Join Canndora and guest experts in a discussion on women and cannabis. This panel will explore how our panelists came to cannabis, how the industry has evolved and will continue to evolve for women, as well as the steps that women can take to help advance the cannabis industry.  

Moderator:

Danielle Mckay, Marigold Marketing & PR Events Manager

Panelists:

Marcie Kiziak, Senior Vice President Human Resources, Alcanna

Kieley Beaudry, Co-Founder, Parkland Flower Inc.

Zoe Patko, Marketing Manager, Zenabis

Stephanie Ostrander, Account Manager, Keystone Labs

Today's menu: Morrocan, no-bake Majoun Bites  

A culinary herbalist, Pat Crocker is author of 22 food, herb and health cookbooks including The Herbalist’s Kitchen, The Healing Herbs Cookbook, and The Juicing Bible. With 1.4 million books in print, Pat has earned several awards including the award for Excellence in Herbal Literature from the Herb Society of America.

Honourable A. Anne McLellan, P.C., O.C., A.O.E. served four terms as the Liberal MP for Edmonton Centre, during which she was Deputy Prime Minister of Canada and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Minister of Health, Minister of Justice and Minister of Natural Resources.

Ms McLellan joined Bennett Jones LLP in its Edmonton office in July 2006.  

In May 2015 Ms McLellan became Dalhousie University’s seventh chancellor.

Ms McLellan serves on the boards of Nutrien and Cameco. Among her many community commitments, she is chair of the boards of Pearson College UWC, the TELUS Edmonton Community Board and the Institute for Research on Public Policy. She also serves on the boards of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research and the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation.

From 1980 – 1992 she was a professor in the University of Alberta's Faculty of Law and served as both Associate Dean (1985 – 1987) and Acting Dean (1991 – 1992) of the Faculty. Ms McLellan holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Law degree from Dalhousie University and a Master of Laws degree from King's College, University of London.

Nick Pateras, Vice President of Strategy, Lift & Co.

Lift & Co. is Canada's leading cannabis media and technology platform, with a mission to empower better cannabis decisions by bridging the informational gap between buyers and sellers.

Prior to joining Lift & Co., Nick spent several years in the pharmaceutical sector with Johnson & Johnson Inc., where he led businesses across OTC and Health & Beauty. His background in healthcare led him to make the professional move into cannabis, having long advocated for recognition of its many medical applications.

Nick is a regular speaker at cannabis conferences across Canada as well as in Europe, typically on the topics of marketing and branding, as well as global industry trends. He holds two degrees, in Business and Philosophy, from Queen's University, Canada.

Moderator: Peter Pilarki, President, Cannabiz Social 

Panelists: 

Chris Bolivar, VP of Marketing, Fire & Flower

Connor Young, Marketing Manager, Sundial Growers 

Jay Pilon, Director of Experience, TopLeaf & BC Weed Co. 

Moderator: 

Nick Pateras, Vice President of Strategy, Lift & Co.

Panelists: 

Annaliese Kibler, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Aurora

Ryan Hellard, Chief Experience Officier, Sundial Growers 

Jason Kostiw, Government and Public Relations Specialist 

Today’s Menu: Hand Chopped Loaded Beef Burger & Salted Butterscotch Pecan Pie with Dark Chocolate Pie Crust 

John MacNeil, Corporate Red Seal Cannabis Chef, Zenabis

John has a long list of credentials and experience that qualify him as a Master of Molecular gastronomy. Inspired by the freshness and quality of ingredients at local markets in his hometown of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Chef MacNeil went on to study Culinary Arts at Charlottetown’s Holland College and obtained his Red Seal certification in 2004. He further developed his culinary skills under Chef Urs Thommen in Switzerland, where he learned to apply classical European techniques to his dishes.

Maria Jespersen, Marketing Manager, Stealth Box

Since legalization, many Canadians are testing their green thumbs nation-wide. This workshop will teach you about some methods of growing cannabis at home, and take you through a full grow from seed to harvest using Stealth Box.

Chris Bolivar, VP Brand & Marketing, Fire & Flower 

Chris Bolivar is the Vice President, Brand & Marketing for Fire & Flower, a Canadian cannabis retail company. Mr. Bolivar is responsible for all brand and marketing initiatives, leading the growth of Fire & Flower across Canada. 

Mr. Bolivar has over 15 years of experience in consumer brand, marketing and communications. Prior to joining Fire & Flower, Mr. Bolivar was the President of FREE, a Canadian brand and marketing agency with clients across North America.

Mr. Bolivar has been recognized by national and international award shows including Strategy, Marketing Magazine and Applied Arts. Mr. Bolivar is also currently the Co-Chair of the Canadian Marketing Association’s Cannabis Marketing Working Group and has served on the Board of Governors of the Institute of Communication Agencies.

Fire & Flower is a leading independent adult-use cannabis retailer poised to capture significant market share in Canadian provinces that allow private retail. The company will provide customers with expertly curated product selection and a best-in-class, education-driven customer experience.

Dr. Jamie Cox, Chief Medical Officer, Sundial Growers 

Dr. Cox believes that cannabis is a powerful tool for health and wellness, offering real benefits and an improved quality of life for people who need it. He works with healthcare organizations, universities and industry partners to help them understand the science behind cannabis as a viable treatment for a variety of conditions. 

As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Cox brings his years of experience in the healthcare and cannabis industries to bear at Sundial, focusing on quality outcomes and better health for individuals and groups. He has worked in Canada and the United States implementing successful programs to improve healthcare at the industry and provincial levels.

Today's menu: Morrocan, no-bake Majoun Bites  

A culinary herbalist, Pat Crocker is author of 22 food, herb and health cookbooks including The Herbalist’s Kitchen, The Healing Herbs Cookbook, and The Juicing Bible. With 1.4 million books in print, Pat has earned several awards including the award for Excellence in Herbal Literature from the Herb Society of America.

Jan Slaski Ph.D., P.Ag. (Dist.), InnoTech Alberta 

Jan J. Slaski is a Principal Researcher responsible for managing hemp and cannabis portfolio InnoTech Alberta, Vegreville. During the last 17 years he has been leading research aimed at introduction and breeding of hemp varieties that suit the needs of the fibre and food industries on the Prairies. Jan has been also conducting extensive studies focused on the development of best management practices permitting sustainable hemp production under changing environmental conditions. To fully realize potential residing within cannabis crop and to assure whole crop utilization Jan assembled at InnoTech Alberta a program offering solutions from “seed to final product“ that includes three domains: breeding and agronomy, fibre processing and product development. Since 2012, Jan has been serving hemp industry as a director of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance.