2017 NATIONAL CANNABIS SUMMIT KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

MONDAY, AUGUST 28

John F. Kelly, Ph.D. ABPP
Marijuana Legalization & Answers to Our “Drug Problem”

Dr. Kelly is the Elizabeth R. Spallin Associate Professor of Psychiatry in Addiction Medicine at Harvard Medical School-the first endowed professor in addiction medicine at Harvard. He is also the founder and Director of the Recovery Research Institute at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), the Program Director of the Addiction Recovery Management Service (ARMS) and the Associate Director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at MGH. Dr. Kelly is a former President of the American Psychological Association (APA) Society of Addiction Psychology, and is also a Fellow of the APA and a diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology. He has served as a consultant to U.S. federal agencies and non-Federal institutions, and foreign governments. His clinical and research work has focused on addiction treatment and the recovery process, mechanisms of behavior change, and in reducing stigma and discrimination among individuals suffering from addiction.

Jonathan Caulkins, Ph.D.
Real Options for Legalization

Jonathan Caulkins is the H. Guyford Stever University Professor of Operations Research and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Dr. Caulkins specializes in systems analysis of problems pertaining to drugs, crime, terror, violence and prevention, earning him the David Kershaw Award from the Association of Public Policy Analysis and Management, a Robert Wood Johnson Health Investigator Award and the INFORMS President’s Award. Issues surrounding marijuana legalization have been a focus in recent years and other interests include optimal control, reputation and brand management, prevention and black markets. He has taught a quantitative decision-making course on four continents to students from 50 countries at every level. Dr. Caulkins has authored or co-authored more than 125 refereed articles and 10 books. He is a past Co-director of RAND’s Drug Policy Research Center, founding Director of RAND’s Pittsburgh office and continues to work through RAND on a variety of government projects. Dr. Caulkins received a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in systems science from Washington University, an S.M. in electrical engineering and computer science and doctorate in operations research, both from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Hilary N. Karasz, Ph.D.
Cannabis Legalization & Public Health

Hilary N. Karasz is a Communications Program Manager and Public Information Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, where she provides information aimed at improving the health and well-being of the two million residents of King County, Wash. She is also an Affiliate Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Services at the University of Washington School of Public Health and teaches Health Promotion and Behavior Change Communication in the Community Oriented Public Health Program and Health Communication in the Executive Master of Public Health program. Karasz is a co-investigator on studies relating to communications and emergency response at the University of Washington’s Northwest Center for Public Health Practice. She received a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of California, Berkeley; a master’s degree in broadcast communications arts from San Francisco State University and her doctorate in communications from the University of Washington.

Beau Kilmer, Ph.D.
Cannabis Legalization & Public Health

Beau Kilmer is a Senior Policy Researcher at the RAND Corporation, where he codirects the RAND Drug Policy Research Center. He is also a professor at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. His research is at the intersection of public health and public safety, with a special emphasis on crime control, substance use, illicit markets and public policy. His current projects include assessing the consequences of alternative marijuana policies; measuring the effect of 24/7 sobriety programs on drunk driving, domestic violence and mortality; and evaluating other innovative programs intended to reduce crime. Kilmer’s articles have appeared in leading journals such as American Journal of Public Health, The Lancet Psychiatry, New England Journal of Medicine and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. His commentaries have been published by CNN, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Newsweek, San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and other outlets. His co-authored book on marijuana legalization was published by Oxford University Press and the second edition released in 2016. He serves as an assistant editor for Addiction and is a Trustee of the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy. Kilmer received a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Public Service Award for “leadership and innovation in the areas of alcohol and drug-impaired driving program and policy research” and his co-authored work on 24/7 sobriety received honorable mention for the Behavioural Exchange Award for Outstanding Research. Before earning his doctorate at Harvard University, Kilmer received a Judicial Administration Fellowship that supported his work with the San Francisco Drug Court.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 29

John Carnevale, Ph.D.
Regulatory Issues & Marijuana Legislation from a State Perspective

John Carnevale is President of Carnevale Associates, LLC, a public policy firm that conducts strategic planning, performance measurement and management, research and data analysis and program and policy evaluation for a range of clients in the public and private sectors. John Carnevale has more than 30 years’ experience in drug policy, criminal justice and health care policy and program evaluation with the U.S. government and the private sector. He served for more than 11 years at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) where he directed formulation of the National Drug Control Strategy and the federal drug control budget to implement it. He was responsible for development of the performance measurement effectiveness system that ONDCP uses to assess the progress of the strategy for achieving its goals and objectives. Dr. Carnevale also conducted research at the Office of Management and Budget and has served three administrations and four drug czars. Since forming his firm, Carnevale Associates, LLC, in 2000, Dr. Carnevale has developed and managed an extensive portfolio of projects involving policy research and evaluation, public budgeting, strategic planning, performance measurement, economic impact evaluations and local law enforcement agency reform. He is currently involved in assessing regulatory matters pertaining to the liberalization of marijuana laws in the United States. Dr. Carnevale is also serving a four-year term on the National Institute on Drug Abuse National Drug Advisory Council. He has also worked as a Public Finance Economist in the U.S. Department of the Treasury in the Office of State and Local Affairs. He has provided expert testimony, briefings and policy analyses for members of Congress, state and local government leaders, international organizations and public interest groups. Dr. Carnevale holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Maine and a doctorate in public finance economics from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University.

