2nd Annual Medical Cannabis Conference – A Consortium of Medical Cannabis Visionaries (October 12, 2024)

Peter Grinspoon, M.D. is a primary care physician, cannabis specialist and an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is the author of the book ‘Seeing Through the Smoke: A Cannabis Expert Untangles the Truth about Marijuana’, which came out on 4.20.23. He is a TedX speaker, a national media figure and the author of the groundbreaking memoir ‘Free Refills: A Doctor Confronts His Addiction’

Deondra Asike, MD is double board certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine. She is a Clinical Associate in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at Johns Hopkins since 2015. She is a veteran of the United States Air Force and deployed to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan in 2013. She received her medical degree at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Asike completed her anesthesiology residency at the San Antonio Military Medical Center and fellowship training in pain medicine at the University of Maryland. Dr. Asike is currently serving a second term on the Maryland Department of Health Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Advisory Board. Additionally, she chairs the Maryland Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council and The Maryland State Medical Society Cannabis Committee. She is a specialty expert and Maryland Spokesperson for Doctors For Drug Policy Reform, the nation’s first physician organization dedicated to the legalization, taxation, and effective regulation of cannabis for adults. She believes strongly in a holistic approach to chronic pain management that includes proper nutrition, physical therapy, behavioral therapy, and cannabis as medicine. Dr. Asike is a certifying provider with the Maryland Cannabis Administration. In 2022 she founded National Pain ReLEAF, a consultation practice primarily focused on guiding both patients and members of their healthcare team through a safe and effective incorporation of cannabis into a comprehensive pain treatment.

Dr. Dustin Sulak is a traditional osteopathic physician and expert in integrative medicine. His clinical practice in Maine focuses on treating refractory conditions in adults and children. Dr. Sulak is an internationally-renowned expert in medical cannabis, the author of Handbook of Cannabis for Clinicians: Principles and Practice, and co-founder of Healer, a medical cannabis education resource and products company. He serves on the board of directors of The Society of Cannabis Clinicians and is a passionate educator and leader in the medical cannabis field.

Mary Lynn (ML) Mathre, RN, MSN is the President and co-founder of Patients Out of Time, a national non-profit founded in 1995 and dedicated to educating health care professionals and the public about the ECS and the therapeutic use of cannabis and first President and founding member of the American Cannabis Nurses Association in 2010. ML graduated from the College of St. Teresa in Winona, MN in 11975 and began her nursing career in the US Navy Nurse Corps. She earned her MSN degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1985 with her thesis on Marijuana Disclosure to Health Care Professionals. Her publications include Cannabis in Medical Practice: A Legal, Historical and Pharmacologic Overview of the Therapeutic Use of Cannabis (1997) and Women and Cannabis: Medicine, Science and Sociology (2003, co-editor). She was among the first group to become certified as an Addictions Registered Nurse (1989) and worked in several addictions treatment programs and served as the Addictions Consult Nurse at the University of Virginia’s Health System. More recently she is a founding member and President of the Academy of Cannabis Education which will continue the national clinical cannabis conference series originated by Patients Out of Time, while Patients Out of Time focuses on patient education and work to de-schedule the plant.

Dr. Tanya Scott Cannady is a registered nurse with a diverse background in clinical and educational knowledge. She has functioned over the past 30 years as a transformational leader and disruptor. In 2023, she obtained a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership from the University of San Francisco, alongside a Certificate in Cannabis Therapeutics from Pacific College. Dr. Scott Cannady’s illustrious career is marked by her role as the Northern California Regional Director of Patient Care Services for Kaiser Permanente. She has previously co-lead the equity, inclusion, and diversity program in the East Bay for Kaiser reflecting her unwavering commitment to creating a healthcare environment that champions social equity and inclusivity. As an executive board member and treasurer for the American Cannabis Nurses Association, she is at the forefront of integrating cannabis therapeutics into patient care, advocating for a human-centered approach that prioritizes patient well-being and social equity in cannabis-centered care.

Andrew Garrison is the Chief of the Office of Policy and Government Affairs for the Maryland Cannabis Administration and leads the Administration’s regulatory, legislative and intergovernmental efforts. He has held this position since September of 2022, which included the agency’s efforts on the adult-use implementation and Social Equity licensing application round, and lottery awards. Prior to serving in this capacity, he worked for the Maryland General Assembly’s budget office for four legislative sessions, with a particular focus on the State’s health regulatory agencies and behavioral health programs. He holds a Masters of Public Service and Administration from Texas A&M University with a concentration in Health Policy and Policy Analysis and a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Frye earned her medical degree at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. After completing her pediatric residency, she trained in Anesthesiology at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Frye focuses on the role of cannabis in the management of chronic pain, inflammation, autoimmunity, neurodegenerative disorders, autism, seizure disorders, and psychiatric conditions. Dr. Frye lectures internationally, educating medical providers, patient groups, policy makers, businesses, and government agencies on the endocannabinoid system and medical benefits of the cannabis plant. In 2018 she authored the book “The Medical Marijuana Guide: Cannabis and Your Health”.

