Hempresent

Leonora, or “Leo” Russell, is a Marriage and Family therapist and Substance Abuse Counselor who left a twenty-year career in government and social services, and providing direct services to the most disenfranchised, to direct her attention to the burgeoning psychedelic renaissance. In 2019, she began leading the Decriminalize Nature effort in Seattle and moved on to form the Political Action Group ADAPT-WA, a voter-based initiative focused on legalizing psilocybin and decriminalizing small amounts of entheogens for personal use. She also runs a 501c3 called Entheo Society, focused on creating community in the psychedelic space.

Leo is currently writing, directing, and filming in Idaho for The Psychedelic Road Trip movie (a comedy/documentary about Dana Beal (who has been on this show) and Idaho and the Plant Medicine Movement) and is organizing (with others) the largest plant-medicine educational event in Idaho’s history on Feb. 22nd at the Boise Depot. 

Kevin Heiderich is a veteran, a guitarist and music enthusiast, and co-owner of House of Cannabis, which has retail stores in Tacoma, Tonasket, Twisp, and Whidbey Island, in Washington. Kevin has been on the front lines of one of the most tightly regulated legal cannabis markets in the country and has firsthand experience with what legalization looks like on the ground.

Doug McVay is a longtime drug policy reform advocate, researcher, and journalist. Doug has spent decades challenging the War on Drugs and pushing for policies rooted in public health, harm reduction, and human rights. He’s best known for his work with Drug War Facts and for elevating voices directly impacted by prohibition. Doug’s radio program, Free Culture Radio, airs on KBOO Community Radio in Portland, Oregon, and is also distributed via Pacifica.

Michael Krawitz is a U.S. Air Force veteran, longtime patient advocate, and one of the most influential voices in international medical cannabis policy. Michael has spent decades working at the intersection of veterans’ health, human rights, and drug policy reform.

He served as a key civil society participant in the World Health Organization’s first-ever scientific review of medicinal cannabis — a historic process that helped reshape global scheduling policy. He also represents patients at the United Nations through the IACM Patient Council, where he advocates for non-discriminatory access to medical cannabis worldwide.

Beyond global policy, Michael has been sounding the alarm about cannabis biopiracy, working to protect indigenous genetics and traditional knowledge. He’s also helping advance cannabis appellations, which aim to preserve regional plant heritage while supporting small farmers and patient choice.

Joy Beckerman has been involved in the hemp movement and industries for over 30 years, and her extraordinary knowledge and passion for this versatile, valuable crop is contagious! Often referred to as a "hemp encyclopedia," Joy is the Principal and Senior Paralegal at Hemp Ace International, a Seattle-based consulting, legal support, and expert witness firm serving the global hemp industries. She is also a sought-after regulatory specialist in the rapidly developing field of non-intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids.

Jasmine Johnson is the force behind GŪD Essence. Her Florida-based vertically integrated cannabis wellness company blends ancestral plant wisdom with cutting-edge clinical research, “building a bridge between cultural healing traditions and modern neuroscience." Jasmine talks about the journey, the vision, and the community power behind GŪD Essence, its emphasis on customer education, culturally informed research, equitable hiring, and its new Clearwater dispensary. Jasmine believes this moment represents both a homecoming and a bold new chapter for cannabis wellness in Florida, and she tells us why.

Michael Dalle Molle serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Mariposa Technology, where he oversees daily business operations, communications, and brand management. He is an entrepreneur, teacher, business advisor, and environmentalist with almost a decade of professional experience as a sustainability advocate in the design and construction industry. Before entering the cannabis industry, Michael taught at the Tulane University School of Architecture and ran his design+build studio in New Orleans.

Lynnette Shaw is a trailblazing medical marijuana activist best known as the first legally licensed cannabis dispensary operator in the United States. As the founder of the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana in Fairfax, California, she became a central figure in the fight for patients’ rights after the passage of Proposition 215 in 1996. 

For decades, Shaw battled DEA raids, federal injunctions, and financial ruin, refusing to back down even when the government tried to brand her a criminal. Lynnette’s work laid the foundation for today’s medical and recreational cannabis industries, though she remains outspoken about the movement’s roots in compassion, human rights, and grassroots activism rather than corporate profit.

Alicia Deals is a trailblazer in Arizona’s cannabis industry and a leading advocate for equity and justice. Drawing on her personal experience navigating the legal system after her father, Robert Deals, received an 18-year sentence for a cannabis-related conviction, she has made it her mission to reform the industry and help those still incarcerated for marijuana offenses. 

Alicia is a social equity license holder and the first Black woman to own and operate a cannabis dispensary in Arizona. She partnered with Cookies, the international cannabis brand founded by Berner, to open the state’s first Cookies dispensary in Tempe. 

Kaitlin DiMaggio is the founder and managing attorney of DiMaggio Law Office, a Scottsdale-based law firm dedicated to defending the rights and dignity of individuals navigating Arizona’s criminal legal system. 

Kim Richards possesses over 30 years of experience and a distinguished history of accomplishments in the music, film, and television industries. As CEO & Chairman at Allied Artists International, Inc., he has earned more than 70 gold, platinum, and diamond records, as well as numerous Grammy and Emmy nominations. 

Chief among his credits is Pink Floyd's "The Wall," which has been certified diamond, selling 23 million copies, making it the third highest-grossing album of all time, behind only the Eagles' Greatest Hits and Michael Jackson's Thriller. 

Richards' video productions have won at both the New York and Cannes Film Festivals.