BOARD MEMBERS
Kim Prince
Communications Chair
CEO & Founder at Proven Media
Kim Prince is the owner of a marketing communications and PR firm that specializes in strategic investor and marketing communications for medium to large-sized, compliant-conscious companies. She has a strong background in corporate messaging strategies, public relations, and strategic communications for corporations, brands, and C-level executives. She has a passion for helping clients succeed and founded Proven Media in 2009 in order to do so. Proven Media is a reputable, results oriented company that serves B2B and B2C companies throughout North America, and was recently named one of the Top 5 Most Powerful Cannabis PR Firms by the NY Observer. She was named a "Star Maker" by NV Magazine for her work in promoting clients and brands.
Outside of the cannabis industry, Prince has served on the board for the non-profit Foothills Caring Corps, and served on the boards of other non-profit organizations including Career Connectors, the Carefree/Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce, and the Foothills Community Foundation. She is the former membership chair of the Arizona Business Marketing Association, and a graduate of Northern Arizona University.
Prince was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year and the Alliance All-Star Award from ASU West and the Phoenix Business Journal. She has been a professional panel moderator at industry throughout the country, and an invited speaker at marketing associations and colleges to teach others how to maximize communications budgets and gain media exposure.
Janet Jackim, Esq.
Executive Board Co-Chair
Partner at Zuber Lawler LLP
Janet Jackim is a former Vice President, Real Estate, and Assistant General Counsel at The Circle K Corporation. A Best Lawyers in America® honoree, Janet brings big company business practices and legal skill to small and medium-sized businesses. For the past four years, Janet has focused her practice on advising businesses making their mark in the cannabis industry: dispensaries, farmers, cultivators, and producers; investors, partners and lenders; vendors; and landlords and tenants. During 2011-2013, Janet served as counsel to dispensary certificate applicants and thereafter was key to settling partner disputes, buyout transactions and restructuring businesses. Her sound legal advice, coupled with advanced technical, operational and financial business acumen, provides a robust representation in this emerging, rapidly changing industry. For industry leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators, Janet’s creativity is an added plus to analyzing and resolving the cannabis client’s issues.
As the industry grows and matures and Arizona and federal laws evolve, Janet stays current in assessing developments applicable to her clients and how they can adjust and realize upon presenting opportunities. Janet Jackim has completed more than $1 billion in mergers and acquisitions (sales price) of large and small businesses during almost four decades as a cannabis, commercial real estate and business attorney. Over the past two years, leadership at numerous Arizona dispensaries and cultivation facilities has changed hands, reflecting an industry in transition and promises of bigger rewards in the event the voters approve a recreational/adult marijuana initiative. The pace of these changes is likely to continue during 2019. Many of the acquiring companies are cannabis conglomerates from other states, requiring Arizona counsel as they seek to add to their portfolio of operations. Arizona’s regulatory environment facilitates the change of control of dispensaries. Acquisitions of dispensary and cultivation operations, newly licensed farm fields, strategic partnerships between dispensaries, farmers and exclusive vendors and the reassessment of management services are common topics of Janet’s daily work. Cleanup and refinement of poorly or quickly drafted entity documents, services agreements and licensing protections are critical to maintaining licensing, creating a competitive advantage and retaining bargaining power with vendors.
Positioning a cannabis company’s next phase in the growth cycle is key in this highly competitive industry, whether by acquisitive or organic growth, strategic alliances, internal, equity or debt restructuring, merger or initial public offering. Janet and her seasoned Zubner Lawler & Del Duca colleagues offer critical employment, litigation, securities, appellate, restructuring and corporate business experience for these transactions. To keep abreast of daily Arizona and federal cannabis news and developments, Janet actively participates in the Arizona Cannabis Bar Association, the International Cannabis Bar Association (National Cannabis Bar Association), and numerous other industry organizations, including the Marijuana Industry Trade Association and Hemp Industry Trade Association. Janet is also a contributing member of the Meritas Cannabis Practice Steering Committee of North America, working with law firm affiliates across the United States. In June 2019, Janet spoke at the State Bar of Arizona’s annual convention on “Arizona Cannabis M&A Transactions: Not Your Typical M&A.”
