But you can still get your admission tickets to see his brand new event and be among the first to start the cannabis conversation! General admission starts at just $50!
OUR SPEAKERS
Ashley Mullens
LSU AgCenter External and Government Affairs
Biography
Ashley Mullens, PhD, has worked in the Therapeutic Cannabis program in Louisiana since it began in 2017. Ashley started working at the Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter in 2008, when she served as the the 4-H Youth Wetlands Program Manager until 2017. In 2017, she started as Coordinator of External Government Affairs for LSU AgCenter and continues to serve in that capacity today.
Ashley is considered one of the foremost experts on information concerning therapeutic cannabis cultivation and production in the state of Louisiana. She has worked in both Therapeutic Cannabis and Hemp Production departments at the university.
Bennett Rinaudo
Owner, DigiVision
Biography
Bennett S. Rinaudo of Shreveport ran his own full-service advertising agency for over 15 years, mainly specializing in TV and radio commercials. As an advertiser, Rinaudo’s goal is to promote local businesses.
When he first started his business in 2003, he focused a lot on local media outlets. His approach is multi-faceted, using every available outlet to create the impression that his client’s business was “everywhere”.
“It’s a simple formula: reach, frequency, and message,” he said.
Rinaudo saw advertising trending steadily towards digital media. That’s when his creativity struck and he knew that digital billboards were the way of the future.
He recently founded his new business DigiVision, with an aim to increase digital billboard marketing in the Shreveport-Bossier City region.
Brandon Deboer
Cultivation Manager, Ilera Holistic
Biography
Brandon Deboer attended college at Delaware Valley University and graduated with a horticulture degree. He worked in the hydroponic greenhouse growing lettuce, tomatoes, strawberry’s and, eventually, hemp. He also worked on orchid tissue culture for a research project and presented research at a convention in Washington DC for ASHS.
After graduating, he worked for Ilera healthcare in Pennsylvania as a cultivation tech working on IPM (integrated pest management), irrigation management, and created the tissue culture department. He then took the cultivation manager position Louisiana at Ilera Holisitic and started up the cultivation department from scratch.
Brian Bolyer
Owner, Okhish Mound Farm
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Biography
Brian Bolyer was born in the small community of Coushatta, Louisiana. Brian took over the family business in 2006 and is a third generation automotive technician. While running a successful automotive business in Coushatta, Brian and his family lost their son Jakob from seizures in 2009.
Now a single father raising two children, Brian started reading articles about how cannabis was “curing” seizures in children, which was a breath of life. This led to research on the benefits of the cannabis plant.
After much research, Brian wanted to help others so he furthered his efforts by creating Okhish Mound Farm.
Created in 2020, Okhish Mound works with LSUS in it’s “Careers in Cannabis” continuing education course and is amongst the first members of the National Hemp Growers Co-op (NHGC).
Okhish Mound is the seed coordinator for the NHGC assisting ULM, LSU, and farmers on both sides of the Mississippi Delta.
Brian Bolyer and Okhish Mound are at the forefront and driving the new Hemp industry in the South.
Cameron Meshell
Founder Farmington Research
Biography
Cameron is a beverage professional who, before founding Farmington Research, was the VP of Operations at LA Bottleworks. LA Bottleworks is located in North Los Angeles, California and is in the business of bottling a variety of non-alcoholic beverages in glass.
While at LAB, Cameron was approached a number of times by companies and entrepreneurs to manufacture hemp based beverages but could not find a hemp extract suitable for beverages. All the extracts sourced and tested had undesirable color, “weed” smell, taste issues or adhered to the sides of containers. Cameron set out to develop an extract to overcome all of those issues.
The result, after several years of extensive research, testing and product development, is Farmington Research Water Soluble Extract.
David Bradley
Vice President of Sales and Services Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourism
Biography
David Bradley was born in Woburn, Massachusetts. He became the Vice President of Sales & Service for the Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourism Service in 2015.Prior to accepting the position, David enjoyed a long and successful employment history in sales and the hospitality industry.Beyond his work life, Bradley has made himself at home among the beautiful natural surroundings of Louisiana, where he likes to fish, bike and hike; enjoy the mesh of Southern and Cajun cuisine; and seek diversion in the cities’ richly storied past. When he’s not on his bike, you can find Bradley doing rounds at local estate sales and antique fairs, looking for interesting relics to buy and sell.
