Cannabis Real Estate Summit Series

Join us on April 3rd, as Greg Lavine of McBride Consulting, provides us with the monthly legislative update, and Fatima Afia of Rudick Law Group breaks down the NY lawsuits for our legal update. The panel discussion will focus on industry municipal interactions with Cole King from the City of Syracuse and Damien Cornwell, the newly appointed President of the Board of Directors of the Cannabis Association of NY and the CEO of Just Breathe dispensary(Binghamton), and Jacob Hicks from Tenax Strategies will sit down with our hosts Jeanne Sullivan, of Arcview and Kristin Jordan, Park Jordan/Mannada Events.

The Cannabis Real Estate Summit Series is THE insider resource for attorneys, consultants, real estate professionals, and others, to discuss, learn and share information on the most dynamic cannabis program in the country.

*Lunch will be served

HOST

Kristin L. Jordan, Esq. is the Founder + CEO of Park Jordan, a commercial real estate brokerage and advisory services firm serving the cannabis industry.  She is also an attorney, drug policy activist, and thought leader. Until recently, Kristin served as the Director of Real Estate at Acreage Holdings. In that role, Kristin led Acreage’s efforts with regard to selecting real estate sites for the company's national footprint of cultivation, processing, and dispensary facilities, managing internal and external relationships, and negotiating and administering leases. Prior to her work in the cannabis sector, she practiced real estate law at several boutique firms and managed real estate portfolios for Kaplan, Inc., Morgan Stanley, and SoulCycle. She is a frequent speaker on real estate, cannabis regulations, and social equity and economic justice issues and in 2019 was distinguished by Forbes as one of “Fifteen Powerful and Innovative Women in Cannabis Right Now."

Kristin's passion for advancing cannabis reform has extended to a variety of professional and non-profit endeavors. She is the Founder and CEO of Mannada, a NYC-based cannabis professional event production company, which launched The Maze, a weekly cannabis event listing newsletter, as well as the Cannabis Summit Series including the Cannabis Media Summit, Cannabis Real Estate Summit, and Cannabis Law Summit. Kristin is also a co-founder of the Cannabis Cultural Association, a non-profit organization, and the founder of the Asian Cannabis Roundtable, a professional networking organization, both of which she served as Executive Director. Additionally, Kristin is a member of the New York State Bar Association Committee on Cannabis and the Minority Cannabis Business Association Policy Committee.

GUESTS

Gregory Lavine – Vice President Government Affairs at McBride Consulting Greg Lavine brings over twenty years of experience in government relations, public affairs, communications, and political strategy to McBride Consulting and Business Development Group.

Greg has served in all sectors of government at the municipal, state, federal, and international levels. He possesses a deep understanding of public affairs and governance, allowing him to advise clients using sophisticated strategies for complex issues. He has represented a diverse array of interests, including a specialized practice in the emerging cannabis industry in New York.

Greg had a seat at the table in local and federal matters as District Director to Congresswoman Grace Meng and Chief to Staff to former New York City Councilmember Karen Koslowitz. He started his career as an aide to former Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner, a Legislative Assistant in the Delaware State Senate, and as an intern in (former) United States Senator Joe Biden’s office.

Greg also has experience in the international realm, working at the United Nations and with a global NGO. He is a proud alumnus of the University of Delaware and attended the Graduate Program in International Affairs at The New School. Greg’s community commitment extends to his board memberships with the American Red Cross Long Island Chapter, Maple Grove Cemetery, and Friends of the Queensway. He is past board member of the Urban League of Long Island.

Fatima Afia – Rudick Law Group specializes in regulatory compliance, state licensing, commercial transactions, advocacy and policy, and corporate and business law. Fatima has a diverse background in land use and landmarks law, disability insurance law, impact litigation, and business and commercial litigation.