Chadwick Campbell
Senior Counsel at Thomas Title & Escrow
As a lawyer, advisor, technology leader, and military officer, his career focus has been complex issue management. Since 2015, he has been advising clients on financial and insurance matters. Chad is essentially a deal facilitator—providing underwriting support to our title team, and working with clients to connect them to the various services and resources that
Thomas Title offers.
Chad served four years in the U.S. Air Force as an aircraft maintenance officer, which included combat duty with a squadron of F-15E fighter jets. After law school, he practiced in Arizona as a civil litigation attorney. In London and Chicago, he ran the EMEA and development operations for a financial-industry software firm. In 2015, he returned to his home state of Arizona, and as a Director for a boutique insurance advisory firm, assisted individual and corporate clients with private placement investments and sophisticated insurance strategies.
He lives in Phoenix with his wife and their three children. He founded a junior tennis program, and is actively involved in the tennis and autism communities. He volunteers at his children’s schools, and serves on the Board of Directors of two nonprofits in Phoenix.
Tina Dancer
Paralegal at Zuber Lawler LLP
Tina Dancer joined the Chamber as Secretary to the Board in August 2019. She became a Board Member in March 2022. Tina is also the Secretary to the Board of the Arizona Cannabis Bar Association and an active member of the Marijuana Industry Trade Association.
Tina has been a cannabis paralegal for over nine years and a business and real estate paralegal for over 20 years, most currently working with Zuber Lawler LLP. She was an active residential realtor from 2009 – 2012. In addition, Tina is a patient advocate in the cannabis industry.
Tina is the online care minister, facilitating weekly online chats for virtual church services and bible studies via YouTube with the City of Grace Church and facilitated women’s bible studies at local Adult Care Facilities for many years.
Bryan McLaren
ESG / Education Chair
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer at Zoned Properties (ZDPY)
Bryan McLaren is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Zoned Properties, a strategic real estate development firm whose primary mission is to provide real estate and sustainability services for the regulated cannabis industry. Mr. McLaren has a strong professional background in the social, economic, and environmental development of complex business organizations. Over his professional career, he has successfully implemented large-scale projects for corporate and community organizations.
McLaren holds a Bachelors of Business Administration and Ethics Studies from the University of San Diego, a Masters of Sustainable Development from Northern Arizona University, an Executive Masters in Business Leadership from Arizona State University, and an MBA with specialty in Sustainable Development. Throughout his graduate career, McLaren devoted time to community development and philanthropic efforts earning a number of honors and awards including Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society Membership and the Distinguished Walton Scholarship. Mr. McLaren has been certified as a Licensed REALTOR, Green Roof Professional, LEED Green Associate, and is an active Forbes Contributor as part of the Forbes Real Estate Council.
Prior to his role at Zoned Properties, McLaren worked as a Sustainability Consultant for Waste Management where he led the strategic development and operational implementation of zero-waste programs for Higher Education clients. McLaren has worked as a Sustainability Program Manager in the Higher Education industry and has been appointed as a City Sustainability Commissioner. Sustainable development has been a life-long passion for McLaren, who strives to create a global impact by forging a strong foundation for principles of sustainability in emerging industries.
Jayson Meyerovitz
Enterprise District Sales Manager-MMS at Paychex
Jayson Meyerovitz has been working with business leaders in Arizona since 1996 to build stronger and more agile businesses. In the fall of 2017 Meyerovitz joined the Paychex team as a product specialist and later made the move to District Manager for Paychex’s Arizona Major Market Services Division. Meyerovitz and his team work hand in hand with business executives to build best in breed HR Infrastructures and HR Best Practices to drive better employee engagement and productivity.