DJ Thomas
Hemingway West Director of Sales & Marketing
Biography
DJ Thomas is a sales and marketing professional with 13 years of experience. Before his move into the technology industry, DJ specialized in sales and marketing for the oil & gas industry. He started his sales ventures serving as an account manager for Weatherford International, one of the five largest oil and gas service companies in the world. Since then, he has assisted in acquiring and progressively managing monthly sales accounts of over 4 million dollars per year.
His areas of expertise include: sales management, marketing, client relations, contract negotiations, and cost governance.
Overall, DJ has a solid perception of economics, finance, marketing and management principles, which he leverages to service his clients.
Living a very active lifestyle, DJ enjoys CrossFit, weight training, and has been training in mixed martial arts since 2009. He is a certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist. In his spare time, he enjoys helping others with their journey to a healthier lifestyle.DJ is also the host of the podcast, Frequency Interrupted. On his show, you can expect valuable content driven by guests sharing their insight on success, values and life.
Douglas Boudreaux
Pharmacist, Owner Hope Pharmacy
Biography
Douglas Boudreaux is a third-generation pharmacist whose family has operated a pharmacy in Louisiana for 98 years. He’s the owner of Boudreaux’s Specialty Compounding Pharmacy, a traditional retail pharmacy specializing in compounding as well as Hope Pharmacy, a Louisiana licensed therapeutic marijuana pharmacy located on Kings Hwy. Boudreaux is also a founding member and past president of the Northwest Louisiana Interfaith Pharmacy in Shreveport, which gave away $1.5 million in medication per year for 15 years.Boudreaux said, “The intention of Hope Pharmacy, LLC is to utilize our current relationships with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers in the area as the established leader in therapeutic marijuana.”Hope Pharmacy is located at 1410 Kings Hwy. in the Medical Services.
Dr. Chanda Macias
CEO, Ilera Holistic Healthcare
Biography
Dr. Chanda Macias, MBA, is the CEO of Ilera Holistic Healthcare, the medical marijuana cultivator and processor for the state of Louisiana; CEO of National Holistic™ Healing Center (NHHC), the leading medical marijuana dispensary in Washington DC; and Chairwoman of the Board of Managers and CEO for Women Grow, the global leader in connecting, educating, inspiring, and empowering the next generation of women leaders in the cannabis and hemp industry.
Dr. Macias serves as co-Vice Chair of the National Cannabis Roundtable (NCR) Board, dedicated to promoting common sense federal legislation, tax equity, and financial services reform, as well as reigning Queen Zulu Select for Mardi Gras 2020 and 2021.
Dr. Christina Jones
The Healing Clinics Lake Charles
Biography
Dr. Christina Jones is the Medical Director for Lake Charles Addiction & Wellness Center, The Healing Clinics of Lake Charles, and the Medication Assisted Treatment Program Director for Imperial Calcasieu Health Services Authorities in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She also practices at Elite Medical Wellness, treating substance use and co-occurring disorders. She graduated Summa cum Laude from Tulane University and continued her education at Tulane School of Medicine where her interest in research blossomed. She has authored and co-authored multiple peer reviewed medical journal articles. She completed a two-year Research Fellowship in the department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at University of Miami- School of Medicine.
After completing her fellowship, she moved back to New Orleans, only to be displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Dr Jones then found herself in Delaware where she concluded her training in Internal Medicine at Christiana Care/Jefferson Health Services where she served on the Resident Council as the Internal Medicine Resident Representative. She has a special interest in Addiction Medicine and has been Certified Buprenorphine Treatment Physician since 2009. She is dedicated to advancing medical care and dispelling the environment of shame for patients with the medical disease of Substance Use Disorder. She is currently the alternate ASAM Region 7 Director for years 2021-2025.Dr Jones has a strong medical background and has worked in various areas of medicine including complicated chronic medical diseases, pain recovery and research and medical marijuana. Dr. Jones helped create the medical marijuana program in Delaware in 2013 and was an approved medical marijuana prescriber in Maryland also. She is dedicated to advancing medical care and dispelling the environment of shame for patients with substance use disorders and using evidence-based alternative methods to treat medical diseases.
Dr. Kevin Murnane
Associate Professor
LSU Health Sciences Center – Shreveport
Biography
Dr. Kevin Murnane is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Neuroscience and the Department of Psychiatry at Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Sciences Center – Shreveport. He also serves as the Director of Basic Sciences Research for the Louisiana Addiction Research Center.
