the sacredness of plant medicine and the profound need for dignity, compassion, and care at the end of life.

Another pivotal chapter in Sister Kate’s journey came when she was invited to participate in a sacred gathering on a holy mountain with sixty West Coast tribal nations. Immersed in prayer, ritual, and deep listening, she came down from that mountain with a vision — a calling to live in alignment with the native peoples of the land, while honoring her own ancestral traditions. Not the red road, she says — that path rightly belongs to the native peoples, and it is not hers to claim — but a pink road, humbly forged in parallel, guided by the shared values of harmony with nature, respect for the sacred, and a life of service.

This convergence of ancient European Beguine wisdom and Native American lifeways laid the foundation for the Sisterhood’s eight core beliefs — including living and working by the cycles of the moon, infusing all actions with prayer, and making medicine only with reverence and reciprocity. The Sisters’ practice reflects both traditions: the Beguine mothers who healed with herbs and devotion, and the native ancestors of this land who have always known that nature is not a resource to be exploited, but a living spirit to be honored.

In her talk, Sister Kate will share the story of how these two sacred paths — one inherited, one witnessed — came together to inspire the Sisterhood’s founding. She will speak about the pink road: a path of healing, resistance, and reimagining, for a time that calls for radical love and spiritual courage.

The Pink Road: A Path of Healing, Resistance, and Spiritual Courage

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Naeemah Patterson

Mother | Birthworker | Natural Lifestyle and Plant Medicine Advocate-Connector

Naeemah Afi Patterson is a lifelong cannabis consumer and advocate who since 2023 has become a trained, certified, and practicing perinatal doula and Certified Lactation Counselor specializing in providing trauma informed support to BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) birthing people for prenatal, birth and postpartum best experiences and outcomes. Since 1997 she has been on her own journey of natural lifestyle parenting with plant medicine and conscious caregiving. With over 15 years experience as a sales and marketing rep in the Natural Products industry, Naeemah is known to many as a valuable wellness resource who often shares products and information with family and friends. It is from this space that she began MediEdi, LLC, the parent company of her slowly emerging B2B cannabis edibles and topicals brand, MediTaste™️.

Naeemah cites cannabis for management of her own severe morning sickness during a twin pregnancy, for supporting her nourishment while breastfeeding nonstop for 10 years, and still for daily maintenance of her and her family’s mental health and productivity. She regularly administered cannabis as a remedy for upset stomachs, headaches, and general homeostasis when her children were little.

Naeemah wishes she could, as a community doula, freely offer cannabis support to her clients especially during labor and postpartum. For all of the aforementioned reasons, she looks forward to the day when we can cite evidence based research and data to support perinatal cannabis use.

Having always felt called to be a paradigm shifter, it is Naeemah’s vision that all of the intersectional work she contributes to is the access to correcting, healing, and creating a city and a world where Black birthing people and their progeny can birth with dignity, have no worry of obstetric, legal, or gun violence, and experience long well-lived lives. Until then Naeemah says she will be a safe space for her clients and an unrelenting voice in every training, meeting, and perinatal related opportunity to distigmatize, defend, and advocate for cannabis as sacred medicine to be respected, honored, and used as such. Black Maternal Health issues include many issues and possibilities both shared by and potentially solved by cannabis. This is a conversation that Naeemah is actively initiating in clinical, research, and public health spaces towards eventual widespread acceptance and adoption of cannabis as medicine for birthing individuals and families at every stage.

Cannabis as Medicine for Birthing Individuals
and Families at Every Stage:
One Rastafari Empress’ Perspective

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Kimberlee Kesterson

Founder of STL Cannamoms | Cannabis Advocate & Community Builder

Kimberlee Kesterson is a mother, visionary entrepreneur, and one of the founders of STL Cannamoms—a rapidly growing event-based community that empowers moms who consume cannabis. Her mission is rooted in transforming the stigma around parenting and cannabis into a conversation of self-care, education, and support. STL Cannamoms began as a passion project and quickly evolved into a nationally recognized movement, with coverage on CNN, NBC, St. Louis Public Radio, and other major platforms.