Meyerovitz’s team helped lead Paychex’s entrance and continued expansion in the Cannabis industry. His team’s focus in the Cannabis industry is to ensure employers have access to industry leading SHRM certified HR experts and technology to maintain local, state, and federal compliance and position their organizations as an employer of choice in the community.
Meyerovitz moved to Arizona in 1991 and currently resides in Phoenix Arizona with his wife and daughter. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a BA in Media Arts and Communications. He volunteers with multiple organizations including the United Way, AZNHA, AHCA, MITA, Fireside Community Association and sits on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually impaired.
Lee Olesen
Cannabis Entrepreneur
For the past eight years, Lee Olesen has devoted his full-time efforts to winning and operating Licensed Medical/Adult Use Marijuana Dispensaries, Infusion, and Cultivation Licenses. Lee has served as owner operator of two dispensaries, three cultivation and one mfg. facility in Colorado. In addition Lee has designed and overseen the development and construction of cultivation facilities in Arizona, California and most recently in Massachusetts. In Massachusetts Lee created 253 Organic LLC from the initial licensing to an operational vertically integrated Adult use Marijuana facility. 253 is the first and only facility that is Kosher certified in the state. Lee is also a member owner of 1964 Management LLC,
a company working on JV opportunities in Arizona. In addition Lee provides consulting services under his company Pasatiempo Investments and often serves as acting CEO until projects are operational and producing revenue.
Prior to entering the Marijuana industry Lee was a successful entrepreneur creating and running a number of companies. He created Allbrite Technologies one of the industries first in developing sunlight viewable LCD displays which was sold to a public company in 1999. Prior to these positions Lee was President/Founder, Contract Manufacturing Inc., Executive V.P./Partner, Electro Surface Technologies, and C.O.O., American Surface Mounted Devices. Lee also held management positions with subsidiaries of Caterpillar Tractor and Square D Electronics. Lee had the distinction of being the youngest Manager at Caterpillar in 1984.
Delano Phillips
Business Development Chair
General Counsel, Head of Business Development / Compliance at Hana Dispensaries
Delano Phillips serves as General Counsel and Head of Business Development/Compliance at Hana, a vertically integrated cannabis company based in Tempe, Arizona. He oversees a diverse portfolio of brand assets for the organization including product lines Dutchie™, Willies Reserve™ and Revival Infused Edibles™. In addition, he leads projects related to compliance/inspections, cultivation expansion, acquisitions, dispensary operations, R&D, and product launch. An executive leader at Hana since 2019, Delano was instrumental in brokering the company’s acquisition and managerial transition between the previous and new ownership group.
Prior to entering the cannabis space, Delano spent more than fifteen years in the financial services sector managing tens of millions of dollars in assets for clients at highly recognized firms such as Merrill Lynch, UBS and E*Trade. During this time, he secured his Series 6 and Series 63, Series 7 and Series 66 investment licenses, and state insurance producer’s license to his portfolio of achievements.
Delano received his Business & Sociology undergraduate degree from Arizona State and added his Juris Doctor in 2012. Beyond his professional career, Delano has committed to youth leadership through volunteer work with organizations including Junior Achievement, The First Tee, and coaching high school football. He is dedicated to educating youth and adults on topics including substance abuse, the justice system, and the importance of education. Delano has a son and a daughter whom he loves to travel with whenever he gets the chance.
Parisa Rad
Events Chair
President at Fourtwenty Collections & Co-Founder of Blunt Brunch
Parisa Rad, president and partner in the Fourtwenty Collection cannabis brand is known nationally as Marijuana Momma and the co-founder of the popular Blunt Brunch. Rad is a marketing executive and cannabis advocate whose experience as the mom of a special needs child propelled her into the cannabis industry. When spinal fusion surgery to correct scoliosis left her then 15-year-old daughter with a rare, life-threatening condition characterized by chronic abdominal pain, Parisa’s search for palliatives led her to medical marijuana.