His research group is focused on the etiology and treatment of disorders of the central nervous system. Areas of special emphasis include substance use disorders, comorbid mood changes and neurocognitive impairments, as well as neurodegenerative decline following exposure to abused substances. Recent studies have focused on the relationships between natural products, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and brain monoamine systems that are associated with mood, motivation, and cognition, with specific research lines investigating cannabinoids, serotonergics, omega-3 fatty acids, and neuropeptides.
Dr. Edgar Feinberg
Thoracic Surgeon
Biography
Dr. Edgar Feinberg, a native of Bogalusa Louisiana, is a practicing Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon who has seen patients benefit from healthy lifestyle habits that include diet, exercise, and stress reduction. Consequently, indexing with patients who have CV disease he would often see lifestyle choices and stress as significant contributors to CV problems.
Natural remedies have often been overlooked in favor of more lucrative pharmacological approaches.
Dr. Feinberg began seeing patients with decreased stress and anxiety as a result of cannabinoids and was compelled to begin researching cannabis. As a result of his research, he has co-developed a software tracking program that allows patients and providers to gather information regarding the interaction of cannabinoids and their impact on a healthy lifestyle.
Greg Morrison
Owner, Delta Medmar LLC
Biography
Greg Morrison is the owner of Delta Medmar dispensary with business partner William Windham.Delta Medmar LLC dispensary is located at 111 McMillan Rd in West Monroe.
Jacob Irving
Director of Compliance and Governmental Affairs, Ilera
Holistic Healthcare
Biography
Jacob Irving J.D. is a Louisiana licensed and experienced medical cannabis compliance lawyer and dedicated patient advocate driven by his personal experience with cerebral palsy. He graduated Order of Barristers from the 2018 class of the Paul M. Hebert LSU Law Center and works as the Director of Compliance and Governmental Affairs.Jacob began working on medical cannabis policy in 2013 and has assisted with the passing of several key medical cannabis bills and regulations designed to improve patient access to pharmaceutical-grade cannabis medication.
Jacques Dawkins and Nate Jenkins are co-publishers of The Crayfish, dedicated to bringing Northwest Louisiana the fakest and least respected news in the region. Their primary focus is to bring entertainment to their readers. Through all the societal differences that exist, entertainment and humor can bind us all together and allow all of us a place to interact without the boring pretense of trying to be influenced.
Jim Cardelli
CTO, Oleolive
Biography
JIM CARDELLI retired from LSUHSC on December 31, 2015, after thirty years of service as a faculty member to launch a company named Segue Therapeutics L.L.C. The company focused on repurposing existing drugs to target a variety of human diseases where fibrosis plays a major role especially pancreatic cancer and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Jim joined LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport in 1985 and became a Full Professor in 1993. He taught medical students and graduate students and ran a laboratory that averaged seven people for over 30 years. He trained more than 30 graduate and post graduate students during his career. He also directed the Innovative North Louisiana Experimental Therapeutics Program named INLET from 2012 to the end of 2015 and was Director of Basic and Translational Research for the Feist-Weiller Cancer Center from 1997-2014.
Oleolive LLC was launched in 2017 and is dedicated to the production and use of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) products to increase human health. The company currently has a product on the market named SuperOli and has been awarded a $350,000 SBIR grant to continue research on oleocanthal, a compound in EVOO, as anti Alzheimer’s agent.
As of July 2020 Oleolive has 5 SBIRs in a range of indications and is one of the fastest growing companies in Louisiana.
John B. Davis
President, Wellcana
Biography
JOHN B. DAVIS is President of Wellcana, the entity that is responsible for the cultivation, extraction, processing, and production of therapeutic cannabis for qualifying patients in Louisiana under an Agreement for Services with the LSU AgCenter.
John has over 25 years of experience working directly with C-Suite executives in a variety of highly regulated industries and has developed a reputation for providing creative legal, regulatory, and legislative solutions to challenging problems. Since 2018, John has used his background and skills at Wellcana to implement the corporate vision, make sound business decisions, and ensure legal compliance.
Prior to entering the highly regulated cannabis/biopharmaceutical industry, John was a Shareholder and registered lobbyist at the law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, one of the nation’s largest law firms representing clients both nationality and internationally. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Loyola University School of Law (1994) and a bachelor’s degree from LSU (1989).