Through curated events, product partnerships, and education-driven outreach, Kimberlee has built a safe, welcoming space for women to connect, share resources, and challenge outdated narratives. From sold-out collaborations like the Milk Money concentrate with Vibe Cannabis to hosting healing-centered gatherings across Missouri, she’s leading a cultural shift in how we view mothers and cannabis. Kimberlee continues to expand STL Cannamoms into new cities with the vision of launching chapters nationwide, all while building brand collaborations and paving the way for more inclusive cannabis culture.

From Stigma to Sisterhood: The Rise of the Cannamom Movement

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Melodye Mims Montgomery

Co-Founder, T’Oakland Senior Canna Club

Melodye Montgomery, affectionately known as Mama Bear, is a respected cannabis judge and community advocate with years of industry experience. She has served as a judge for the San Francisco Patient’s Choice Cup, the SF Best Concentrate Cup, and spent five years as the Lead Industry Judge at Hemp Con, offering valuable insights into quality standards and consumer needs.

Melodye is the founder and CEO of TendaHead, an infused aloe vera topical, and Learn What’s Right for You, a personal medical cannabis consulting service. Her work and her product have been featured in Dope Magazine, the East Bay Times, and the YouTube documentary Auma’s Story. Dope Magazine honored her as “Oakland’s Cannabis Den Mother,” and she was named an Honorary Tribe Builder by Ganja Goddess Getaway. She was also recognized among the top 18 women internationally for her contributions to the cannabis movement.

An Oaksterdam University graduate, Melodye has consistently supported emerging cannabis professionals—annually opening her home to Oaksterdam students for what is now celebrated as DANKSGIVING. As co-founder and organizer of the T’Oakland Senior Cannabis Club, she has created a safe, inclusive space for often-overlooked elders in the cannabis community.

Melodye played a key role in lifting the ban on dispensaries in the City of Alameda through persistent advocacy and collaboration with city council members. She went on to be appointed as a commissioner for the City of Alameda’s Open Government Commission, where she remains active in shaping policy and increasing civic engagement.

Beyond cannabis, Melodye is a co-founder of Tri-Valley Haven for Women, a shelter supporting survivors of domestic violence, underscoring her lifelong commitment to justice, healing, and community empowerment.

Seniors, Cannabis, and Community

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Paula Macfie, PhD

Inventor | Indigenous Scientist | Cannabis Suppository Researcher | Cannabis Patient/Grower | Owner, Back Door Medicine™

Dr Paula Macfie (Macdhubhsidhe) is Dalriadian from County Cork, Ireland and Colonsay + Iona, Scotland. She is also Tuatha with ancestral migrations from Aotearoa to Rapa Nui to Kahiki to Ireland. She is also from Jute, Teutonic and Frank clans. She is an independent researcher specializing in decolonizing methodologies and indigenous Science for over 25 years. She has a PhD in Recovery of Indigneous Mind from the Calofirnia Institute of Integral Studies. Currently, she is a Volunteer Guide for Musicians On Call at the Veterans Hospital in Portland. She is a music producer and house dance curator for disadvantaged communities. She also serves as a homeowner board member for Proud Ground, a low income affordable houseing community land trust in Portland, Oregon. She serves by writing grants for cultural organizations as well, currently for the Paesano Bocce Club.

Dr. Paula served on the Oregon Cannabis Commission Research + Leadership subcommittee and Patient Care subcommittee for five years. She wrote definition of decolonization for the Oregon statues for cannabis. She specializes in dismantling western colonized mind sustems and assists in bridging western science with indigenous science specific to education, business, government, plant medicine and personal growth. She has a strong voice in decolonizating methodolgoies for community, city and state systems that commodify plant medicine and is adamant about accessibility for low-income, disabled and vulnerable populations.

