Green Market Report’s 2024 Women in Cannabis Award winners announced in New York

The struggles women face in business is a common headline – and the cannabis industry is no different in this regard. At Green Market Report’s 2024 Women in Cannabis Summit, hosted last week in New York, we recognized many of the exceptional women who refuse to wait on the sidelines for opportunity, and instead chose to cut their own paths.

Here is a brief introduction to each of the 2024 Green Market Report Women in Cannabis Award winners:

Advocacy: Danielle Drummond, Ascend Wellness Holdings

Danielle Drummond serves as the vice president of social equity at Ascend Wellness and has more than 15 years of leadership in advocating for social impact across education, criminal justice, and community health sectors. Drummond is dedicated to fostering a sustainable industry while championing DEI and restorative justice.

Ancillary: Green Rebates

Green Rebates is an energy efficiency company that specializes in securing energy rebates and incentives for horticulture production. It’s selection for this award was based in large part of the efforts of two of its team members: Cristina Zamora, director of finance and human resources, and Hannah Massey, director of rebates.

In her role, Zamora is responsible for all compliance, regulatory, and accounting functions. She handles all state and federal documentation and tax filings for the company to successfully expand and operate in its nationwide markets in addition to executing Green Rebates’ contracts with clients and vendors. She is also directly responsible for maintaining Green Rebates’ positive cash flow, which can often be difficult due to its revenue model.

Massey is responsible for the end-to-end management of rebate projects for Green Rebates’ customers around the country. Her accomplishments include submitting more than $1 million in rebates to one utility within 24 hours to meet a project deadline and managing and securing several rebates for growers totaling between $500,000 and $1 million, the higher end of rebate potential earned for most customers.

Cultivation: Irene Villanueva, The Source

Irene Villanueva joined The Source in 2021 and has elevated the cultivation operations for CAMP by The Source. Her leadership at The Source has not only maintained high-quality processing standards but also introduced innovative strains to the market.

Legal: Heidi Urness, McGlinchey Stafford

As co-chair of McGlinchey Stafford’s Cannabis Industry Group, Heidi Urness commands a national reputation as a sought-after advisor on cannabis-related legal issues. She played a pivotal role in the SEC’s successful prosecution of a multistate marijuana Ponzi scheme, and her in-depth counsel supports existing and aspiring licensees, as well as with ancillary businesses, with a broad range of issues they face.

Public Relations: Zoe Wilder

Zoe Wilder’s public relations career has spanned more than two decades, during which she has worked with hundreds of clients across a variety of industries to develop and execute inventive promotional content and campaigns. One of her highest-profile clients, Jim Belushi and Belushi’s Farm, called her “an integral part” of the team who helped expand the brand from a single farm to having a presence in 14 states. She is also an ambassador for the Last Prisoner Project.

Science/Research: Dr. Alisha Holloway, Phylos

Dr. Alisha Holloway, PhD, is at the forefront of cannabis genetic research and breeding innovation. As chief scientific officer at Phylos, she oversees a team of geneticists, chemists, and agronomists employing genetic markers and data-driven breeding to develop consistent seed-based varieties with enhanced potency, flavor, and resilience to pests and environmental stressors. Alisha’s team has also developed cultivars with high levels of rare cannabinoids, such as THCV.

Technology/Data: Stevie Palmateer, LeafLink

Stevie Palmateer, a 15-year veteran in the technology and computer science space, is the chief technology officer at LeafLink, where she oversees a team of 50 full-time employees and manages enterprise, platform, and product engineering, and IT for the company. She helped lead the expansion of the LeafLink’s product offerings under tight and often-complicated timelines and has also driven the growth of the company’s engineering team.

Woman-Founded or Led Brand: Grön

Christine Smith embodies the essence of female empowerment in the cannabis industry. As a new mom, Smith began experimenting with chocolate and cannabis as a side hobby, though she ultimately decided to leave her career in architecture and pursue Grön as a full-time career.   Since that pivotal moment, Grön has flourished, expanding its footprint across the United States. Grön’s revenue has skyrocketed, more than tripling in the past year alone, with over 3 million products sold in 2023.

Trailblazer: Arana Hankin-Biggers, The Travel Agency

Arana Hankin-Biggers has been a trailblazer since she graduated from Howard University.  Before entering the cannabis industry, Arana served in the public sector, first working with New York Gov. David Patterson and corporate real estate. While breaking ceilings in those worlds, her true trailblazing came once she and her fellow co-founder, Paul Yau, created the emerging brand of The Travel Agency: A Cannabis Store with a solution to help justice-involved retail licensees in New York.

Woman of the Year: Beth Kotarba, Native Roots

In her nearly eight years with Native Roots Cannabis Co., Colorado’s largest independent vertically integrated state operator, Beth Kotarba has worked towards the twin goal of scaling to meet a growth vision while also meeting consumer demand in a cost-effective manner, all while keeping corporate culture and gender equity a top priority. When she joined the team, there were two women in management. Now there are 11, and her division boasts a 78% employee engagement rating.

Congratulations to all of the 2024 Green Market Report Women in Cannabis Award winners!