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Work Background
Associate Vice President
Tenax StrategiesAssociate Vice President
Apr. 2024Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Adjunct Instructor
Community College of Rhode IslandAdjunct Instructor
Sep. 2023Providence, Rhode Island, United StatesDeveloped and taught a comprehensive cannabis workforce development course, covering topics such as industry regulations, cultivation techniques, processing methods, and business management. Designed engaging and informative lesson plans, incorporating hands-on activities and guest lectures from industry experts. Provided mentorship and guidance to students, helping them develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the cannabis industry. Successfully prepared students for introductory industry jobs and assisted with job placement. Contributed to curriculum development and program evaluation to ensure the course remained relevant and effective.
Director of Compliance
Advocates for Human Potential, Inc.Director of Compliance
Jan. 2023 - Dec. 2024Boston, Massachusetts, United StatesInitiated and implemented a comprehensive risk management and compliance program to bolster AHP's initiatives in healthcare and business systems for vulnerable populations. Established and chaired the organization's first Risk Committee with a primary focus on the identification and alleviation of high-level risks within the enterprise. Furnished AHP’s newly created PMO with tools and instruction for project risk management while directing post-project reviews to capture and disseminate lessons learned for improved project execution and compliance adherence. Devised a training initiative on compliance for all AHP personnel and new Project Managers to build a cohesive understanding of compliance and risk management. Highlights of accomplishments in this role include: • Averted a potential $2B contract failure for AHP by effectively diagnosing, quantifying, and communicating key issues to the leadership team, and forming a task force to mitigate problems. • Enhanced AHP's decision-making capabilities and secured a $600M contract by performing in-depth analysis and producing reports that prompted the leadership to enact significant changes and optimize the decision-making structure. • Defined and documented eight principal processes and SOPs, augmenting PMO's capabilities with quarterly workshops on risk management and project risk tool deployment. • Identified and mitigated 54 high-level risks for AHP through the risk committee, delivering weekly updates to the senior management team on the progress and risk status of ongoing projects.
CEO & Co-Founder
1620 Partners, LLCCEO & Co-Founder
Jan. 2022 - Dec. 2023Boston, Massachusetts, United StatesCreated corporate compliance programs for cannabis applicants and licensees across the United States to ensure adherence to all regulatory requirements. Instituted documentation processes, including applications, renewals, standard operating procedures, and compliance with OSHA and other regulatory bodies using advanced software tools. Conducted regulatory, safety, inventory, and organizational-specific audits to identify areas of improvement and uphold compliance with state and federal regulations. Highlights of accomplishments in this role include: • Cultivated positive and enduring relationships with government regulatory bodies to facilitate the streamlined state-to-state rollout of legal cannabis, both medical and recreational. • Expedited the timeline for clients to acquire licenses and commence operations by minimizing the usual two-six-year duration by at least 12 months through astute utilization of industry connections and extensive regulatory knowledge. • Appointed to the board of the Easy Hire firm in the cannabis industry, recognized for an unparalleled ability to interact with government bodies and achieve successful outcomes.
Director Of Compliance
Happy Valley VenturesDirector Of Compliance
Jan. 2019 - Dec. 2022Newburyport, MassachusettsPioneered the establishment and deployment of a comprehensive corporate compliance strategy in alignment with global standards of quality, environment, health, and safety. Strengthened Happy Valley's position as the leading standard in the industry by building productive relationships with all government regulatory bodies and becoming a key partner with the Cannabis Control Commission. Planned and conducted training workshops for staff members, focusing on SOP/WI adherence, OSHA compliance, operational efficiency, safety measures, environmental stewardship, and regulatory awareness. Performed routine audits of seed-to-sale tracking systems METRC and Dutchie, in addition to internal processes and procedures, to maintain a compliant standing with state regulations. Highlights of accomplishments in this role include: • Offered detailed insights into all aspects of the cannabis business and fostered employee awareness and competence by developing 1500 pages of regulations, SOPs, documentation, and training materials. • Established the foundation for ISO 9001 accreditation by optimizing internal processes, carrying out gap analyses, and initiating training efforts to conform to quality management standards. • Assisted with the acquisition of two cultivation, two product manufacturing, and three retail licenses within 16 months by actively engaging in regular meetings with state cannabis investigators and regulators. • Prevented potential licensing delays of 9-12 months and generated significant revenue opportunities through the successful completion of multiple audits with zero deficiencies.
Director Of Compliance
Octane5 InternationalDirector Of Compliance
Jan. 2016 - Dec. 2019Greater Boston AreaSpearheaded the global corporate responsibility program, with a focus on enforcing compliance throughout licensing supply chains and manufacturing facilities. Contributed to the well-being of workers and adherence to child labor laws by carrying out global audits to foster safety and compliance with minimum standards. Furnished C-suite leaders with comprehensive reports on audit results and trend analyses to support global sustainability efforts. Highlights of accomplishments in this role include: • Undertook extensive travel to audit factories across various locations to uphold compliance with necessary standards and regulations while adeptly managing corrective actions to rectify any non-compliance issues. • Enhanced awareness and alignment with corporate codes of conduct and brand supplier expectations by providing valuable training to more than 50 global clients on licensing supply chain compliance. • Improved operational processes by developing educational materials on global human slavery and trafficking regulations, and presenting to brands and industry trade organizations on sustainability issues. • Collaborated with six developers to design a groundbreaking self-audit tool with expanded reach into supply chain tiers, culminating in increased transparency and accountability for brands, licensees, and manufacturing facilities.
Global Licensee Compliance Manager
New BalanceGlobal Licensee Compliance Manager
Jan. 2013 - Dec. 2016Greater Boston AreaAdministered compliance management initiatives for New Balance and associated licensed brands, focusing on corporate social responsibility, restricted substances, and process compliance. Coordinated audits, product quality testing, and compliance audits with licensees and third-party vendors across over 40 countries. Developed and maintained a quantitative risk rating system for evaluating licensee alignment with corporate standards and sales objectives. Enforced compliance with U.S. protection laws and standards across all products to drive advancements in the organization’s auditing and testing methodologies. Highlights of accomplishments in this role include: • Achieved a 15% surge in year-over-year licensee response rates by introducing a global SAAS platform, leading to improved internal management efficiency and heightened engagement with licensees. • Directed the proactive oversight of 50+ vendors and 300+ factories worldwide in alignment with New Balance's standards. • Championed a thorough overhaul of the licensee compliance program, resulting in enhanced stakeholder training and adoption rates and alignment of annual audits of all licensees with updated New Balance standards. • Mapped and assessed licensee contracts and factory compliance to resolve ambiguities in various partnerships.

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