November 2, 2016
[Press release] Portland, OR— The Minority Cannabis Business Association announces the appointment of three new members of its Board of Directors, as well as the full slate of board members for the 2016-2017 term.
Joining the Board of Directors are Shanita Penny, Jonathan Teeters and Kayvan Khalatbari. “Our new Board Members bring a great deal of passion and experience to the team. They are going to do great things for the organization and our members,” Jesce Horton, MCBA Co-Founder and Board Chairman.
Kayvan Khalatbari has been active in cannabis advocacy and government relations for over a decade. He is co-founder and operations manager for Denver Relief Consulting and is a tireless advocate in Denver on the topics of harm reduction, food security, homelessness, access to the arts and children’s services.
Jonathan Teeters is the Director of Government Affairs at Tradiv. His experience also includes nearly a decade working in electoral politics and leading activities to address youth employment, urban empowerment through hip hop, campus sustainability and early childhood education – work that has earned him recognition by national organizations.
Shanita Penny has over a decade of experience in helping Fortune 500 companies improve business performance. She is founder of Budding Solutions, LLC and is especially proud of her work as a cannabis activist and lobbyist for the reform of national marijuana laws.
Founded in late 2015, the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) is the first non-profit organization created to serve the specific needs of minority cannabis entrepreneurs, workers, and patients/ consumers. The organization currently serves members from across the United States and Canada. The Board of Directors is comprised of a diverse group of cannabis industry veterans and activists from across the U.S. The mission is to create equal access and economic empowerment for cannabis businesses, their patients, and the communities most affected by the war on drugs.
For more information about the Minority Cannabis Business Association visit www.minoritycannabis.org.
Minority Cannabis Business Association - Board of Directors (2016-2017)
Jesce Horton - Owner, Panacea Valley Gardens and Saints Cannabis (Portland, OR)
Tiffany Bowden - Owner, ComfyTree Cannabis (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Jeannette Ward - Director of Data & Marketing, MJ Freeway (Portland, OR)
Seth Adler - Managing Director, Cannabis Economy (New York, NY)
Judge Shelli Hayes - Retired Judge, Cook County (Chicago, IL)
Kayvan Khalatbari - Founding Partner Denver Relief (Denver, CO)
Dr Rachel Knox - Co-Founder, The CannaMDs, (Portland, OR)
Shabnam Malek - President/Executive Director, National Cannabis Bar Association and Owner, Brand and Branch LLP (Oakland, CA)
Jason Ortiz - National Campaign Strategist, MVFR (Puerto Rico)
Shanita Penny, Founder/ CEO Budding Solutions (Washington, DC)
Jonathan Teeters, Director of Government Affairs, Tradiv (San Diego, CA)
Shaleen Title - Partner, THC Staffing Group (Boston, MA)
Joining the Board of Directors are Shanita Penny, Jonathan Teeters and Kayvan Khalatbari. “Our new Board Members bring a great deal of passion and experience to the team. They are going to do great things for the organization and our members,” Jesce Horton, MCBA Co-Founder and Board Chairman.
Kayvan Khalatbari has been active in cannabis advocacy and government relations for over a decade. He is co-founder and operations manager for Denver Relief Consulting and is a tireless advocate in Denver on the topics of harm reduction, food security, homelessness, access to the arts and children’s services.
Jonathan Teeters is the Director of Government Affairs at Tradiv. His experience also includes nearly a decade working in electoral politics and leading activities to address youth employment, urban empowerment through hip hop, campus sustainability and early childhood education – work that has earned him recognition by national organizations.
Shanita Penny has over a decade of experience in helping Fortune 500 companies improve business performance. She is founder of Budding Solutions, LLC and is especially proud of her work as a cannabis activist and lobbyist for the reform of national marijuana laws.
Founded in late 2015, the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) is the first non-profit organization created to serve the specific needs of minority cannabis entrepreneurs, workers, and patients/ consumers. The organization currently serves members from across the United States and Canada. The Board of Directors is comprised of a diverse group of cannabis industry veterans and activists from across the U.S. The mission is to create equal access and economic empowerment for cannabis businesses, their patients, and the communities most affected by the war on drugs.
For more information about the Minority Cannabis Business Association visit www.minoritycannabis.org.
Minority Cannabis Business Association - Board of Directors (2016-2017)
Jesce Horton - Owner, Panacea Valley Gardens and Saints Cannabis (Portland, OR)
Tiffany Bowden - Owner, ComfyTree Cannabis (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Jeannette Ward - Director of Data & Marketing, MJ Freeway (Portland, OR)
Seth Adler - Managing Director, Cannabis Economy (New York, NY)
Judge Shelli Hayes - Retired Judge, Cook County (Chicago, IL)
Kayvan Khalatbari - Founding Partner Denver Relief (Denver, CO)
Dr Rachel Knox - Co-Founder, The CannaMDs, (Portland, OR)
Shabnam Malek - President/Executive Director, National Cannabis Bar Association and Owner, Brand and Branch LLP (Oakland, CA)
Jason Ortiz - National Campaign Strategist, MVFR (Puerto Rico)
Shanita Penny, Founder/ CEO Budding Solutions (Washington, DC)
Jonathan Teeters, Director of Government Affairs, Tradiv (San Diego, CA)
Shaleen Title - Partner, THC Staffing Group (Boston, MA)