Fatima first came to the cannabis industry in 2017 as a litigator and member of the legal team that brought Washington v. Barr, a pro-bono lawsuit brought against the federal government seeking a declaration that the mis-classification of cannabis as a Schedule I drug is unconstitutional. As a litigator on that case, Fatima garnered overwhelming amicus support, including the support of preeminent scientists and members of the U.S. Congress, for an appeal before the United States Supreme Court. Fatima thereafter pivoted to state-level social advocacy and policy work in the adult-use cannabis industry, successfully advocating for an expedited license application-review process for women and minority-owned businesses in Massachusetts.

Fatima provides high-quality legal services to a wide range of plant-touching and ancillary cannabis businesses and entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on women and minority-owned businesses, small businesses, and newly-formed start-ups. Fatima guides clients through cannabis business license application processes in multiple jurisdictions including, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York; provides regulatory compliance support and advice to businesses already operating in constantly-evolving regulatory landscapes; and helps clients navigate a host of commercial transactions, utilizing her cannabis regulatory knowledge and experience to manage risk in a quickly-evolving industry.

Fatima is also an article contributor for Marijuana Venture, the Co-Chair for the Continuing Legal Education Committee and the Cannabis Law Institute Committee for the International Cannabis Bar Association, and has been named a Rising Star by SuperLawyers for the past three years. She’s been quoted in a variety of media outlets including Forbes, MJBIZ Daily, Benzinga, News10 ABC, and Spectrum News 1 and has a large following on LinkedIn where she provides insightful commentary on breaking news and litigation updates in the Tri-State area with an emphasis on New York’s adult-use cannabis market.

Cole King – Business Development Program Manager. City of Syracuse  Cole King is a dedicated Business Opportunity Specialist for the City of Syracuse. Cole empowers localentrepreneurs, business owners and real estate developers in realizing their visions by providing themwith comprehensive technical assistance, finding tailored solutions for their unique needs.He also plays a pivotal role as the point of contact for Cannabis Related Business, spearheadinginitiatives that promote education and awareness around the emerging cannabis industry. Leveraginghis industry expertise and regulatory knowledge, Cole provides valuable assistance to incoming cannabisentrepreneurs as they navigate the complex permitting processes and seek suitable dispensarylocations.

Damien Cornwell – President, Cannabis Association of New York  Damien Cornwell was born and raised in Binghamton. Growing up in the Church, he learned to love music. That interest in music was later channeled into a highly proficient set of skills later realized in life. He went on to play professionally as a drummer and keyboardist for 3 decades. In 1998, Damien Cornwell won the Musicians Magazine Best Unsigned Band Competition.

Judges of that contest included Jimmy Jam, Steve Winwood, and Pat Metheny. That same

year, he signed a production deal with Tommy Boy Records, and formed On Point Productions

to begin working collaboratively on their first Urban Project. His ability to compose music

expanded into deeper levels of audio production. He helped create the Sound Engineering

Curriculum for Suny Broome and today he is the owner of On Point Productions and Studios; a

multifaceted media/audio facility located at 67 Court Street, in downtown Binghamton.

Damien's talent has been at the forefront of many projects. His collaborations are vast but to name a few, he has worked with Southern Tier AIDS Program, Project Vibes, The United Way, Work Force NY, Children's Home of Wyoming Conference, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Project Vines, American Cancer Society Relay For Life, Planned Parenthood, Liberty Partnerships, City of Binghamton Youth Bureau, Broome County Youth Bureau, KYDS Coalition, MHAST, Gang Prevention, Summer T ANF, Union Endicott School District, Johnson City School District, Catholic Schools of Broome County, Maine-Endwell School District, Windsor High School

District, Church of God in Christ, Time Warner Cable, City of Binghamton WiFi campaign, and last, but certainly not least, Broome County Urban League. He is the owner of Binghamton's first Hip-hop/R&B radio station 93.3 WJOB, a full power FM radio station licensed by the Broome County Urban League.

"You find the things that are wrong in society, then you figure out if you can create different companies or organizations that can generate the revenue that can support the actions that rid society of some of the things that might be wrong," says Cornwell. For him, the mission to help his community is a personal one.

