The Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA) – a non-partisan, nonprofit association of current government officials involved in cannabis regulation from more than 45 states and territories – recently elected a new board. The 7-member board is voted in by the state or territory’s designated CANNRA Voting Member.
The 2023-2024 CANNRA board members are:
- President: Will Tilburg, Director, Maryland Cannabis Administration
- President-Elect: Dominique Mendiola, Senior Director, Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division
- Past-President: Tyler Klimas, Executive Director, Nevada Cannabis Compliance Board
- Board Member At Large: Adria Berry, Executive Director, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority
- Board Member At Large: Nicole Elliott, Director, California Department of Cannabis Control
- Board Member At Large: Chris Tholkes, Director, Minnesota Office of Medical Cannabis
- Board Member At Large: Andrew Turnage, Executive Director, Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission
Bringing in New Ideas for Ongoing Cannabis Challenges
“The 2023-2024 CANNRA board is a great mix of our diverse CANNRA member states and territories in terms of policies, politics, people, and place,” CANNRA Executive Director Gillian Schauer said. “The board will benefit from the experience of veteran board members who have served on the CANNRA board before, as well as the new ideas and engagement that will come from new members.”
“I am looking forward to continued work with President Will Tilburg and President-Elect Dominique Mendiola,” Past-President Tyler Klimas said. “It’s a critical time for cannabis regulators with ongoing federal policy debates that stand to impact states and territories, and ongoing challenges on the regulatory front. This board is well positioned to help CANNRA navigate this landscape.”
The New CANNRA Board President
Will Tilburg assumes the role of President, having served as a Board Member At Large in 2022-2023 and having served as the cannabis regulator in Maryland for nearly five years. Maryland was a founding member of CANNRA when it began as a new association.
“I cast Maryland’s vote in favor of forming CANNRA in 2020 because I strongly believed that together we could strengthen and standardize regulatory oversight, develop best practices, and advance cannabis law, policy, and research. Over the past nearly four years the association has done just that and has become a respected, nonpartisan voice helping to shape state, federal, and international cannabis policy and regulation,” Tilburg said. “I look forward to continuing the build on the mission in my role as president.”
The New CANNRA Board President-Elect
Dominique Mendiola comes to her role as President-Elect, having served as a Board Member At Large in 2022-2023 and having served in several roles with the Colorado Governor’s Office and the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division before being named the division’s Senior Director in 2021. Colorado was also a founding member of CANNRA.
“As an association of state regulators who have led and navigated novel issues and worked hard to fill gaps in the absence of a federal framework, it’s been an honor to learn from and support colleagues across the nation,” Mendiola said. “I’m inspired by the progress we’ve made to date and am prepared to lean into this opportunity in a manner that further supports and enhances the incredible influence of our association.”
Onboarding New States and International Members
In addition to welcoming a new board, CANNRA has onboarded a number of new states in recent months, brining CANNRA’s U.S. membership up to 45 states and U.S. territories. Current U.S. CANNRA members include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas (non-voting associate member), Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina (non-voting associate member), North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Virgin Islands, Washington, and West Virginia.
CANNRA also opened an international, non-voting membership category this year and has welcomed Health Canada, the regulatory agency for cannabis in Canada, as its first international member.
