Hempresent

Craig Swartz was born in Middleburg Heights, Ohio. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University in 1980 and also studied at Schiller International University. Swartz’s career experience includes working as an international legal assistant, international legal advisor, restaurant owner, writer, factory worker, insurance agent, and realtor. He is running for election to the Ohio House of Representatives to represent District 87.

As a successful second-generation California cultivator, Derek Gilman has been breeding and growing exotic, sun-grown, boutique cannabis for over four decades. Derek’s uniquely specialized knowledge in producing high-end cannabis and an innate ability to effectively communicate this knowledge landed him as Director of Cultivation Content at Green Flower Media in 2017. His latest role finds him at the head of the Council table with some of the cannabis industry's most respected names as curriculum architect and Managing Director of the Ganjier Cannabis Sommelier Certification Program.

William Teskey considers himself a vaporizer evangelist. A cannabis activist who once lost a job because he spoke out to the Washington State Legislature, William has been a legally designated cannabis grower for various medical patients in the Greater Seattle area. 

William’s experience in vaporization started in 1994, very early in the advent of cannabis vaporizers. He has developed unique vaporization techniques and researched systems and strategies for several years.

Trey Reckling is the founder of the Academy of Cannabis Science, which partnered with the Cannabis Institute at Seattle Central College to provide professional cannabis education and training for the industry. The Academy has also partnered with the Last Prisoner Project, committing to donating a substantial amount of scholarships to formerly incarcerated cannabis "offenders." Trey has helped train medical marijuana consultants in Washington State and other industry professionals from throughout the US and Canada. His cannabis education articles have appeared in Men's Health Magazine, Salon.com, The Fresh Toast, Stoner Magazine, and Canna Health Magazine. He has worked in higher education for the last 20 years, specializing in staff training, student development, conflict resolution, and crisis management. He served on the board of directors for the Washington Marijuana Association and the education committee for the Cannabis Alliance.

Mark Taylor-Canfield is a musician and journalist in Seattle. He's a former writer at Huffington Post and serves as Executive Director for Democracy Watch News. Mark is a frequent contributor to the Thom Hartmann program and a weekly guest on the Jeff Santos Show broadcasting from Boston. He just found out he was accepted into the prestigious Modern Journalism program at New York University. As an advocate for press freedom, he has briefed members of Congress on challenges to freedom of the press and participated in major international conferences focusing on democracy and press freedom. He joins Vivian to talk about a very sobering and critical subject.

Bishop Ivy Gaines was released from federal custody in March of 2021 after serving 20 years of a 183-year sentence; Bishop studied law for 18.5 of those years, using what he learned to free others and finally himself. He is the founder and designer of the MEN.T.O.R. Program (Men Teaching Others Responsibility) that he has delivered at six prisons over 11 years, and he has expanded his impact to nurture systemic change within the Seattle, WA, community. Today, as founder and President of Men.T.O.R Seattle, Bishop invites key community contributors and agencies of authority to build a path forward and re-establish community trust. Since 2022, he has designed and delivered several innovative programs in collaboration with local organizations, pursuing meaningful changes in the relationship between law enforcement and the community.

Brett McFarland grows food, builds shelters, and makes music in Humboldt County, California. In 2014, he was sentenced to five years in prison for growing weed and refusing to implicate others. He did his time, and he is now working to free the plant and those still serving time for cannabis. He released some new music on 4/20. Listen to some of it here.

Nathan Marsh started his journey in Cannabis Activism in 1993 after his father died in a drunk-driving accident. He was passionate that access to cannabis was a civil right and that society should be able to benefit from its positive impacts on both mind and body. In 2015, when Oregon legalized cannabis, he produced the Oregon HEMPFEST, one of the first to license with the Seattle HEMPFEST, which became the only licensed HEMPFEST in Oregon. That same year, he started the Oregon Growers Cup, a Cannabis Cup that has grown to be Oregon’s largest and oldest cannabis competition. Today, he also produces Cannabis Cups in Arizona, Missouri, and New York.

EL'ona Kearney is a veteran, the wife of a union worker, and a forgiveness coach. With a background in Military Intelligence as a computer analyst, EL'ona gained invaluable insights into national security, defense policy, and veterans' affairs, shaping her commitment to serving those who have served. As a single mother and homeschooling parent, she self-published books, and founded a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating youth about the legislative process, showcasing her dedication to civic engagement and education. This year, EL'ona is a candidate for Washington State Governor, and tells us about her campaign and her vision for Washington State.

Serra Frank has been a Medical Marijuana patient for 20 years and an activist for 19. She is the founding Director of Moms for Marijuana International, the founder and OG Liaison of Boise Hempfest (as well as the Director of its Hemposium and Kid Land), the founder of Legalize Idaho, Compassionate Idaho, and New Approach Idaho. And Founder/Family Advocate at Fight for Lilly Consulting and Advocacy - helping parents navigate and fight back against a corrupt Child Welfare System. Serra talks about the coming Boise Hempfest, cannabis activism in Idaho, and much more.