"I have a really large family and I've seen a lot of decline," said Cornwell. "I've seen a lot of folks go through hard times and in towns like Binghamton, they're actually in decline since we lost big manufacturing and some businesses back in the day. This is not a place, where if you are a young professional, you look to stay."

Cornwell wants to change that, which is his motivation behind businesses like JUST BREATHE.

'We're the first [in the Southern Tier] so we want to make sure that we dot every I and cross every T, You don't want to have an 'oops' moment. We want to prevent bad experiences here because we are setting a precedent not only for ourselves but for our community as a whole and even the state."

From the beginning, Cornwell's goal has been to help people and communities impacted by the criminalization of marijuana. When the shop first opened as a CBD store last year, opening day, they helped 17 people start the process of expunging their records through a workforce initiative grant. 'We use the fabric of CBD, cannabis, the whole nine yards as a common denominator to pull people together and once we got them here folks signed up to get their records cleaned and we were able to take action after that and help get people jobs," says Cornwell.

JUST BREATHE is operated in partnership with the Broome County Urban League, bringing in more funding for the non-profit.

Jacob Hicks – Tenax Strategies Despite Jacob's untraditional path to entry into the cannabis industry,  his unwavering enthusiasm for the field proves that it was meant to be. Initially hired for his expertise in government affairs at Tenax Strategies, Jacob gradually found himself drawn into the complex world of cannabis. With his love of puzzles and a talent for solving complex issues, Jacob quickly thrived in the competitive cannabis industry.

What sets Jacob apart is his desire to see things grow from start to finish. He manages the many stakeholders involved in getting a cannabis business up and running, from architects and engineers to legal aid and administrative staff. Together with the Tenax team, he has helped numerous clients take their cannabis business ideas from conception to fruition. Whether it's navigating complex regulations, securing funding, or building a successful brand, Jacob is committed to delivering results that exceed his client's expectations.

Jacob's competitive spirit and dedication to helping others make him a valuable asset in the cannabis industry. He is passionate about using his skills and experience to help his clients succeed. Jacob is a skilled project manager and client representative at Tenax Strategies, where he brings his diverse expertise to bear on behalf of clients in the cannabis industry.

What sets Jacob apart is his ability to build strong relationships with officials and government bodies, which helps to ensure that Tenax clients are seen in a favorable light when applying for a cannabis license. In addition, his background in social work and relationship-building skills allow him to excel in challenging communications and to help clients achieve their goals within the complex world of government affairs and cannabis regulation. Finally, his ability to interface with regulators is unparalleled.

Jacob's value to the Tenax team and clients is exemplified by his determination, resourcefulness, and expertise in navigating complex situations. In one particular anecdote, Jacob and his team faced a challenging situation with a client in New Jersey, where the municipal process was particularly political and difficult to navigate. Yet, despite the odds, Jacob and the team were able to secure a favorable outcome for the client, leveraging their extensive network of relationships and expertise in the industry.

Jeanne Sullivan – Investor,  Advisor,  Speaker is passionate about delivering ideas – information – and inspiration to entrepreneurs and is a fierce advocate for cannabis reform.  Sullivan is the CIO of Arcview Ventures, building investment platforms under the Arcview banner and Co-Founder of the Arcview Collective Fund.  Sullivan is on the team of the Arcview Group – this investor community has invested more than $350 million into just about every cannabis company you know.Based in NYC, Jeanne is a co-founder of a $400M AUM venture capital firm and long-time tech investor, now leveraging years of investing acumen into the cannabis sector.   Sullivan was early to understand and invest in cloud-based computing, tech and internet investing and now early as a cannabis investor. Sullivan keeps up with the complex regulations and licensing opportunities.   She sees the opportunities for cannabis business owners and investors, making connections and opening doors.Ms. Sullivan is a sought-after industry speaker on the cannabis sector – its complex (and ridiculous) regulations and how to build and seek funding for a cannabis business.  Sullivan was named by Business Insider as “one of the Rising Stars” in the cannabis investing sector and honored by the New York Hall of Science honored Jeanne for her work inspiring girls and women in science, technology (STEM) sectors. Jeanne also serves on its Board of Trustees.