MJBizMag March 2023 - 8

ADVISORY COUNCIL Meet Our Members
Member Bios
MJBiz selected the following industry thought leaders to help
fine-tune our approach to content and events for the 2023-24 term
CHANDA MACIAS
Chanda Macias is the CEO of Ilera
Holistic Healthcare, the medical
marijuana cultivator and processor
for the state of Louisiana.
Her Washington DC dispensary,
National Holistic Healing Center
(NHHC), educates patients on aligning medical
marijuana strains with specific ailments.
Macias educates women entrepreneurs and patients
as CEO and chair of the board of managers at Women
Grow, a cannabis trade association; she also is vice
chair of the National Cannabis Roundtable Board.
Macias earned a Ph.D. in cellular biology from
Howard University and worked as a scientist
researching cancer and other diseases. She also earned
an MBA from Rutgers University.
DEEPAK ANAND
Deepak Anand is a recognized
thought leader and subject-matter
expert who has experience with
senior government officials,
policymakers, investors and global
cannabis producers. He is head of
international consulting at GPS Global.
Anand was executive director for the Canadian
National Medical Marijuana Association and was the
founder and CEO of Materia Ventures, an international
cannabis processing, manufacturing and distribution
business.
He also served on the boards of various
pharmaceutical associations across Canada, the United
States and Europe.
Anand earned an MBA from Vancouver Island
University and serves on boards for not-for-profit,
advocacy and patient-driven organizations.
DENISE DE NARDI
Denise De Nardi is the chief sales
officer for Native Roots Cannabis
Co., a retail chain where she develops
strategies and oversees performance
for multiple revenue channels.
8 March 2023 | MJBizMagazine
Under De Nardi's leadership, the vertically integrated
company increased its top-line revenue, implemented
an internal sales structure and embraced a culture that
champions experimentation to drive growth, elevates
the brand and enhances customer engagement.
With decades of experience in corporate marketing,
sales and retail management, De Nardi has led Native
Roots' retail growth and continued expansion in
Colorado.
JACKSON GARTH
Jackson Garth is the chief marketing
officer of Floral Cannabis. He spent
19 years in the health care industry
focusing on management, marketing
and operations.
Garth's experience with health
care's biotech, diagnostics and pharmaceutical efforts
helped him build marijuana and industrial hemp
businesses including Verde Leaf and The Farming
Network. He was also the national director for
industrial hemp at the advocacy group Minorities for
Medical Marijuana.
Garth earned a degree in business administration
from Morehouse College as well as an MBA and Ph.D.
from Canterbury Christ Church University.
KIM SANCHEZ RAEL
Kim Sanchez Rael is the CEO and
co-founder of Azuca, an ingredients
brand for cannabis-infused products.
She is an active community leader,
startup veteran and longtime
investor in innovation.
Sanchez Rael has extensive experience as an
operating executive in both startup and Fortune 50
environments and as a venture capitalist. As an
investor and board member, she has worked closely
with entrepreneurs advancing innovations in culinary
technology, infrastructure, energy and water. Currently,
she serves as vice chair of the board of regents of the
University of New Mexico.
She earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard
University and an MBA from Stanford University.
https://womengrow.com/ https://womengrow.com/
MJBizMag March 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of MJBizMag March 2023
