Metro Philadelphia Cannabis Industry Power Players

Lindy Snider is one of the nation’s most respected experts on business development in the cannabis industry. She is a trusted advisor to investors–including firms such as The Arcview Group and Greenhouse Ventures–and a successful entrepreneur with a long history in mainstream business as a top-level executive. Since creating Lindiskin, a line of skincare products for cancer patients, she has been on the vanguard of the legal cannabis industry’s expansion across the US and in her home state of Pennsylvania. 

Where do you see the cannabis industry in Pennsylvania in 5 years?
It will continue to grow and hopefully follow other states into adult-use.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
The many medical benefits which have been demonstrated for so many conditions.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis.
Our country’s founding fathers were supposedly very familiar with it.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health, tell us your favorite way you stay healthy & fit.
I’m a big believer in combining western medicine with plant based therapeutics. CBD is marvelous to help with sleep. I’ve also found CBD topicals to help with pain, itchiness, discomfort, and muscle soreness.

Overseeing laboratory operations, Mary facilitates the processing of medical marijuana samples for analysis at MCR Pennsylvania. She spent time at a pharmaceutical CDMO as an analytical chemist before entering the cannabis space. Mary brought her laboratory experience to MCR Labs as part of the inaugural team and her role evolved as she helped build the company from a startup. She now serves as lab manager for the Pennsylvania site and focuses on delivering accurate results without jeopardizing turn-around time.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in Pennsylvania in five years?
Growing! In five years Pennsylvania will see a thriving cannabis industry being served by an improved set of regulations.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
My affinity to the cannabis field was driven by the opportunity to grow with a new industry, for my contributions to be meaningful and to diversify my professional experiences.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health, tell us your favorite way you stay healthy & fit.
Gardening, walking the dogs, eating fruit, and naps with the cats!

Chris Visco was awarded a medical marijuana dispensary license in 2017 by the Pennsylvania Department of Health as the only WBE woman certified cannabis company in the state. She has since merged with a larger company in the largest 3 store medical transaction in the country. Since, she has been awarded licenses in Illinois, West Virginia, and New Jersey. Chris also operates a non-profit for victims of the War on Drugs.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in Pennsylvania in five years?
I see it devoid of large multi state operators, which will eventually sell to the alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceutical industries. 

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
I was originally attracted to it as someone who always believed in the medicinal value of the plant and who wants to end the stigma associated with it. Furthermore, I was inspired by the story of Charlotte Figi, a young girl from Colorado who battled Dravet syndrome through the use of CBD oil. 

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis.
The THC level of a plant has nothing to do with the quality of a high you will receive. Instead, individuals should be concerned with the terpene level. 

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health, tell us your favorite way you stay healthy & fit.
I take 1000mg of cannabis per day, a preventative treatment which impedes the growth of cancer cells. I also do a 16 hour fast.

Nicholas Vita co-founded Columbia Care in 2012 and serves as CEO. Nicholas has over 25 years of experience serving in corporate leadership roles, investing capital, structuring and funding public/private partnerships and providing strategic advisory services to Fortune 500 companies throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia and Latin America. Prior to Columbia Care, Nicholas held leadership roles at Apelles Investment Management, LLC, ARX Investment Management, and Goldman Sachs & Co. Inc.

Shemariah Waggoner is the State Director of Pennsylvania for Trulieve, a leading cannabis company in the U.S. with 19 locations in PA. Shemariah oversees operational activities across Pennsylvania and works closely with executive leadership to establish the State’s overall direction and strategic initiatives. Shemariah previously served as the PA State Compliance Consultant for Trulieve and worked with the team in Pennsylvania through the Company’s integrations to maintain operational efficiencies in a highly regulatory market.

Where do you see the cannabis industry in Pennsylvania in five years?
I hope to see the decriminalization of cannabis continue across the Commonwealth and the legalization of cannabis for recreational use in Pennsylvania, with Trulieve positioned at the forefront of the market.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
I originally entered the industry on the license application side, working with diverse business contractors and individuals to ensure they were provided increased opportunities to participate in the industry through the licensure process.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis.
Cannabis is one of the oldest crops grown in history, going back at least 12,000 years.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health, tell us your favorite way you stay healthy & fit.
The cannabis industry is 24/7. Making sure that I hydrate and take time each day to sit in silence, reflect and decompress is important.

Dr. Ward’s laboratory studies the therapeutic potential of non-psychoactive cannabinoids using animal models of pain. Her work on the protective effects of CBD in rodent models of chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain has been supported by the NIH since 2014 and has inspired two clinical trials in this area. She also collaborates with other academic laboratories and industry partners, to study cannabinoid neuroprotection in models of spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and aging.

Jelani is a seasoned cannabis cultivator that founded Just Like Tomatoes. His company provides education on the many applications of cannabis, including how to grow your own at home! Taking a class with Just Like Tomatoes will inform individuals on the basics of the plant, medicinal history, plant laws, potential health benefits, and possible business opportunities which allow for much needed diversity in the industry. 

Where do you see the cannabis industry in Pennsylvania in five years?
I can see Pennsylvania being fully legalized within five years.

What attracted you to the cannabis industry?
Growing and touching the plant led me down this path. Being able to learn while I grow and see immediate results was beneficial to my skill set.

Tell us one fun fact about cannabis.
If you’d like to practice growing Cannabis but don’t live in a state where it’s legal to grow, start with a crop like tomatoes. They require the same growing environments and feed schedule.

Cannabis has clear value to people’s health, tell us your favorite way you stay healthy & fit.
Working out is my favorite way to clear my mind and stay healthy, I also recommend power naps!

Judy Wicks is an activist and entrepreneur. She founded All Together Now Pennsylvania in 2019, an organization which aids in the development of local economies. Through this organization, she helped create a movement called Pot Profits for Pennsylvanians (P3), which advocates for the legalization and regulation of adult-use cannabis in Pennsylvania, but particularly aims to uplift Pennsylvania’s communities through local ownership. Finally, it also aims to aid those who have been victims of the War on Drugs.