Description

NCIA’s Stakeholder Summits are the premier platform for our members, supporters, regulators, and elected officials to converge and engage in meaningful dialogue about the latest policy and regulatory developments at both state and federal levels. Attendees will also benefit from valuable networking opportunities with like-minded professionals and have their voices heard by key decision-makers.

Each event offers a dynamic mix of programming, including interactive panel discussions, intimate fireside chats, and live Q&A sessions, creating unique opportunities for participants to amplify the Voice of Main Street Cannabis directly to key decision-makers.

Featured Speakers

This year, we’re bringing together key decision-makers shaping cannabis policy and business strategy:

• DeWayne Benjamin, Founder + Owner, Tetra Lounge Hospitality Group
• Rachel Gillette, Partner, Holland + Hart LLP
• Emma Howard, Senior Program Manager, Cannabis Business Office (Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade)
• William Lindstedt, (D - District 33), Colorado House of Representatives
• Shanetha Marable-Lewis, MS, Executive Director, Veterans Initiative 22
• Allison Robinette, Director of Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Colorado Marijuana & Natural Medicine Division
• Ean Seeb, Governor’s Special Advisor on Cannabis and Natural Medicine, State of Colorado
• Mara Sheldon, Principal, Squire Patton Boggs
• Chuck Smith, President, CO Leads 
• Aaron Smith, CEO + Co-Founder, NCIA 
• Jordan Wellington, Managing Partner, Strategies 64

Summit Schedule 

2:00 PM - Registration Opens 

2:00 PM - 2:30 PM: Open Networking & Sponsor Showcase 

2:30 PM - 2:45 PM: Welcome Remarks & Industry Outlook 

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM: The Future of Federal Cannabis Reform: Legislation, Rescheduling & 2025 Outlook

• Rachel Gillette, Partner, Holland + Hart LLP
• Shanetha Marable-Lewis, MS, Executive Director, Veterans Initiative 22
• Mara Sheldon, Principal, Squire Patton Boggs
• Aaron Smith, CEO + Co-Founder, NCIA 

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Colorado Roundtable: Operator Insights and Regulatory Perspectives

• DeWayne Benjamin, Founder + Owner, Tetra Lounge Hospitality Group
• Emma Howard, Senior Program Manager, Cannabis Business Office (Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade)
• William Lindstedt, (D - District 33), Colorado House of Representatives
• Allison Robinette, Director of Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Colorado Marijuana & Natural Medicine Division
• Ean Seeb, Governor’s Special Advisor on Cannabis and Natural Medicine, State of Colorado
• Jordan Wellington, Managing Partner, Strategies 64

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Open Networking & Sponsor Showcase