Schedule
Cajun Cannabis Conference kicks off at 4 p.m. on Friday with vendor setup and networking opportunities. Saturday, September 23rd features a day full of networking, learning, and elevating. All guests will hear speakers in a panel format answering questions and topics relevant to their related fields. Get ready to learn, make new connections, and fill your brain with takeaways! #TheUnconference
- 4:00 PM - Doors open for VENDOR SETUP
For Vendor and ticket holders. - 5:00 PM - Networking Opportunities.
- 8:00 AM - VENDOR SETUP
Vendors finish booth setup. - 10:00 AM - DOORS OPEN
For ticket holder check-in - 10:00 AM - WELCOME MESSAGE
Cedric Glover, Louisiana State Representative - 10:00 AM - OPENING REMARKS
WELCOME by Kathryn Thomas, CEO, and Max Thomas. MC Jacob Irving. - 10:15 AM INDUSTRY TRENDS
Legal, Communication, Education, and Cannabis Business. - 11:15 AM THE PLANT PANEL
Speakers from Ilera Holistic Health and Good Day Farm. - 12:15 PM BREAK FOR LUNCH
Lunch on your own from 12:15 until 2 p.m. - 2:00 PM PHYSICIANS AND OUTCOMES PANEL
Physicians and patients discuss pivotal questions. - 3:00 PM PHARMACIES PANEL
Speakers from HOPE, The Medicine Cabinet, and Delta MedMar. - 4:00 PM HEMP & INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES PANEL
Opportunities and progress for Hemp in Louisiana. - 5:00 PM NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Elevate your networking opportunities. - 6:00 PM VENDOR BOOTH BREAKDOWN
Master of Ceremonies
Jacob Irving J.D. will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the Panel Sessions. Jacob 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. Currently, Jacob is vice president of Consulting Services at Bridge West Consulting LLC.
Our Speakers
David Brown
Cannabis Council of Louisiana Founding Member
Biography
David Brown is a biologist and attorney originally from New Orleans. While pursuing his master’s degree in botany and environmental studies at Louisiana State University, he helped launch the LSU chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) and the Cannabis Action Network of Louisiana (CANoLA).
David then completed his JD at Vermont Law School. While enrolled, he spent a semester in practice as a legal intern doing lobbying and legal work on Capitol Hill for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). In 2004, David returned to Louisiana to begin working at a small firm in Baton Rouge handling plaintiff-side environmental and criminal defense cases. From October 2009 until May 2013, David served as an assistant prosecutor for the City of Baton Rouge and maintained his own private practice.Beginning in 2013, David shifted part of his practice to Washington state where he lives part-time, co-owns a Cannabis processing facility with his wife Leah Simon, and advocates for that state’s legal adult-use Cannabis program. Shortly after arriving there, he became the Executive Director of the outdoor growers association called the Washington Sungrower’s Industry Association or W.S.I.A.
David currently runs his own practice in both states, lobbies for legal Cannabis, serves as a consultant to the nascent industry through Coastal Cannabis Consulting, and is helping deliver substantive drug law reform in Louisiana through organizations like Sensible Marijuana Policy for Louisiana or SMPL and for the Cannabis Council of Louisiana (CCL) that he co-founded and as a certified speaker with LEAP or Law Enforcement Action Partnership.
As a partner in Willow Pharmacy, Inc., David co-founded one of the original nine medical marijuana pharmacies in Louisiana.
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.
Jacob Irving
Vice President of Consulting Services at Bridge West Consulting LLC
Biography
Jacob Irving J.D. will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the Panel Sessions. Jacob 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 worked as the Compliance Officer, Lobbyist, Director of Compliance and Governmental Affairs, and Chief Operating Officer for Ilera Holistic Healthcare; one of two medical cannabis production and processing companies in Louisiana.Currently, Jacob works as the Vice President of Consulting Services at Bridge West Consulting LLC where he assists clients in finding legal ways into the cannabis business and guides clients toward operating a successful cannabis businesses.
Michael Lawson, Jr.
Cannabis Media Collective
Biography
Michael Lawson, Jr. is a mental health professional, entrepreneur and cannabis advocate who’s vision is to educate, empower, and change the cannabis narrative in the U.S. and abroad. Michael is a Los Angeles native who witnessed the evolution of the cannabis industry with the passage of California Proposition 215 which permitted the use of medical cannabis. Michael holds a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College and a Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Mercer University. While studying clinical mental health counseling Michael discovered the Endocannabinoid System and developed a deeper understanding of the therapeutic value of the cannabis plant. Michael soon realized the majority of medical professionals, consumers, and cannabis manufacturers were not familiar with contemporary science behind medical cannabis. The mission of the Cannabis Media Collective is to educate consumers and practitioners, empower producers and manufacturers, and ultimately change the cannabis narrative in mainstream media. CMC aims to accomplish this by creating innovative and groundbreaking content partnering with medical professionals, industry leaders, brands and manufacturers.
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.
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Kym Corbett
Panelist
Biography
Kym Corbett is a native of Richland Parish and grew up in the cotton fields and cow pastures in Northeast Louisiana.
“I am diabetic and medical marijuana helps me keep my sugar levels in check with no other diabetic prescription medications. It’s liberating to be LEGAL AND HEALTHY!” says Kym. Watch for Kym on the Physician/Panelists panel at Cajun Cannabis Conference.
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.
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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.
Kevin Caldwell
Southeast Legislative Manager
Marijuana Policy Project
Biography
Kevin Caldwell joined Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) in December 2021. As the Southeast Legislative Manager, Kevin leads MPP’s lobbying efforts in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Kentucky, and Kansas.
Kevin founded CommonSenseNOLA, a grassroots cannabis reform organization, in 2012 and was the President until 2021. He served as a board member of Sensible Marijuana Policy for Louisiana from 2014-2020.
Kevin has advocated and lobbied on the municipal and statewide levels for medical cannabis, removing criminal penalties for cannabis possession, and tax and regulate bills, in addition to other criminal justice reforms. Kevin worked at the City of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and was a board member/Vice President of the Broadmoor Improvement Association from 2006-2012.
Kevin has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of New Orleans. He was born and raised in Northern Virginia but has made New Orleans home since 1992.
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