Age: 28
Hometown: Tovey, IL
Patient Since: 1 year
Embarrassing Childhood Nickname: My Grandpa Norman called me Turtle
Astrological Sign: Virgo
3 Things You Can't Live Without: *My family, my dog Dixie, & Chai Tea
Life Motto: "Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them." -Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama
How long have you been working in the cannabis industry?
Since November 2011
How did you get your start?
A very good friend of mine was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a disease affecting joints and the spine. The disease has many symptoms including extremely debilitating chronic pain. At 25 years old he was taking large amounts of narcotic pain medication to make it through his days. When he found himself dependent on the fentanyl patch, he made a decision to quit the pharmaceutical medication and to replace it with medical marijuana. Little by little, he reduced his morphine based pain medication replacing it with edible products infused with THC. It was obvious to me that my friends’ life changed for the better. The marijuana products have no negative side effects, ease the pain, and enable my friend to lead a normal life.
After going through this with my friend I started researching Denver dispensaries to find my way into the industry. Mile High Green Cross is known for their cannabis cup winning medicine. The company culture is patient centered and is perfectly in line with my vision of the future of our industry and I am honored to be a part of this movement.
What is your favorite part about working with medical cannabis?
I love helping people the most, but I also love learning new things. The industry is evolving quickly and there are always new things to learn. If I'm not learning something new and growing I get bored. It's a fabulous industry to be in right now.
What makes your center and your team unique?
We operate as a team. All of our medicine is 100% organically grown. We focus on the patients more than marketing, which is very important to me. We keep ourselves educated about new research and medicinal uses for cannabis, along with updates and changes to legislation.
Where do you see yourself progressing in the cannabis industry?
As far as I can go :)
What is one of your favorite moments behind the counter?
Every single time a patient tells me their story about how our medicine has helped them sleep, or helped their appetite, or stopped their pain. I always am moved when our stage 3 cancer patients come in and tell us how their lives are changes by medical marijuana. It lets me know that what I am doing is real and significant.
What do you do in your free time when you aren't helping patients and dispensing medicine?
I am currently learning to ski so I fall down a lot, but I still love it very much and will keep practicing. I love doing anything outside, in the mountains, hiking, and swimming. I also sew and paint when I find time.
What is your favorite strain or medicine and why?
I love Sour Grape anytime. I love Banana Kush for snuggle time.
What changes would you like to see in the Colorado cannabis industry?
I would like to see the medical benefits of marijuana taken more seriously and changes to laws that will allow university research of medicinal qualities of cannabis.