Dr. Paula is owner of Back Door Medicine ™ a research and patient-centric educational and consultation service that connects people with cannabis suppository knowledge, indigenous science research knowledge and cannabis product accessibility to low income people and people with disabilities. She hold a patent for a suppository mold invention and is the first female in the world to do so. She has developed cannabis suppositories for a multitute of conditions, inclduing treating her own challenges navigating multiple sclerosis, SA from DV, a TBI from a baseball bat, Aspberger’s, anxiety and depression.

The intense process of decolonization in which Dr. Paula puts herself through, she must challenge evey belief she has ever had about herself, her community, and her environment. But her research process is not an indicment of western colonial culture, it is a story of the journey of self-reclamation. With courageous honesty, Dr Paula faces the fierce inner climate this predicament brings with it: the shame, the guilt, the anger and fear….she has created a blueprint of recovery in the twentieth century. Dr Paula Macfie is a pioneer in the unique Indigenous Mind academic program….and underwent the necessary strife to undo her former was of thinking and discover new and more ancient ways. She relays the depth of her experience in a convincing manner in her research knowledge as well as in her oral sharing of her story. Most importantly, Dr. Paula encourages us to remember who we are and where we come from so that we can bring forward out ancestral knowledge to help ourselves and others heal!

Cannabis Suppositories as a Healing Process for Ancestral Remembrance

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hashEESH

Intuitive Mother | Cannabis Product Curator | Educator

hashEESH is a homeschooling mom of two who leads with intuition, presence, and care. Her relationship with cannabis began over 20 years ago, but it was motherhood that made it sacred. She uses the plant not as an escape, but as a tool to stay grounded, emotionally available, and in tune with her body and her children. Cannabis helps her move through the chaos and beauty of parenting with softness and intention. And through every shift—from pregnancy to postpartum, from burnout to healing—she chose to trust her experience over fear-based narratives. For her, cannabis is medicine, and intuition is truth.

Since 2014, hashEESH has held space in the cannabis world, learning from the plant both personally and professionally. Her voice is shaped not by trends, but by lived experience—by mothering, evolving, and standing firm in what she knows to be true. She’s currently working on a podcast that will hold space for the kinds of conversations that have long been missing—honest, nuanced reflections on parenting and cannabis use. On Instagram as @hashEESH, she offers insight, affirmation, and a steady reminder that mothering intuitively—with the support of this plant—is not only valid, but powerful.

Mother First, Stoner Always

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Lo

Founder, Dream State Solventless

Lo is a seasoned hash maker and cultivator based in Mendocino County, California, with over 20 years of experience in the cannabis industry. As the founder of Dream State Solventless, she is dedicated to producing top-tier solventless products while championing education, informed cannabis use, and community empowerment.

A proud mother of two, Lo advocates fiercely for the role of cannabis as a therapeutic aid during pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and parenting. Through her own experiences—using cannabis to exclusively breastfeed her children for a combined five years, navigating postpartum anxiety and depression, and achieving a successful unmedicated home birth after a cesarean—she has become a passionate voice breaking the stigma around cannabis use for parents.

Lo also speaks candidly about cannabis as a compassionate tool at the end of life, sharing how it helped her and her mother navigate her mother’s final days with dignity and peace. Her message is simple yet profound: cannabis can support us from the beginning of life to the end. Lo looks forward to sharing her journey, expertise, and sparking meaningful conversations about cannabis, parenthood, and healing.

Womb to Wisdom: A Cannamom’s Path of Healing with Cannabis

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Cassandra Purdy

Owner/CEO and Chef at Sweetgrass Botanicals

Cassandra Purdy studied Anthropology at Vassar College, and was always drawn to subjects like entheogens, ethnobotany and shamanism…plant magic. Her studies took her to India in 1993 and her experiences there have drawn her back dozens of times since then, travel has always been a priority and working primarily as a freelance chef and translator has allowed her to explore many countries with strong traditions of plant medicine. She worked at her first High Times Cannabis Cup in the mid-90s and met many of the most influential people in her life, and in the International Cannabis space. In 2000 she helped found the French publishing company Mama Editions, specializing in cannabis and other “taboo” subjects, such as shamanism, midwifery, channeling. This project was the brainchild of Michka, a well-known French author and cannabis activist – she is the only woman to have a cannabis strain named after her….Sensi Seeds created an incredible haze in her honor. For 20 years, Cassandra has translated and edited books such as Mila Jansen’s biography “How I Became the Hash Queen” and numerous cannabis related titles. This project led her to be immersed in the international cannabis scene for more than 20 years, attending Spannabis, and almost every other tradeshow and expo around the EU.

Back in the US she began consulting for cannabis companies as legalization became a reality in her home state of CT and around New England, She developed edible and topical recipes for several start-up projects and eventually heard about an available dispensary license in MA. It took five LONG years to secure a property and financing to open her place Sweetgrass Botanicals in January of 2024. Seven weeks after being open they were awarded Best Dispensary in the state of MA at the NECANN Cup in Boston. The shop is definitely something new ,it is the only dispensary with large demonstration windows looking into a solventless hash lab on the East Coast. All products are powered with this clean extract including Cassandra’s edibles and topicals which are all made with organic ingredients. The mission is to educate the community about ALL plant allies, not just cannabis, medicinal mushrooms and hemp/CBD products are a big focus with the apothecary-style retail space….and books! Cassandra continues to care deeply about books and stories that lift us up, especially women in cannabis. Book signings, educationsal workshops and talks are the heartbeat of Sweetgrasss Botanicals. .

Cannabis and Caregiver Burnout

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Diana

Cultivator | Artist | Entrepreneur | Advocate

As a mother, cultivator, consultant, entrepreneur, patient, writer, and artist in the cannabis space Diana has long been an advocate for this incredible plant, it’s versatility, and it’s many benefits. Diana has worked in the regulated Oklahoma cannabis space since 2019 but has advocated for cannabis use and legalization for over 25 years. In 2021 Diana lead her then team to win 1st place Indoor Sativa in the Jack Herer Cup. Since, Diana has participated as a consultant and advisor, leading multiple companies in the Oklahoma marketplace to higher quality flower production as well as top placement awards in several cannabis competitions. Diana has had the opportunity to serve as a flower judge for the Oklahoma High Times Cannabis Cup, as well as a guest flower Judge for the Cured Cup Qualifiers in Northern California.

Diana has had the opportunity to have both her photography and writing don the pages of Skunk Magazine as a contributor and strain reviewer for Massive Creations.

As a former cultivation license owner / operator Diana has faced hurdles and challenges and has learned firsthand of the challenges and heartbreak that can come with the cannabis market and it’s ever changing legal aspects. She has used these challenges to further grow and push herself to overcome and to pursue new opportunities in the space. Diana has used her challenges as a segue to learn and to fill gaps in the market including her current ventures offering Tissue Culture, pathogen detection & remediation, as well as consulting.

Diana has utilized her concurrent work as a professional artist and tattooer to advocate and further the progress of cannabis. Utilizing the benefits of CBD in her procedures has acted as a stepping stone to open a dialog about the many benefits of cannabis with persons whom may not otherwise have an open mind to cannabis use or have the opportunity to utilize its effects.

As a medical cannabis patient and cultivator Diana strives to continue educating people on and promoting the benefits of cannabis. Through her own struggles with PTSD, cultivating cannabis for herself and for others has allowed a sense of healing and ignited a passion and purpose of which she strives to share with others. Diana fully believes in the power of the plant and advocates for home growers as she believes that for those who are able, the magic and relief are not only in the consumption of cannabis but also lie within the act of cultivating and caring for the plant. Diana’s personal struggles have granted her a deep level of compassion and a strong desire to help others as she has seen the relief cannabis has brought to so many who struggle with mental health and addiction issues and she has a vested interest in de-stigmatizing and rewriting the narrative around cannabis to further its progress and legalization.

