Our Team
Aaron Buchholtz, PRESIDENT
Veteran cannabis industry professional with 17 years of hands-on experience. Previously, Aaron spent 7+ years at Tilray; Specializing in Product Development, Extraction/Refinement, R&D, and Special Projects. Proficient in Quality Assurance, Manufacturing, Project Management, and GPP/GMP compliance. He is passionate about building relationships, and creating effective teams. Being in the lab producing concentrates is where he feels the most at home.
Blair Buchholtz, Facilities & Security
Operations and management leader with a strong background in project management, facilities construction and operations, health and safety, customer service, and team leadership. Blair excels in delivering successful projects, on time and on budget. An engineering graduate of NAIT, he brings a proactive and strategic approach to every endeavor, ensuring seamless execution and exceptional results.
Brent Loshney, BSC., P.CHEM., Quality Assurance & Compliance
Brent has 20+ years of experience in the analytical chemistry of small-molecule pharmaceutical products, Cannabis, Psychedelics and Nutraceuticals. An entrepreneur at heart, he loves a good challenge. He is a seasoned expert in experimental data that supports R&D efforts in analytical method development, isolations, characterizations, product development and generation of intellectual property. Brent is a member of the professional chemists of British Columbia and holds a degree in chemistry from the University of British Columbia Okanagan.
Dr. Joshua Hartsel, PHD, VICE PRESIDENT
Dr. Hartsel earned his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech with a post-doctoral education at The University of California, Irvine with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Over his career, he has co-authored 10 peer-reviewed journals, 3 book chapters on cannabinoids, and been awarded 6x 1st place High-Times Cannabis Cup awards for best concentrates.
Dr. Hartsel is a leading expert in drug chemistry cofounding multiple successful startups in the cannabis, and psychedelic industries. He successfully exited his latest startup Adelia Therapeutics in an acquisition by Cybin, Inc (2021), which was the first psychedelic company listed on the Nasdaq. His role as Director of R&D laid the early stage groundwork for the scientific development at Privateer Holdings (parent company of Tilray in Canada: TLRY) reaching a $14 billion-dollar market capitalization in 2018 and CV Sciences (CVSI), which was the first cannabis company listed on the stock exchange. He served as Chief Science Officer at Ecofibre (EOFBF) which reached a $1 billion-dollar valuation as the leading Kentucky hemp processor.
AMANDA Brunton, Quality Assurance, operations
Amanda Brunton is an experienced cannabis quality assurance professional with an exceptional track record of performance and diligence. Trained in laboratory operations, sanitization, and record-keeping protocols, Amanda is highly resourceful in ensuring the highest standards of product safety and compliance. Known for her keen eye for detail and commitment to excellence, Amanda is recognized for her adept ability to maintain and enhance quality assurance processes within the cannabis industry.
Matt Coulson, Director of Marketing
With over 15 years of marketing experience, Matt Coulson has been deeply immersed in the cannabis industry since 2017. He has collaborated with both large corporations and smaller startups, successfully developing and launching numerous cannabis products and brands. Prior to his transition into the cannabis sector, Matt spent 12 years in the Toronto advertising industry, where he managed campaigns for some of Canada's largest advertisers, including Kellogg’s, Kraft, McDonald’s, and AB InBev. His extensive background combines significant expertise in strategic marketing and brand development, making him a key player in shaping the evolving landscape of cannabis marketing.
Dustin Hollman, Sales
Dustin Hollman is a proven sales and business development director in the cannabis space. He started his career with Tilray, quickly moving through the organization to Global Operations and Sales Director. While at Tilray he produced over 12 million in sales revenue in the first year. During this time Dustin was an early stakeholder with Natural Health Services, Canada's largest medical cannabis clinic group. Dustin was pivotal in the success of the organization in its infancy, and with the ultimate sale of the company. With this knowledge and skill, he was then able to create one of Australia’s first and largest cannabinoid clinic for Tilray.
With a diverse background spanning laboratory technology to real estate management, he is a strategic visionary with an entrepreneurial spirit.
Phil Varley, Production
Phil possesses deep knowledge of cannabis and works across all areas of production, including washing, bagging, pressing, packaging, and overseeing daily operations. With a bachelor's degree in business management and commerce and a certification as a red seal chef, Phil brings a unique blend of business acumen and technical expertise to the cannabis industry. His comprehensive understanding of production processes and commitment to excellence make him an invaluable asset to any team.