John W. Sutherlin
Chief Innovation Officer, ULM
Biography
John W. Sutherlin, PhD is the Chief Innovation & Research Officer at the University of Louisiana Monroe. As such, he is responsible for the research and development of all intellectual property at ULM. He is a patented inventor, author and has produced and directed documentary films for PBS. Dr. Sutherlin sat on the Board of Directors for an environmental company based in the UK. His expertise in environmental regulations, technology, and management has allowed him to travel around the world. Dr. Sutherlin has advised governments, nonprofit groups, and corporations in South and Central America, Europe, and the Middle East. Dr. Sutherlin was instrumental in changing Louisiana state law regarding industrial hemp and research.
Julian Tizian
Big Sun Studios
Biography
Julian Tizian was born in Frankfurt, Germany, and moved to the states in 2006. He received his bachelor degree from Louisiana State University in 2017 and went for his MFA in Film and Television Production at Sacred Heart University in 2019. After graduation he became a partner at a young Connecticut based production company named Kicker Pictures where he focused primarily on promoting the social media presence of local businesses.
After Covid-19 he moved back to his hometown where he and his uncle, Lewis Kalmbach, started a new company called Big Sun Studios, which acts as a gallery space but also focuses on promoting and creating art that illustrates a company’s vision.
Julian knows that a video narrative has become crucial with attracting new clients and uses his love for videography to tell new and compelling narratives that keep his audience engaged. He is very excited to be part of the first CajunCannaCon and will be delighted to answer any questions related to one’s video needs in the cannabis industry.
Dr. Julie Lessiter
Vice Chancellor of Strategic Initiatives LSU Shreveport
Biography
Dr. Julie Lessiter has been at LSU Shreveport for nine years in many different roles. Currently, she serves as the Vice-Chancellor of Strategic Initiatives, a division that incorporates Enrollment Management, Continuing Education, and all Strategic Initiatives. Additionally, she is a faculty member in the Department of Leadership Studies. Her areas of expertise include Institutional Research, Institutional Effectiveness, Enrollment Management, and Accreditation. Lessiter wrote the SACSCOC Level change which resulted in the approval of the first doctoral program at LSUS and shepherded the institution through its successful reaffirmation of accreditation in 2015. In her role with the Enrollment Management division, she has championed various initiatives that have resulted in record enrollment for the previous two years. She has over 20 years of experience in higher education at four different institutions.
Dr. Lessiter is a nationally ranked age-group tennis player and a competitive runner.
Larry Bagley
LA State Representative, Dist. 7
Biography
Larry Bagley is a Republican state representative for District 7, which encompasses Caddo, DeSoto, and Sabine parishes in northwestern Louisiana.
Lawrence Bagley has his office in Stonewall, Louisiana amd is a lifelong resident of Louisiana. He earned a bachelor of arts from Baptist Christian College and a master’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.Rep. Bagley is a proponent of medical marijuana in Louisiana and has written bills such as House Bill 819 that expanded access to medical marijuana in the state. “It’s legal now,” Rep. Larry Bagley said. “There’s no reason to restrict access and this was just to be sure that everybody could get it.”
Michelle Williams
Pharmacist, Owner The Medicine Cabinet
Biography
Michelle D. Williams, R.Ph is the owner of The Medicine Cabinet, one of the designated medical marijuana pharmacies for Louisiana.
Michelle was born in Baton Rouge, LA, and knew at a young age that she wanted to be a pharmacist. She graduated from ULM (formerly NLU) and worked as a retail pharmacist for over 19 years with K&B/Rite Aid in Alexandria, LA.
In 2007, her dream of becoming a pharmacy owner was fulfilled when she and her husband, Joe, opened an independent retail pharmacy. For over 13 years, they owned and operated three locations of The Pill Box Pharmacy in the Alexandria area.
In April 2018, they were awarded one of the nine Therapeutic Marijuana permits by the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy and opened their doors to The Medicine Cabinet Pharmacy a little more than a year later.
Michelle has a true love for patient care and she says, “Meeting with new patients to discuss their specific needs as it relates to cannabis has been quite fulfilling.” She is encouraged by all of the success stories that so many patients share with her on a daily basis and she is thrilled about the growth that she has seen in this industry in just the first two years.
