Our
Team
NINA PARKS
RAMON M. GARCIA
Co-creator
Nina Parks was born on Ramaytush, Ohlone Land aka San Francisco. Her mixed race heritage (Filipino & Ashkenazi Jewish American) and working middle class upbringing as a latchkey key kid in 1990’s San Francisco as well as early education as a part of an Affirmative Action Framework, fueled her love for art, community and cannabis. She approaches her life work of evolving systems that no longer want to model themselves with inequitable lenses, with a healthy dose of flower child playfulness, rebellion and love for humans as a whole beings.
Nina has since become an expert in cannabis & cannabis social equity policy; her advocacy landed her recognition in High Times Magazine’s 100 top influential people in Cannabis of 2018. Her Cannabis Equity advocacy was fueled by the incarceration of her brother in NYC and the launch of their Prop 215 compliant delivery; their story was featured on Viceland’s Weediquette "Going Legit".
Since then Parks has co-founded an organization for women of color in the cannabis industry called Supernova Women with co-founders Amber Senter, Tsion Lencho & Andrea Unsworth. She is also a Founding Member of the Equity Trade Network that holds the first Federal Certification that identifies products created by businesses in an "Equity Program."
As if Nina didn't already have her hands full she has taken on the responsibility of sitting on San Francisco's Oversight Committee as the Verified Equity Applicant representative and Racial Equity Lead and is currently building out her own Cannabis inspired brand Gift of Doja.
Co-creator
Ramon M Garcia is a lifelong activist and advocate for communities terrorized by colonialism. Garcia is co-founder and president of Original Equity Group SPC and co-creator of Equity Trade Certification and Equity Sessions, an educational resource dedicated to providing holistic education and networking for equity applicants and communities disproportionately damaged by the failed policies of the War on Drugs.
As a cannabis entrepreneur, Garcia is also a co-founder of Sanctuary Farms LLC, as well as Padre Mu Delivery and Distribution LLC. Ramon is also a former California Grower’s Association equity chair and now plays an active role as a member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the Cannabis Distributors Association and The National Cannabis Industry Association.
THOMÁS ALVAREZ
KHALIL FERGUSON
Leadership Coalition
Tomás is an award-winning social entrepreneur and nonprofit executive with 15+ years of experience in the social sector. He currently serves as Managing Partner and an Impact Strategist at Idea2Form, a BIPOC-owned creative studio whose mission is to design solutions that connect, activate, and inspire people to build a more equitable world. Idea2Form works closely with nonprofits, foundations, and purpose-driven companies to amplify their social impact initiatives through Multi-Dimensional Design.
In 2004, Tomás pioneered one of the first Hip Hop Therapy programs and spent over a decade working with local youth, community artists, and clinicians to grow it into a nationally recognized nonprofit organization and leader in the adolescent mental health space. Since then, he has catalyzed numerous collaborative initiatives, consulted with leading civic sector organizations, and been a champion for several causes focused on racial justice and children’s well-being.
Tomás is a visionary thinker, cultural broker, and a transformational leader who has been recognized as an Ashoka Fellow, CNN Hero, NBC Latino Top 20 Innovator, and Aspen Institute Scholar. His work has been featured by CNN, Forbes, New York Times, Vice Magazine, Complex, Revolt TV, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and NPR. Tomás has served as a social entrepreneur in residence and adjunct lecturer at Stanford University, where he has co-taught courses on Social Entrepreneurship and Ethics & Politics of Public Service.
Leadership Coalition
Khalil Ferguson currently serves as the President for the United CORE Alliance (UCA), which engages populations and communities most harmed by the War on Drugs to create pathways for job placement in emerging markets, facilitates educational opportunities to increase economic mobility, and organizes legal support to formerly incarcerated individuals. Khalil’s focus on strategies for combating gentrification and supporting inclusive economic development programs has resulted in appointments to the City of Sacramento’s Measure U Tax Oversight Committee and the City Manager’s Inclusive Economic Development and Investment Committee.
Under Khalil’s leadership, the UCA has been instrumental in helping the city of Sacramento in forming its cannabis equity policies. Recently, the city added 10 additional permits specifically for drug war impacted communities. Additionally, Khalil was integral to establishment of the California Cannabis Equity Grants Program which provided $30 million in grant funding to jurisdictions throughout the State of California.
Khalil holds B.A. degrees in International Relations and Economics from California State University, Sacramento.
HENRY JAKE FORMAN
Leadership Coalition
Henry Jake Foreman MCRP is a specialist in facilitation, development, and implementation of engaging learning experiences for students of all ages and has created a variety of curricula around education, health, and entrepreneurship. He is the founder that of Karuna Colectiva, a social enterprise that delivers the principles of engagement, innovation, and application through mentorship, bicycling, and cooperative economics. He is also the Program Director of NMCC’s Financial & Business Basics course that is designed to help build a solid foundation to form and grow business ideas with a personal financial plan for success. Participants learn the tools used to effectively conceptualize, plan and implement their financial goals and business ideas through hands-on learning experiences with a community of peers and mentors.
Henry recently developed the Digital Media & Marketing Basics course and just launched the Native Farmer in Residence program earlier this year. Indigenous methodologies and epistemologies guide his philosophical and research approaches to working with youth and communities to promote the health of our biosphere.
