Diploma of Horticulture with Honours through the University of Guelph
Over a decade of commercial organic plant production
Three years growing cannabis under the ACMPR framework
Currently establishing an organic grow program from the ground up, while meeting both responsible environmental principals as well as ACMPR criteria
Dr. Kaufman is the inventor of the first NanoSphere Delivery System™ platform technology, chief science officer and co-founder of NanoSphere Health Sciences. He is the previous co-director of the Center for Biogerontology Life Extension Medical Clinic. Dr. Kaufman was also Director of the FirstFitness Scientific and Medical Advisory Board. He is a distinguished scientist, highly respected researcher and product developer. He has particular expertise in weight management, anti-aging, nutraceuticals, fitness, wellness and delivery system nano-biotechnology. His patents on nanoparticle delivery and nano-encapsulations have distinguished him as a leader in the medical discovery world, including inventing the proprietary NanoSphere Health formulas. His Ph.D. in BioNutritional Chemistry from the University of Brussels has led him to a track record of excellence in superior product formulation, the authorship of best-selling books in the field, including The Age Reduction System (1986) on anti-aging-and helping people lead happier, healthier lives.
Jody Vukas is the Design & Operational Specialist behind the Denver based company, Smart
Grow Pros. Jody has been in the cannabis space for the last 20 years, 9 of which have been in
the regulatory space in Colorado, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and Florida as well as several
other legalized states. Jody has been working with the largest Canadian companies over the last
2 years, where he and SGP have designed and built highly efficient grow facilities which include
cultivated power, CO2, and heat recapture to help lower operating expenses while increasing
quality, yields, and margins. Outside of Jody’s indoor expertise, he has also built and retrofitted
over 3 million sqft of greenhouse.
Rod Elliot is a Senior Vice President in Global Public Affairs’ Toronto office, where he provides senior public affairs counsel to a diverse range of clients, including both private and not-for-profit organizations. Rod is also the Founder of Global’s Cannabis Connect practice, where he has developed the ability to operate deftly at the intersection of cannabis policy and industry.
Before joining Global, Rod gained significant political experience in a number of roles at Queen’s Park. As Chief of Staff to the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Rod was instrumental in the Ontario government’s response to the auto sector crisis. Before that, Rod was Chief of Staff to the Ontario Government House Leader and advised the Minister, the Premier’s Office and Cabinet on the government’s legislative agenda.
Previously, Rod served as a Senior Advisor of Issues Management to the Ontario Attorney General.and spent seven years at TD Bank Financial Group executing government relations programs on behalf of the bank. Rod holds a Certificate in Corporate Community Involvement from Boston College and a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in Mass Communications and Political Science from Carleton University
David Marcus has extensive experience in the Canadian Hemp industry. He founded Natural Emphasis in 1995, which, in partnership with PhystoGene Resources, has undertaken a long term hemp breeding project which has resulted in the registration of three Health Canada registered hemp cultivars. His latest enterprise Abide Inc. is focused on whole plant hemp based CBD products.
In 1995 Dave Marcus cofounded Natural Hemphasis. As its product line evolved to include other natural products, the company name changed to Natural Emphasis but Natural Hemphasis continued as its research arm. Natural Hemphasis has been involved in hemp agricultural research and development since 1999 when together with Dr. Ernest Small of Agriculture Canada it undertook a three year hemp germplasm trial.
Commencing in 2000, and in partnership with PhystoGene Resources, Natural Hemphasis has undertaken a long term hemp breeding project which has resulted in the registration of three Health Canada approved hemp cultivars: ESTA-1, CanMa and GranMa.
Most recently, Dave is the founder of Abide Inc. Abide is currently licensed under the Narcotics Control Regulations for analytical testing of cannabis and under the Whole Hemp brand is developing a line of whole plant hemp based CBD products.
Benjamin Adams studied biology and regenerative agriculture at the University of Oregon and the University of California Santa Cruz. He has spent over a decade in the cannabis industry from cultivation, systems management, and IPM strategies. His diverse background has landed him at Phylos Bioscience, a company leading the charge into the future of cannabis genomics and data driven breeding.
Dr. Sharbel’s research group investigates apomixis (asexual plant reproduction via seeds) in natural populations, using evolutionary theory, population genetics and advanced “omics” methods, with the goal of identifying apomixis factors for agricultural improvement. Dr. Sharbel worked as a technician in an amphibian genetics laboratory at McGill University from 1987 until 1995 and simultaneously completed his BSc and MSc in evolution and biology at McGill.
In 1995, he moved to the Max Planck Institute for Behavioural Physiology (Seewiesen, Germany), where he completed his PhD in Biology, studying the evolution of sex in flatworms from the Italian Alps. In 1999, Dr. Sharbel moved to the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology (Jena, Germany) to work on apomixis as a post-doc.
In 2005, he began as head of the apomixis research group at the Leibniz Institute for Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK Gatersleben, Germany). On September 1, 2015, he began as the GIFS Research Chair in Seed Biology at the newly formed Global Institute for Food Security in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
-Cohost of the nationally syndicated radio show Wisequacks.
-Cohosted the Oprah Winfrey Network show Buyologic
-Author of “The Doctor Is In(sane)” which was nominated for several book awards.
-Syndicated columnist to more than 100 newspapers across the United States and Canada.
-Entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the highest scoring defenceman in the longest hockey game in history.
Canadian naval surgeon in the Persian Gulf War
-Doctor to the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta
-In 1995 he lived in the remote Pacific island of Tanna in the country of Vanuatu where, for most of a year he was the sole doctor and bush surgeon to 30,000 Tannese, many of whom had never seen a white man.
-Former team doctor to the national rugby team as well as junior and professional hockey teams.
-Has lead two African safaris
-One of Canada’s foremost medical cannabis educator of physicians and the scientific and lay communities. He is a member of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians (SCC), International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines (IACM),The International Cannabis Research Society (ICRS), Physicians for Medical Cannabis (PMC) and the American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine (AACM).
-He serves as a medical director of Plena Global. (Logo at https://www.plena-global.com/)
Alexzander Samuelsson has developed a career over the last three years in the medical cannabis industry through his company DevCat Consulting working with dispensaries, licensed producers, industry stakeholders, and various media outlets on contracts ranging from technical SOPs and industry advising, to writing on the science of cannabis under the moniker “Alex The Chemist”. Alexzander holds a BSc. in Chemistry from Ryerson University and has focused his background toward innovation, research, and education in the medical cannabis industry after discovering first-hand the medical benefits of cannabis. His passion for cannabis education has brought him across the country discussing the science of cannabis in podcasts, media interviews, and presenting both private and public to audiences from the canna-curious, technical researchers, and C-level executives to everyone in between.