Pamela Bordenave Wiltz
Marketing & Sales Director, Ilera Holistic Health
Biography
Pamela Bordenave Wiltz was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. Pamela has worked in sales and marketing for the past 15 years. She is employed by Ilera Holistic Healthcare as the Marketing and Sales director. She works directly with the nine license dispensaries and physicians educating on products and the medical marijuana industry.
Prior to Ilera, Pamela worked in the pharmaceutical industry as a Territory Business Manager for Mead Johnson Nutrition. In addition to the pharmaceutical industry, she also worked as a business consultant with BB&B Service Solutions. Under BB&B Service Solutions, she is responsible for researching and analyzing bid opportunities and contracts. The role of a business manager has allowed Pamela to interface with multiple health care, private organizations, government agencies, and school systems in New Orleans and surrounding areas.
Prior to her career with Mead Johnson and BB&B, Pamela was employed as a sales manager with US Foods. She also spent four years with LeTriomphe Property Group and three years in advertising and marketing for Bally’s Casino New Orleans.
Pamela graduated from the University of New Orleans in Business and Marketing and later received a degree in dietetics.
Peter Prevot
COO, Bridge West Consulting
Biography
In 2014, Peter dedicated his career to the cannabis industry after learning about the unique tax and banking regulations surrounding legal marijuana in the U.S. and he formed a consulting firm to serve the industry.
Peter merged his practice with Bridge West CPAs and Advisors in 2018. Peter is responsible for ensuring that the Firm’s clients have the necessary resources and information to make sound business decisions, retain more of the bottom line for business growth, and comply with laws and regulations.
His core professional competencies include regulatory analysis, license procurement, management consulting, corporate governance, accounting information systems, banking regulations, and internal controls. Peter previously held board seats with the Louisiana Cannabis Association and the Pointe Coupee Enrichment Fund and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Upbeat Academy Foundation and the Veterans Alliance for Holistic Alternatives. He is also the founder and Executive Director of the Louisiana Association for Therapeutic Alternatives.
Tabitha Irvin
Executive Counsel LDAF
Biography
Tabitha Irvin is currently the Executive Counsel for the Commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF). In this job, she serves as chief legal counsel by providing legal guidance to the commissioner of agriculture and forestry, drafting legislation for the department, testifying before legislative committees as needed and serving as the Ethics Liaison for LDAF.
In addition, Tabitha is the Director of the Medical Marijuana Program where she works with Louisiana State University and Southern University Agricultural Centers to regulate the extraction, processing and production of Medical Marijuana for the state of Louisiana. In that position, she often works with her counterparts in different states to keep up with this ever-changing, emerging industry.
She is also one of the founding members of Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA), a national organization of cannabis regulators. Tabitha worked with state legislators, the Louisiana Department of Health, Louisiana State Police, the Louisiana State Fire Marshall and other state agencies for the program to ensure laws, rules and regulations for the state are being adhered to.Prior to becoming Executive Counsel at LDAF, Tabitha worked at the Louisiana State Senate as the staff Attorney for the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee. She served in that position for seven years. Throughout her tenure, she drafted legislation and worked directly with state Senators and House of Representatives.Tabitha received her JD from Southern University Law Center where she was a member of the Moot Court Board. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science from Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
William P. Davis
Owner, Euphoria Eats Co.
Biography
William P. Davis, President of Euphoria Eats and Cannabis Consultant for Southern Greauxers, is from the great state of Texas with Louisiana roots. Southern Greauxers was created to provide entrepreneurs the opportunity to embark into the Cannabis business. The network of relationships and business partners allows start-ups to gain access to the resources needed to navigate within the industry. Davis felt this company would be essential for others because of the uphill climb it took for Euphoria Eats to get to the main stage.Davis had recently been in communication with one of his army friends about his niece about her dislike for the taste of CDB oil. The US Army Veteran used his passion for creating tasty recipes to create an alternative way for others to consume Hemp/CBD through food.Although this company was curated in the south, the entrepreneurs aspire to shift from a local to a national product line.Euphoria Eats Co has been featured in several publications such as Voyage Dallas, Lab Zero (Japan), numerous blogs, and the USA CBD Expo in Atlanta, GA. The thriving company recently received a 9/10 endorsement on Master P Reviews as the next up and coming company in the CBD market.Davis obtained his BA from Louisiana Tech and MBA from Grand Canyon University.