Dawn-Marie has been a bedside and community nurse for 26 years. As a passionate advocate for medical cannabis since her own cancer journey a decade ago, she now owns a consulting practice for cannabinoid therapeutics as an approved Clinical Director of Dispensaries for Maryland: Entourage Consulting Services. She works to help care for patients who have chosen to utilize cannabis for treatment for distressing symptom management. As a founding board member of the American Cannabis Nurses Association, Cannabis Nurses Network, and the National Clinical Director Consortium, Dawn-Marie is a pioneer in this new emerging aspect of healthcare with over a decade of experience with hundreds of patients.

Nurse Laura is the Founder/Executive Director of the National Clinical Director Consortium, Owner, and Operator of Ask Nurse Laura, and on the Board of multiple non-profits including the Connor Sheffield Foundation. Additionally, she is teaching faculty at University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in the Master’s of Cannabis Science and Therapeutics program. She has worked in each of the plant touching cannabis fields from growing, processing, and opening dispensaries, as well as sales, marketing, and compliance. Nurse Laura works with providers, patients, caregivers, cannabis businesses, and traditional workplaces to educate, advocate, and collaborate to find the best options for improving quality of life in a safe, reliable manner.

Deborah Miran was a member of the Natalie M. LaPrade Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission from 2013- 2016, and was also a member of the executive committee, policy, and research subcommittees, and was chair of the education subcommittee. She was responsible for developing education programs for doctors and patients, and was also an integral part of crafting the current regulations. Prior to the commission she was president and founder of Miran Consulting, Inc. where she advised both brand and generic drug makers on the FDA approval process. Ms. Miran was senior director of regulatory affairs for Alpharma, a generic drug manufacturer, where she directed the submission activities for new and abbreviated new drug applications to the FDA. She has spent over 30 years in the US pharmaceutical industry. Ms. Miran received her bachelor of science in chemistry from Iowa State University.

Dr. Codi Peterson is a pediatric pharmacist and cannabis science expert. Leveraging a decade of clinical pharmacy experience, Codi strives to bridge the gap between healthcare and cannabis through education and advocacy. He is a PharmD graduate from Duquesne University and later graduated with an MS in Medical Cannabis Science & Therapeutics from UMaryland, Baltimore. Codi is the Chief Science Officer of The Cannigma, a science-forward media company dedicated to helping the world understand cannabis. Dr. Peterson is also an associate clinical professor at UC Irvine, where he contributes to advancing medical education. Additionally, he teaches pharmacology to paramedics in Southern California through OCEMT, and continues to practice pharmacy in an emergency department to this day. Codi is a co-founder of the Pharmacists Cannabis Coalition of California (PCCC), a public-benefit nonprofit dedicated to educating and elevating California pharmacists in the cannabis space.

Dr. Andrew Coop is a professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and associate dean for graduate programs at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. Dr. Coop received his PhD from the University of Bristol in the area of chemistry of drugs with abuse liability. He has been a faculty member in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences since 1999, serving as chair of the department from 2007-2015. His NIH-funded research area focuses on the design and synthesis of new agents to delineate the mechanisms of action of drugs. Dr. Coop has a passion for communicating with the public about science, with the goal of encouraging a diverse next generation of professionals. He has been quoted in publications including The Atlantic, The Smithsonian, the Washington Post, and the best-selling book Dreamland. He is sought for lectures on his expertise on the chemistry and pharmacology of illicit drug use, serves as an expert witness in federal criminal trials, and testified to the US Senate HELP Committee in February 2019 on approaches to treat pain during the opioid crisis.

Jahan Marcu, Ph.D is one of the top researchers and industry experts in the field, contributing to many innovative discoveries, applications, and standards for medical cannabis and its laboratory analysis, cultivation, manufacturing, and dispensing. He is a court qualified expert witness for cannabis and synthetic drugs, and is cited in case law. Dr. Marcu has also created training for the industry and internationally accepted methods for cannabis analysis, and has founded institutions and organizations for research, education, and training programs.

Surgeon graduated from the San Martín de Porres University (2010), Master in Occupational Medicine, with studies in Functional Medicine at the IFM (USA). Diploma of Advanced Studies in Endocannabinology, Cannabis and Cannabinoids (University of Rosario – Argentina 2021).

Founder and President of the Peruvian Association of Cannabinoid Medicine in addition to being a Board Member of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians Latam Chapter.

Dr. Sera is an Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Academic Affairs in the Department of Practices Sciences and Health Outcomes Research at the University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) School of Pharmacy. She is program co-director for the Graduate Studies in Medical Cannabis Science and Therapeutics.

