Named one of NCIA's “Top 10 Influential Women to Meet” in 2018. I bring a strategic, integrated approach to the marketing ecosystem in order to support and help drive customer engagement and meet revenue goals. A firm believer that every brand interaction is important and should be experienced in an authentic, meaningful way by the audiences who matter most.
Specialties: cannabis, CBD, tourism, real estate, destination, brand building, media relations, influencer relations, community outreach, message development, crisis communications, social media strategy, content development, business development, digital marketing
Scott Riefler has over 45 years of cultivating/commercializing scientific and technological resources, first in Aerospace materials and now Food Ingredients.
Scott is the Chief Science Officer for SōRSE Technology, an innovation leader of materials development for beverage and edible product forms within the cannabis space. He joined SōRSE Technology in June of 2017, he and his team have developed a key water born platform for cannabinoid oils for the food, beverage, and nutraceutical industries.
This unique platform, branded as SōRSE, addresses all the major hurdles associated with transforming cannabinoid extracts as well as a wide range of adaptogens into workable ingredients for confection, food, beverage and topical matrixes. Functional attributes include water-based systems, perfect dosing, neutral and clean sensor, rapid and repeatable bio-absorption, and clean labeling.
SōRSE is quickly becoming the industry standard and go to for bringing cannabinoids and other oils/adaptogens into edible platforms in a safe and reliable manner.
Previously Scott was a member of TIC GUMS (now Ingredion) leadership Team, a privately held producer of hydrocolloids (gums) systems for the food, nutraceutical, and industrial markets. During his tenure at TIC Gums Scott’s roles included VP of Sales, VP of Science and Technology and President.
Bio coming soon!
Detail-oriented Quality Assurance Professional with extensive experience in FSSC 22002, ISO 9001 and TS 16949. Expertise includes food safety, audits, continual improvement, and effective communication of measurements.
Sarah Otis is the Director of QA and Special Projects for Anresco Laboratories in San Francisco, California. Sarah is an analytical chemist with over a decade of experience in the cannabis industry spanning multiple legalized States. Sarah’s expertise is in quality assurance and regulatory compliance, and for the last 7 years she has been focusing her skill set and efforts on advancing regulatory and R&D testing and laboratory operations for cannabis and hemp testing laboratories. Her experience and knowledge also branch into other aspects of the industry such as licensing, cultivation, extraction, and cannabis infused product formulation and production.
Sarah Ahrens is CEO of True Labs for Cannabis, among the first laboratories in New Jersey fully dedicated to cannabis testing and the first certified woman-owned cannabis analytical laboratory on the East Coast. Sarah entered the cannabis space out of a passion for eating healthy, quality products, buying organic, and transparency in knowing what's in the products she buys for her family. Uniting a successful business background and a lifelong love of science, Sarah leads a scientific leadership team with more than 24 years of cannabis testing experience coming from 5 different states. She also serves as Chair of the Laboratory Testing Committee in the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association (NJCBA), advocating for best practices and safety in the Garden State's emerging cannabis industry.
Jimmy Farrell is a manager in the Technical Committee Operations Division of ASTM International, one of the largest voluntary standards development organizations in the world.
In his role, Jimmy has direct responsibility for the standards development activities within Committees C04 on Vitrified Clay Pipe, C13 on Concrete Pipe, C28 on Advanced Ceramics, and D37 on Cannabis. Jimmy manages the technical committee that addresses the development and maintenance of standards and guidance materials for cannabis and its products and processes by bringing together producers, users, testing labs, regulators, lending and insurance experts, and all others with an interest in the cannabis industry through Committee D37. With a focus on the development of test methods, practices and guides for cultivation, quality assurance, laboratory considerations, personnel training, industrial hemp, devices, packaging and security, sustainability and financial services and insurance.
Jimmy earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications Journalism from Shippensburg University.
Named one of NCIA's “Top 10 Influential Women to Meet” in 2018. I bring a strategic, integrated approach to the marketing ecosystem in order to support and help drive customer engagement and meet revenue goals. A firm believer that every brand interaction is important and should be experienced in an authentic, meaningful way by the audiences who matter most.
Specialties: cannabis, CBD, tourism, real estate, destination, brand building, media relations, influencer relations, community outreach, message development, crisis communications, social media strategy, content development, business development, digital marketing
Michael Correia is director of government relations for the National Cannabis Industry Association. His focus is raising awareness and building support for the cannabis industry’s issues on Capitol Hill. In addition, Michael works with other national organizations to increase the cannabis industry profile nationally. Prior to joining NCIA, Michael spent many years working on Capitol Hill, including working for Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA), who retired in 2010, and the House Committee on Resources, serving three different Chairmen. Previously, he was director of federal affairs for the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and senior project manager for the Committee for Responsible Federal Budget. In both positions, he advocated for policies in Congress. A campaign veteran, he has worked and volunteered on numerous political campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels over the past two decades. Michael is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego. A native of San Diego, he resides in Washington, D.C.
