Group of phenomenal leaders call for the shattering of cannabis grass ceiling with the release of five whitepapers

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (January 28, 2021): Longtime industry partners and cannabis research leaders, The Arcview Group and National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) champion equity, advocate for social justice, and help those affected by the war on drugs. Together, the two groups are honoring the inauguration of the first female Vice President of the United States through a series of whitepapers conceptualized by Andrew Kline, the former Public Policy Director of NCIA, and written by a collection of exceptional women.

“The new presidential administration’s pro-cannabis stance is already making waves in our industry and creating excitement around navigating new challenges over the next 4 years,” comments Laura Toomey, Chief of Staff of The Arcview Group. “As more opportunities in cannabis arise across the country, Arcview’s newly renamed Women’s Inclusion Network is concurrently on a mission to bring more females to the forefront of the industry through the creation of empowering educational materials developed by women for women.”

Seeking positive change towards gender equality, Gail Rand, CEO and Founder of grand consulting, and Jessica Billingsly, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Akerna, co-led authorship of a series of whitepapers titled “Building New Foundations in the Cannabis Industry: Creating Gender Parity through Ownership, Leadership, Boards, Pay Equality, Branding, and Capital.”

“The papers cover a variety of timely topics and are focused on identifying problems commonly faced by women executives. Our hope is that people will use these as a resource to help them succeed and positively impact the future of the cannabis industry,” states Gail Rand. The five papers authored by notable industry leaders include:

1. Gender Parity in the C-Suite by Christine De La Rosa of The People’s Dispensary, Kelly Perez of kindColorado, and Elise Serbaroli of Strimo.

2. Pristine Companies Aren’t Good Enough for Cannabis Capital by Debra Borchardt of Green Market Report and Gaynell Rogers of Treehouse Global Ventures.

3. Product Development and Branding by Nancy Whiteman of Wana, BDSA Market Research, and Alison Pugina of Canopy Growth Corporation.

4. Pathways to Equity Ownership by Elise Serbaroli of Strimo, Christine De La Rosa of The People’s Dispensary, and Debra Borchardt of Green Market Report.

5. Pay Equity: Minding the “Gap” by Risa Lavine of CohnReznick.

Whitepapers, key research takeaways, success toolkits, and the paper’s foreword written by Jeanne M. Sullivan, Chief Investment Officer of Arcview Ventures and Founder of Women’s Inclusion Network, will be rolled out for free download starting Thursday, January 28, 2021.

"The document is well-prepared by successful women that represent the perspectives of all women whether Black, Brown, or White and in different verticals within the cannabis industry. The papers will inspire women with advice about successful entry and sustainability within the industry. Every woman seeking to enter the cannabis industry will benefit from reading it and attending the virtual event," said Khadijah Adams, Chair of NCIA's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.

To jumpstart gender balance in the cannabis industry, The Arcview Group and NCIA invite business owners to join them for an educational on-demand webinar led by whitepaper authors. Registration is free and includes a fireside chat with Kim Kovacs, CEO of The Arcview Group, and Jeanne M. Sullivan, Chief Investment Officer of Arcview Ventures. All registrants will also gain access to five exclusive virtual sessions that take a deep dive into each paper.

Register for the webinar, get access to download all five whitepapers, and learn more about each author at www.ArcviewGroup.com/NCIA.