After witnessing her daughter’s dramatic improvement, Parisa decided to leverage her marketing experience to re-brand the maligned cannabis industry through ongoing advocacy and education of the public on the benefits of medicinal marijuana.
Parisa graduated with honors from New Mexico State University with a Major in Agriculture Business and a Minor in Marketing. She serves as President of Fourtwenty Collections including both 420skincare and Medibles as well as MjMomma Consulting LLC, a cannabis focused marketing agency.
Matt Rizzo, CPA, CVA
Treasurer
Managing Director at O'Keefe
Matthew Rizzo CPA, CVA, Managing Director at O’Keefe, provides business valuation expertise in many types of transactions including buy/sell side valuation for mergers & acquisitions and gift/ estate tax valuations. Mr. Rizzo provides litigation economic damages analysis to clients in shareholder disputes as well as disputes on patent infringement, warranty and contract breaches across various industries. Mr. Rizzo has extensive experience in strategic advisory, capital formation, mergers and acquisitions, and valuations services for the cannabis industry.
Gary Smith, Esq.
Policy Chair
Attorney at Guidant Law Firm
A seasoned litigator, advisor, mediator, and arbitrator with Guidant Law Firm, Gary Smith is one of the leading cannabis attorneys in Arizona, often advocating for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the industry under the Weediator and Weediation brands. Notably, he served as amici counsel to the former Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services in the Arizona Supreme Court petition State v. Jones, restoring cannabis extracts and concentrates to legal status under the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act. He has also represented dispensary owners and investors in multi-million-dollar litigation and receivership disputes.
Gary has authored numerous articles about cannabis law, and he is commonly invited to share his expertise with professional associations and industry groups. Further, Gary is a founder and current president of the Arizona Cannabis Bar Association, an organization committed to educating lawyers and the public about cannabis law and responsible legislation.
He also focuses his practice on commercial matters, construction, real estate, and administrative law. He has represented a wide range of individual and institutional clients in both State and Federal courts, administrative hearings, and arbitration.
Among the most well-known voices in Arizona contracting and construction law, Gary is the author of highly regarded books, manuals, and articles on the topic, including two legal treatises: The Orange Book: The Regulation of Arizona Contractors, 2nd Ed.: Practice and Procedure Before the Arizona Registrar of Contractors and Office of Administrative Hearings and Practice and Procedure Before the Arizona Registrar of Contractors and Office of Administrative Hearings. Additionally, he co-authored “Construction Lien Law in Arizona, A Practice Manual.”
With a Certificate in Advanced Mediation from the Pepperdine University School of Law: Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Gary is highly skilled in ADR. He has worked on partnership disputes, construction defect, design defect, real estate purchase, employment contract breach, business purchase disputes, consumer fraud, banking, and purchase contracts. Gary also has ample experience in arbitration, having handled construction design and defect, personal injury, contract disputes, and professional fees. He has been appointed to the American Arbitration Association roster of neutrals for both Mediation and Arbitration and has taught ADR classes for the association.
Gary earned his Juris Doctor from the California Western School of Law. He is admitted in Arizona, Colorado, New York, North Carolina, the U.S. District Court, 9 th Circuit District of Arizona, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.
Kaila Strong
Board Secretary
Director of Retail Marketing, Curleaf
Kaila Strong is a marketing executive, currently the Director of Retail Marketing for Curaleaf and an MSLS candidate at Cornell University Law School. She has a depth of experience in marketing including traditional and digital marketing, and has been a thought leader at marketing industry conferences for over a decade.
Kaila previously served on the American Marketing Association board, committee member with the Arizona Interactive Marketing Association. She is also a current committee member with the National M.S. Society Southwest Chapter, whose goal is to bring resources, awareness and education to those in our community currently affected by Multiple Sclerosis.
Kaila was awarded the Women of Courage award in 2019 and the Outstanding Leadership Volunteer Award in 2018 by the National M.S. Society.