Alena Rodriguez is a consultant in the cannabis industry with a passion for standardization. She has expertise in business operations, laboratory testing, Quality Management Systems, and regulatory compliance. Alena has an M.S. in biomedical sciences and a B.S. in biology from Florida Atlantic University (FAU). Before entering the cannabis industry, she worked in molecular biology, analytical chemistry, and neuroscience laboratories at FAU, Envoy Therapeutics, and the University of Colorado Anschutz doing drug discovery research. Alena is currently the chair of the Laboratory Subcommittee of ASTM International’s Committee D37 on Cannabis and an executive member of the National Cannabis Laboratory Council (NCLC). She is also a member of AOAC CASP’s Microbiology Working Group and a current member and former chair of the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Scientific Advisory Committee. She most recently worked at Rm3 Labs, an analytical cannabis testing facility in Colorado, where she held several positions including Lead Microbiologist, Quality Manager, and Managing Director. For almost 7 years, Alena managed the lab’s daily operations, worked with regulators, developed contaminant testing methods, and led the lab's efforts to achieve and maintain ISO 17025 accreditation.
David Kessler is Chief Science Officer at Agrify, the most innovative provider of advanced cultivation and extraction solutions for the cannabis industry. He has 20+ years of cannabis cultivation experience including 10 years of CEA (closed environmental agriculture) indoor farm design. David’s focus on the application of technology to optimize process & workflow while reducing operational costs are a common theme throughout his prolific industry publications. David has written for such companies as Sunlight Supply, Maximum Yield Magazine, Botanicare, and Hawthorne Gardening Company. David also regularly lectures at many cannabis industry events including MJBizCon Las Vegas, Cannabis Science Conference Baltimore, and Michigan’s Cannabis-Aid.
David has also worked as a consultant to Universities and the Hollywood film industry, working on several blockbuster Hollywood films including: The Hunger Games, The Divergent film franchise, and Marvel’s Black Panther.
David’s decades of experience with horticultural lighting have allowed him the opportunity to be a product tester for companies such as Sharp Electronics and the Horticultural Lighting Group. David has worked with independent 3rd party laboratories to provide unbiased testing data comparing the performance of a multitude of horticultural lighting manufacturers.
Additionally, David is the proprietor of Willowbrook Orchids, an orchid nursery specializing in Paphiopedilums and Phragmipediums.
As urban-gro's Executive Vice President of Business Developments, Sam Andras brings decades of architectural and engineering design experience to the urban-gro executive team. Previously, Mr. Andras was the senior principal and partner at MJ12 Design Studio, Inc. and 2WR + Partners prior to the firms’ acquisition by urban-gro in 2021.
As the son of a general contractor, Sam has built an architectural career focusing on long-term quality. His experience working in his family business as a young professional has given him a strong understanding of construction means and methods far beyond a typical architect. His expertise has helped urban-gro become the first fully integrated architecture and engineering design firm focused on Controlled Environment Agriculture.
Sam continues to develop the Company's Controlled Environment Agriculture facilities across North America and Europe. Sam holds a Bachelor's Degree in Architecture from Florida A&M University and continues to support urban-gro in advancing design, engineering, and integrating complex environmental equipment systems into high-performance facilities.
At Consilium we take pride in developing strong relationships with clients and understanding their unique needs so that we can build the right team of scientific experts to develop and implement quality solutions. Our global network of mostly doctoral-level scientists and clinicians includes expertise in nanotechnology, materials characterization, toxicology, pharmacology, epidemiology, chemistry, GMP, consumer research, regulatory engagement, post-market surveillance, literature reviews, statistics and more.
Smithers offers a range of Cannabis Testing services for our licensed cultivators and product manufacturers in Illinois and Massachusetts.
Smithers Cannabis Testing labs offer services using leading scientific expertise, state-of-the-art instrumentation, and easy-to-use customer portals that provide customers with trustworthy data, access to experts, and rapid results. Compliance testing to state requirements for cannabinoid potency, pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, microbiological contaminants, and mycotoxins are performed at our testing labs.
CannaReg Summit sponsors and exhibitors are leaders in the field who present innovative products and services to an audience of industry professionals and decision makers. Be a part of the conversation, generate new leads, and ensure that your name is firmly positioned at the forefront of innovative cannabis activity.