MINDY GALLOWAY
Leadership Coalition
Mindy Galloway’s mission is to bring inspiration, support, and encouragement to the world through leadership. She utilizes her executive experience to build dynamic businesses and lead her thoughtfully crafted teams to success. She dedicates her experience and skills as a pillar to the social equity community and provides value by professionally representing the cannabis industry. Mindy grew up in the Northern California Cannabis Culture, where her love for manufacturing started as a way to alchemize the plant into various forms. Mindy brings to KHEMIA her 8 years of management experience in the cannabis industry to lead, direct and develop strategic relationships with companies and brands, directing decisions for growth.
Mindy is excited and grateful to be a part of an authentic brand with an all-star team of legacy operators and business experts. With this winning combination KHEMIA is on its way to be widely known and recognized for creating quality artisanal products that are catered for specific effects and relief.
Mindy connects with KHEMIA by being a voice for Cannabis wellness, education, and advocacy.
DAVID HUA
Leadership Coalition
David Hua is the CEO and Co-Founder of Meadow, a software company built from the ground up for California cannabis. Meadow’s powerful all-in-one point of sale software powers retail and delivery businesses across the state.
Meadow has partnered with dispensaries and delivery services of all sizes throughout California, utilizing technology to maintain compliance with local and state regulations, scale with the Adult Use market, and create operational efficiencies that allow these businesses to thrive in a regulated industry.
LANESE MARTIN
Leadership Coalition
Lanese Martin is a community organizer with a background in small business development, electoral campaigns, policy and advocacy on issues impacting Black people and the areas they work, live & play - Lanese supports projects that address systemic inequality.
As Executive Director of The Hood Incubator, which is a national grassroots organization, she guides the organization’s mission to end the drug war and reverse its impacts on Black communities. In less than 5 years she has grown the organization to be the leading voice in its space. Lanese is also the former Chair of the City of Oakland’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission. Under Lanese's leadership the city of Oakland has the most comprehensive equity program to date in the country.
AMBER SENTER
Leadership Coalition
Amber E. Senter is founder and CEO of Breeze Distro, a licensed lifestyle and infused cannabis product and distribution company located in Oakland, CA. She is also co-founder and executive director of Supernova Women, a women of color–led organization dedicated to empowering people of color to become self-sufficient cannabis industry shareholders.
FORD SMITH
Leadership Coalition
With over 6 years of alternative medicine and impact investment experience, Ford has raised and deployed $10M+ into the emerging market. As an early investor and partner to Eaze, Ford has participated in the structuring and deploying one of the most robust delivery systems in the California plant medicine market. Ford lives in Austin, TX where he runs Ultranative, a venture studio focused on solving for world peace. He currently sits on the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Industrial Hemp Council and is an advisor to Eaze, Momentum, Chroma, Telos, and Ag-Tech (NASDAQ: ASTC).
CHANEY TURNER
Leadership Coalition
Chaney Turner is an entrepreneur, organizer and equity thought leader. Born and bred in East Oakland, CA. They have been an organizer for over twenty years, with a specific focus on Black and Brown communities who are often left out of the conversation.
Chaney believes in accessibility, equity, and a dedicated, transparent investment in the economic, social and political lives of those most impacted by gentrification & state sanctioned violence. In 2016, Chaney founded Town Biz Oakland, a local cultural & social justice brand that provided safe space for the community. That same year they co-founded The People’s Dispensary in Oakland where they lead cannabis policy & culture. For their work, Chaney is the recipient of numerous honors and awards including; East Bay Express Best of The Bay(2016), Oakland Rising Business of the Year (2017) & Oakland Indie Award “Ripple Effect” (2018).
In 2020, Chaney founded Beyond Equity, an organization whose mission is to insure equity in the still developing cannabis industry. Chaney’s work and leadership embodies the belief that those most impacted by inequities should have the power to implement grounded, sustainable and community-driven solutions.
Chaney currently serves as Commissioner At-Large on the Oakland Cannabis Regulatory Commission.
Rebekkah Ranallo
Leadership Coalition
Rebekkah Ranallo is the Founder and Principal of Rebekkah Ranallo, Inc., a women and Latina-owned consultancy focused on community development, strategic communications, and coalition-building.
Before launching her consultancy, Rebekkah served as the Director of External Affairs for Maitri Medicinals and Maitri Genetics, a Pennsylvania vertically integrated medical cannabis company. As a member of the founding leadership team in the earliest days of Pennsylvania’s medical market launch, she helped recruit a talented, diverse staff, build the company’s community partnerships and social justice advocacy programs, and create a robust patient engagement and education program. Her passion for drug policy reform was born out of the mourning of her oldest brother’s murder as a result of the War on Drugs. She has lobbied throughout Pennsylvania for cannabis decriminalization and adult use legalization, and served on the state’s cannabis trade association, the Pennsylvania Cannabis Coalition.
Prior to joining Maitri, she served as the Director of External Relations for Oakland Planning and Development Corporation, where she led government relations, communications, and fundraising to support the organization’s affordable housing, workforce development, and community organizing programs.A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Rebekkah is originally from Los Angeles, and was raised in a Mexican-American / Jewish family. She is passionate about effecting change through active listening, empathy-based relationship building, and a commitment to lifelong learning. She currently lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and three daughters.
