Joy Beckerman has been involved in the hemp movement and industries for over 30 years, and her extraordinary knowledge and passion for this versatile, valuable crop is contagious! Often referred to as a "hemp encyclopedia," Joy is the Principal and Senior Paralegal at Hemp Ace International, a Seattle-based consulting, legal support, and expert witness firm serving the global hemp industries. She is also a sought-after regulatory specialist in the rapidly developing field of non-intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids.

Jasmine Johnson is the force behind GŪD Essence. Her Florida-based vertically integrated cannabis wellness company blends ancestral plant wisdom with cutting-edge clinical research, “building a bridge between cultural healing traditions and modern neuroscience." Jasmine talks about the journey, the vision, and the community power behind GŪD Essence, its emphasis on customer education, culturally informed research, equitable hiring, and its new Clearwater dispensary. Jasmine believes this moment represents both a homecoming and a bold new chapter for cannabis wellness in Florida, and she tells us why.

Michael Dalle Molle serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Mariposa Technology, where he oversees daily business operations, communications, and brand management. He is an entrepreneur, teacher, business advisor, and environmentalist with almost a decade of professional experience as a sustainability advocate in the design and construction industry. Before entering the cannabis industry, Michael taught at the Tulane University School of Architecture and ran his design+build studio in New Orleans.

Lynnette Shaw is a trailblazing medical marijuana activist best known as the first legally licensed cannabis dispensary operator in the United States. As the founder of the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana in Fairfax, California, she became a central figure in the fight for patients’ rights after the passage of Proposition 215 in 1996.

For decades, Shaw battled DEA raids, federal injunctions, and financial ruin, refusing to back down even when the government tried to brand her a criminal. Lynnette’s work laid the foundation for today’s medical and recreational cannabis industries, though she remains outspoken about the movement’s roots in compassion, human rights, and grassroots activism rather than corporate profit.

Alicia Deals is a trailblazer in Arizona’s cannabis industry and a leading advocate for equity and justice. Drawing on her personal experience navigating the legal system after her father, Robert Deals, received an 18-year sentence for a cannabis-related conviction, she has made it her mission to reform the industry and help those still incarcerated for marijuana offenses.

Alicia is a social equity license holder and the first Black woman to own and operate a cannabis dispensary in Arizona. She partnered with Cookies, the international cannabis brand founded by Berner, to open the state’s first Cookies dispensary in Tempe.

Kaitlin DiMaggio is the founder and managing attorney of DiMaggio Law Office, a Scottsdale-based law firm dedicated to defending the rights and dignity of individuals navigating Arizona’s criminal legal system.

Kim Richards possesses over 30 years of experience and a distinguished history of accomplishments in the music, film, and television industries. As CEO & Chairman at Allied Artists International, Inc., he has earned more than 70 gold, platinum, and diamond records, as well as numerous Grammy and Emmy nominations.

Chief among his credits is Pink Floyd's "The Wall," which has been certified diamond, selling 23 million copies, making it the third highest-grossing album of all time, behind only the Eagles' Greatest Hits and Michael Jackson's Thriller.

Richards' video productions have won at both the New York and Cannes Film Festivals.

Brad Zerman is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience founding and operating businesses in highly regulated industries, including cannabis, payments, and financial services. He is the founder and CEO of Seven Point Cannabis Dispensary and previously led one of Illinois’ first licensed dispensaries before selling it to a public company. Zerman also personally benefits from the medical effects of cannabis, which fuels his passion for building a responsible and community-focused cannabis ecosystem.

Beyond cannabis, Brad built and sold major companies in ATM operations and payment processing, managing thousands of machines and billions in transactions while ensuring compliance and security. His extensive regulatory, security, and financial expertise positions him as a strong leader in the evolving cannabis industry

Todd McCormick's life’s work has been deeply rooted—literally and figuratively—in the fight for cannabis freedom. Todd is a lifelong cannabis activist, medical marijuana patient, author, and cultivator who has dedicated decades to advancing both the science and the culture of the plant. From being diagnosed with cancer at a young age and discovering the healing benefits of cannabis to playing an active role in medical marijuana research, Todd has lived the movement from the inside out.

His activism has taken him from courtrooms to grow rooms, from writing and speaking to hands-on cultivation, all while standing firmly for patient rights, legalization, and education. He’s written the influential book How to Grow Medical Marijuana and edited Jack Herer’s landmark hemp and cannabis book The Emperor Wears No Clothes. Today, breeder Todd is eager to share his years of expertise with the world through his seeds.