Marijuana Policy Project is pleased to announce Brian Vicente, founding partner of cannabis law firm Vicente LLP, has joined MPP’s Board of Directors!

Vicente LLP, formerly known as Vicente Sederberg, is the country's top-ranked cannabis law firm, led by attorneys who were instrumental in developing, passing, and implementing the world’s first cannabis legalization laws. 
 
As a trailblazing thought leader and advocate in the cannabis reform movement, Brian Vicente has been helping cannabis businesses obtain state and local licenses since the inception of the legal cannabis industry — an industry he has played a significant role in shaping. He has also advised national, state, and local government officials in the development of regulated cannabis markets across the United States and around the world, including in Uruguay, the first country in the world to legalize and regulate cannabis for adult use. 

Brian was a lead drafter of Colorado's historic legalization initiative, Amendment 64, and he co-directed the successful campaign that led to its passage in 2012. In 2018, newly elected Colorado Gov. Jared Polis selected Brian to serve as a member of his gubernatorial transition team, where he sat on the Economic Development and Labor Committee. 

Brian serves as President of the National Hispanic Cannabis Council and is consistently ranked as one of the top cannabis attorneys in the nation.

We’re incredibly proud to have Brian Vicente join MPP’s Board of Directors. His expertise and knowledge will be a major asset to MPP as we continue to advance cannabis reform nationwide and build momentum toward ending federal prohibition once and for all. 

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The Marijuana Policy Project — the nation’s largest cannabis policy reform organization — has announced the election of Sal Pace to serve as the new chair of its Board of Directors. Pace replaces Arcview co-founder Troy Dayton, who has served as MPP Board Chair for the last seven years.

“We're very excited to have Sal as our new chair,” said MPP Executive Director Steve Hawkins. “Sal is a recognized leader in the cannabis reform arena having used his platform as an elected official to advance common sense reforms. With tremendous passion and an in-depth knowledge of cannabis policy issues, he is an excellent choice to lead our board.”

Pace, who has been called “one of the state’s most vocal proponents of marijuana legalization,” represented Colorado’s 46th District from 2008 to 2012, during which he served as House Minority Leader. He also served as Pueblo County Commissioner from 2013 to 2018 and was appointed to Gov. Jared Polis’ transition team when he was first elected in 2018. Pace is widely recognized as one of the nation’s most knowledgeable former elected officials on the subject of marijuana policy.

“Sal Pace has brought a pioneering effort both in the Colorado cannabis program and his leadership nationally. I count Sal as a valuable and essential ally in my work for cannabis reform,” said U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), co-chair and founder of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus.

During his time in the General Assembly, Pace played a leading role in developing Colorado’s medical marijuana model, earning him recognition as the face of regulation from local news media. He served on several policy and legislative interim committees focused on cannabis, and he founded a national organization of local elected officials, Leaders For Reform, in response to Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ rescission of the Cole memo.

As a county commissioner, Pace led efforts to create the Institute of Cannabis Research at Colorado State University-Pueblo and to establish the first college scholarship program funded by cannabis tax revenue. Prior to running for office, he served as a Congressional and campaign staffer. Pace serves on the boards of the Institute of Cannabis Research, Colorado’s Front Range Rail Commission, and the Colorado Independent Venues Association. He is also an advisory board member for HeadCount's Cannabis Voter Project.

As MPP chair, Pace is ready to hit the ground running at this critical juncture of cannabis policy, criminal justice reform, and racial and social justice our nation currently faces. Said Pace:

Ending marijuana prohibition in the U.S. is the most effective way to address social justice issues. Even with all of MPP’s successes to date changing laws across the country, 600,000 people are still arrested annually, and 40,000 are behind bars because of marijuana charges. As MPP chair, we aren't just focused on legalization, we're also concerned with doing it right, which means equity and diversity in opportunity and correcting the negative impacts from the failed war on drugs.

To learn more about Pace and his plans as MPP Board Chair, check out this Westword interview where he discusses cannabis policy reform efforts in 2021. 

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The Marijuana Policy Project is proud to welcome Emily Paxhia to the Marijuana Policy Project Board of Directors.

MPP’s dues-paying members elected Ms. Paxhia to the board this week following a seven-day voting period involving three highly qualified candidates. This popularly-elected board member will serve a three-year term, during which she will help guide the overall direction of the organization.

Emily shifted her focus entirely to the cannabis industry in 2013. Since that time, she has taken her experience of researching markets, companies and strategic opportunities and turned it entirely to the world of cannabis. Her focus on understanding where the market is headed, rather than where it has been has been, is critical to building a diverse portfolio of companies that span the sector.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="200"] Emily Paxhia[/caption]

With 15+ years in working with Fortune 500 companies to develop products, to resolve strategic errors, and to address new target audiences has been beneficial to continuing to build Poseidon's portfolio companies along their path to success. 

Emily brings a qualitative lens to the review and due diligence process and has aimed to be connected and involved in as many aspects of the industry as possible. She has been seen speaking at WomenGrow Events, MJ Business Journal Conference, ArcView, Opal Investment Conferences, KQED, World Agritech Summit, Hemp Industries Association conferences, YPO and WPO events, etc. She sits on the boards of portfolio companies and also the National Hemp Association. Emily's drive to grow the portfolio is catalyzed by her intense love of the industry and her desire to provide returns to their Limited Partners.

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