In the Doctor of Pharmacy program, Dr. Sera teaches a variety of topics in required and elective courses in the PharmD curriculum. She teaches several courses in the Medical Cannabis program, including an introduction to medical cannabis history, culture, and policy and a course introducing students to patient care and the clinical uses of medical cannabis. Dr. Sera has served as a clinical pharmacist on palliative medicine and transitional care teams. Dr. Sera has been invited to speak on pain management, palliative medicine, and cannabis therapeutics at professional medical and pharmacy conferences and medical centers such as the National Institutes of Health. Her research interests include social determinants of health, health disparities, big data, medical cannabis utilization, and pharmaceutical health policy.

Dr. Sandra Carrillo is a physician, and surgeon with a master’s degree in Health Services Management Health, certification in Regenerative Medicine and Epidemiology of Investigation. She is co-founder and President of the Colombian Medical Association of Medicinal Cannabis, Co-founder and Medical Director of Medicann Ips. Editorial and on the Review Board of the American Journal of Endocannabinoid Medicine (AJEM). as well as Board Member of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians Latam Chapter. Dr. Carrillo is co-creator of the Diploma in Therapeutic Applications of Cannabinoids from the University CES and the Colombian Medical College/ASOMEDCCAM.

Bobby Vincent, III, MS, PharmD, RPh is a Clinical Cannabinoid Pharmacist and activist driven by a passion to bridge the cannabis industry with communities in need. Dr. Vincent currently serves the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area as a corporate regulatory affairs specialist and medical consult– serving as the regulator for multiple facilities and providing care for its hundreds of patients. Dr. Vincent is the founder of the non-profit Cannabis Health Alliances, building partnerships to advance therapy, policy and patient accessibility. Dr. Vincent is also the founder of Sheets Rolling Company, a hemp-based paper company for cannabis goods. He lends his time serving on the Board of Directors for the Society of Cannabis Clinicians and The Science & Regulatory Affairs Committee of the Council for Federal Cannabis Regulations.

In the Netherlands, I grew up and earned a M.Sc. in Neuroscience from the University of Amsterdam. During my training at the Leiden University Medical Center, I obtained a Ph.D. in Clinical Pharmacology of Cannabinoids (see thesis) and I became a board certified Clinical Pharmacologist. While doing my Ph.D. studies, I worked at the Centre for Human Drug Research in Leiden as a Clinical Scientist on a variety of clinical studies. I have been studying cannabinoids in humans since 2006 and I (co-)authored various peer-reviewed cannabinoid publications including primary literature and book chapters. My work received seven honors and awards, including the BJCP Prize, handed out by the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Noticing an urgent need for objective cannabis information and education in the United States, in 2016, I founded Cannify. Cannify helps patients and clinicians with cannabis safety and risk management, and product and science matching via an online tool, and provides general and customized education. In 2018, I co-founded pharmacology consulting company Verdient Science. In 2020 I successfully co-applied for a €1.9mln grant to research cannabinoids in chronic pain, and I headed the submission for a $1.9mln NIDA grant on behalf of a client to study cannabinoid intoxication reversal that got awarded in 2024. I am a Professor of Pharmacology with the University of Vermont and an Executive Editor of the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

David Wolinsky was raised in the Chicago suburbs and completed his medical school and psychiatry residency training at Northwestern University and University of Michigan, respectively. He stayed on at the University of Michigan to complete an Addiction Psychiatry fellowship with the goal of honing his capacity for diagnosing and treating Substance Use Disorders (SUDS) and learning about clinical research opportunities in this realm. Throughout his training, David developed a keen interest in clarifying the adverse effects of cannabis as well as its potential medical benefits. This interest has followed him to the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where he has worked as a study physician on numerous projects exploring the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of cannabis and cannabinoid products. He has continued this work as the Medical Director of the Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit (BPRU), overseeing the medical aspects of the many clinical studies occurring on the unit. One of his more recent areas of focus has been the capacity of cannabis to yield psychedelic effects when administered in a treatment setting. He recently published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology a narrative review covering the literature on this topic and will soon be working on a randomized, placebo-controlled study verifying cannabis’ potential to yield mystical experiences in a guided therapy session.

Windi Muraszka, DNP, MS-MCST, CNM, NP is a dual-certified Nurse-Midwife and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner providing full scope care to patients in New York City since 1996. She began integrating medical cannabis therapeutics into her practice in 2019. Dr. Muraszka graduated from the MCST program in 2022, completed her doctorate in 2023, and currently serves on the SCC Board of Directors.

Shawn Casey serves as the Deputy Chief Officer for Regulatory, Policy & External Affairs at the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. She joined the CCA in 2022 after practicing law for a decade. Before joining the CCA, Shawn was a Senior Assistant Attorney General in Colorado, where she advised the state’s Marijuana and Liquor Enforcement Divisions for five years. She began her legal career clerking for judges on both the Colorado Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. Shawn holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of Arizona.

Isaac Wright is the Medical Cannabis Program Manager with the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA). Isaac joined the CCA in July of 2023 with over 20 years of public service experience, including 16 years in leadership and oversight positions. In his role at the CCA, Isaac focuses on promoting patient health and safety through effective program management and administration. Isaac holds an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University and a BS in Economics from James Madison University.