From Trauma to Triumph: Cannabis Cultivation as a Path to Healing

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Melodye Mims Montgomery

Visionary Strategist | Patient Advocacy Educator | Thought Leader

Sephida Artis-Mills is a powerhouse in the cannabis industry and beyond, merging entrepreneurial ingenuity, social impact, and strategic innovation to drive systemic change. With a career marked by bold leadership and disruptive thinking, Sephida has earned her place as a pioneering force for progress. At the forefront of the cannabis movement, she has shaped the industry’s evolution through strategic branding, innovation, and advocacy. She collaborated with iconic brands like TICAL and served as Chief Strategy Officer at HPI Canna, where she led efforts to expand major brands such as Packwoods, PlugPlay, and 40 Tons into New York’s emerging cannabis market, fostering collaboration over competition.

Her work has introduced blockchain-integrated solutions to increase transparency, efficiency, and consumer trust across the cannabis ecosystem. A tireless advocate for equity, Sephida champions initiatives that empower communities disproportionately affected by prohibition, always centering social impact within industry growth. Beyond cannabis, her vision spans hedge fund development in disruptive technologies, cooperative business initiatives focused on sustainable growth, and philanthropy that nurtures underserved entrepreneurs through education and mentorship.

Sephida’s commitment to cultural authenticity shines through her work in community building and storytelling, aligning industry practices with diverse narratives. She co-founded the National Cannabis Party, now the United Empowerment Party (UEP), a federally registered political party dedicated to advancing cannabis education, science, and economic opportunity. She also co-authored the Cannabis Community Reinvestment Act (CCRA) alongside New York State Senator James Sanders Jr., a bill requiring corporate reinvestment into communities most impacted by cannabis prohibition.

Widely recognized as a visionary leader, Sephida Artis-Mills continues to inspire and transform industries through creativity, strategy, and advocacy. Her work stands as a testament to her unwavering commitment to building a more equitable and innovative future.

Bring Back the Village: Creating a Culture of Balance & Inclusion That Empowers Community

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The Dank Duchess

Hashish Consultant | Cannabis Cultivator | Global Educator | Public Speaker

The Dank Duchess is an internationally recognized Hashish Consultant, Cannabis Cultivator, and Public Speaker with over two decades of expertise in cannabis. Trained by some of the best hash makers, she has built a global reputation for hashish production, judging elite competitions, and educating millions through media, writing, and public speaking. 

Duchess has consulted with cultivators worldwide, optimizing hash production for both small-scale artisans and large facilities. Her expertise has made her a featured judge at prestigious cannabis competitions such as  Emerald Cup and Masters of Rosin, ensuring the highest standards in hashish are upheld.

A dedicated educator and advocate, Duchess has made multiple media appearances, including VICELAND’s Bong Appétit (Seasons 1 & 3), and has reached millions online through her YouTube streams, social media content, and cannabis education initiatives. She has shared her expertise as a guest speaker at the University of British Columbia, the University of Barcelona, and Medgar Evers College, and her writing has been published in Weed World UK, Cannabis Now, Skunk Magazine, and Ed Rosenthal’s books. She has also contributed chapters to Stephen Gray’s How Psychedelics Can Help Save the World and Ed Rosenthal’s This Bud’s for You.

Beyond her work with hash, Duchess is committed to diversity and representation in cannabis. She founded Mocha Mary Jane, an online community supporting Black and Brown female growers and hashmakers, providing mentorship and industry education. She also serves on the boards of the Network of Applied Pharmacognosy (NAP) and the Association for Comprehensive Health Equity in Medicine (ACHEM), furthering cannabis research and health advocacy.

In collaboration with Method Seven, she represents a line of eyewear tailored for cannabis cultivators, merging function with style.

Whether judging the world’s finest hashish, consulting cultivators, speaking on global stages, or producing educational content, The Dank Duchess remains a driving force in hashish culture and cannabis advocacy, living by her mottos: “Cannabis flower fuels my power” and “My Niche is Hashish.”

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