Rick Garza
Regulatory Issues & Marijuana Legislation from a State Perspective

Rick Garza has been with the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) since 1997 and currently serves as Deputy Director. During Garza’s career with WSLCB, he has also held the positions of Legislative and Tribal Liaison and Policy Director. Prior to joining the Liquor and Cannabis Board, Garza served 13 years as a staff member for the Washington State Legislature, including five years with the Washington State Senate and eight years with the state House. His legislative assignments included Policy Analyst in the state Senate, House of Representatives Staff Director and adviser to House and Senate leadership.

Lewis Koski, MBA
Regulatory Issues & Marijuana Legislation from a State Perspective

Lewis Koski is a co-founder of Freedman & Koski, Inc., a government consulting company focused on implementing marijuana policy using good approaches to government. Prior to his current role, Lewis was a government executive with a broad range of experience in comprehensively regulated industries to include casino gambling, liquor enforcement, racing, auto industries and marijuana legalization. During the last six and half years, Lewis played a pivotal role in Colorado building the first agency in the world to implement medical and retail marijuana policy. Lewis is recognized nationally and internationally as an expert in formative marijuana policy. He is among a small group of government executives who have been intimately involved in the development and implementation of marijuana policy from the infancy of medical marijuana through the realization of legalization. Lewis’ leadership contributions and devotion to implementing marijuana policy thoughtfully played an important role achieving what has become one of the most fully developed marijuana regulatory frameworks in the world. Lewis holds a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis on International Business and is a Doctoral Candidate in Public Administration with a focus on policy analysis and public participation in rulemaking.

Susan Weiss, Ph.D.
The State of the Science of Cannabis

Susan Weiss is the Director, Division of Extramural Research at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which oversees extramural programs, research training activities, operations planning and trans-NIH initiatives, such as the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Dr. Weiss also serves as a senior science advisor to the NIDA Director and as scientific liaison to other federal agencies. During her 13 years at NIDA, Dr. Weiss has served as Chief of the Science Policy Branch and Acting Director of the Office of Science Policy and Communications. Before joining NIDA, Dr. Weiss was Senior Director of Research at the National Mental Health Association (now Mental Health America) and previously directed a translational research program that studied the evolving nature of psychiatric and neurologic illnesses in the Biological Psychiatry Branch of the National Institute of Mental Health. Dr. Weiss has received multiple awards, including NIH Plain Language Awards, NIH and NIDA Director’s Awards and an Emmyfor her contributions to HBO’s Addiction Project. Dr. Weiss has published more than 150 scientific articles and book chapters. She graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and received her doctorate in psychology from the University of Maryland.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30

Andrew Freedman, J.D.
Let’s Stop Asking, “Should We Legalize Marijuana?”

Andrew Freedman is Co-Founder and Partner of Freedman & Koski, a consulting firm founded by experts with hands-on government experience effectively implementing voter-mandated legalized recreational and medical marijuana while protecting public health, maintaining public safety and keeping marijuana out of the hands of children. Andrew Freedman holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and political science from Tufts University and, in 2010, earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School. Upon law school graduation, Freedman joined John Hickenlooper’s campaign for governor – and was tapped to serve as Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia’s Chief of Staff. During his time with Garcia, the Lieutenant Governor’s office won a $45 million Race to the Top Grant for early childhood education, created the Office of Early Childhood, helped pass the READ act and collaborated with Mile High United Way to create the Colorado Reading Corps. In 2013, Freedman left the Lieutenant Governor’s office to become the Director of Colorado Commits to Kids, the Yes on 66 campaign – the largest effort to date to overhaul Colorado’s education funding system. In 2014, Freedman was appointed as the state’s first Director of Marijuana Coordination. As Director, Freedman’s mission was to ensure the efficient and effective regulation of Colorado’s retail and medical marijuana while promoting public health, maintaining public safety and keeping marijuana out of the hands of children. In January 2016, Freedman launched a consulting firm, Freedman & Koski, LLC, to share lessons learned in Colorado with other states that have legalized marijuana. Freedman & Koski’s mission is to ensure the successful and responsible implementation of legalization across the U.S.

Complete List of Speakers