Krisha Ellaine Ordas, QA & Operations
Krisha, a graduate in Chemical Technology from NAIT, is an experienced data administrator with a demonstrated four-year history of working in the cannabis industry. She is skilled in product quality management, documentation, reviewing technical manufacturing records, and data entry in ERP systems. Krisha is passionate about gaining new experiences and is dedicated to seeing things through to the end.
Dahlton Holben, Extractor
Dahlton is a dedicated and experienced horticulturist driven by passion. His love for clean, quality extracts quickly led to years of studying manufacturing practices across Canada. With an in-depth knowledge of processing cannabis, Dahlton's journey began well before he was able to work with the plant, and since early 2018, it has been his primary focus. A finalist for the Grow Up Awards Extraction Specialist of the Year 2023, Dahlton is young and driven by passion. His career spans cultivation, processing, and retail sales, where he has continuously gained new insights and connections within the industry. While Forever a Student, Dahlton aspires to learn more and gain new experiences, furthering his dedication to this wonderful plant
Carmen Amos, Executive Assistant to President
Experienced professional with 19+ years in executive assistance, office administration, and event planning. Skilled in project management, human services, and document control. Passionate about creating care-free experiences and supporting executives to achieve their goals.
Advisors
Dr Joshua Eades, PHD, STRATEGY & DEVELOPMENT
Highly accomplished Chief Scientific Officer with 20+ years of experience in leading innovation, and scientific division management. Expertise in business strategy, collaborative leadership, and team development. Co-founder of successful companies. A visionary leader in global R&D and product development, known for driving results and strategic project management. Adept at entrepreneurship and commercialization of university research. Specialized in identification and purification of pathogen factors, analytical chemistry, and molecular biology.
Dr. BRIAN LASNER, MD, BOARD DIRECTOR
Physician Consultant with over 15 years of expertise in the medical field. Notably, Dr. Lasner has prescribed over 50,000 cannabis prescriptions to date. Specialized in Anti-Aging, Regenerative, and Functional Medicine. Passionate about helping clients and patients achieve health goals of lasting effect, putting the powers of healing into their own hands through education not provided by conventional medicine.
Astra, Advisor - marketing
Marketing Executive with a strong passion for consumer marketing and a proven track record in driving business growth and innovation. Throughout Astra's career, she has honed her skills in strategic decision-making, fostering partnerships, and spearheading comprehensive marketing strategies that elevate brand visibility and market presence. She takes pride in sharing her knowledge and mentoring the next generation of marketers. With over 16 years of valuable experience, she has made significant contributions to the success of previous organizations.
Tom MCGaugh, Advisor, Finance
Tom McGaugh provides nearly two decades of financial accounting excellence and experience supporting start-ups, small businesses, and publicly traded companies across the globe. Tom began his career with Big Four accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, specializing in complex auditing for both public and private companies. Tom was also the Vice President of Finance for Tilray, Inc., a U.S. publicly traded company on the NASDAQ with global operations in over seven countries. Tom also founded Greenpoint Associates with the mission to provide high level equity administration, IPO readiness services and financial accounting support to both private and public companies.
Andrew Parikh, Advisor - Business Intelligence
As a seasoned leader in the field of Business Intelligence, Andrew excels in implementing robust data governance and master data management strategies. Expertise in data privacy, corporate financial reporting, and return on investment complements Andrew's skills in data analytics and IT strategy. With a strong background in ERP, HRM, and CRM systems, he identifies optimal solutions to complex business problems
Brett Greene, Advisor - Opportunities
Brett is a recognized figure in psychedelic and cannabinoid related biotechnology, and a proven founder. He began his career at Northeastern University's Center for Drug Discovery where, as research administrator, he co-managed over $80m in federal grants for endocannabinoid and serotonin related drug discovery efforts under one of the world's foremost cannabinoid scientists. In his 12.5 years there, Brett co-founded psychedelic conference and media company Psymposia, cannabis company Evokanna, and most recently, Adelia Therapeutics, Inc. Adelia Therapeutics, Inc was acquired by public psychedelic pharmaceutical company Cybin (NYSE:CYBN), and Brett subsequently served as their Chief Innovation Officer for 3 years. Evokanna was acquired in 2022 by a private company. He continues to advise biotech companies through his consulting firm Au Mind, LLC.
Jace Anderson
ERP Implementation Consultant with a strong track record in optimizing business processes. Currently contributing expertise at The Answer Company in British Columbia, Canada. Former Director of IT Business Applications at Tilray, overseeing multiple ERP systems, data integrations, and regulatory compliance. Skilled in project management, team leadership, and problem-solving. Focused on driving operational efficiency and delivering exceptional results.
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