NEW YORK —
MJ Unpacked, the only national trade cannabis event created exclusively for CPG brands, retail executives and accredited investors, announced the speaker lineup and agenda for its upcoming New York City event taking place April 26th – 28th at the New York Hilton Midtown. Following another successful Las Vegas event in September, MJ Unpacked returns to New York City for its second year with its signature top-tier, expertly curated programming and experiential event design.
Attendance at MJ Unpacked is exclusive to cannabis brand and retail executives with the title of manager or higher and accredited investors actively investing in cannabis. Launched only 16 months ago, the event has become the hottest ticket in the industry. Speakers at this year’s MJ Unpacked NYC include 95 of the most influential names across cannabis brands, MSOs and industry tastemakers as well as several policymakers and activists shaping the cannabis landscape in New York and beyond. The event offers two distinct conference programs; one for licensed operators and a second exclusively for fund managers, family offices and HNW investors.
MJ Unpacked’s Main Conference program allows attendees to surround themselves with other cannabis brands and retail executives and gain fresh perspectives and new ideas from licensed operators with proven success stories. From retail innovation and fundraising to social equity and the regulatory landscape, speakers will provide timely and comprehensive insights on the current states of both nascent and mature cannabis markets, with predictions surrounding the future of the industry. The speaker line-up includes:
Chris Alexander – Executive Director at New York State Office of Cannabis Management
Crystal Millican – Head of Retail at Cookies
Patricia Rosi – CMO at Acreage Holdings
Colin Keeler – Head of Business Development, Expansion Markets at KIVA Brands
Caroline Yeh – CEO & Co-Founder at Tsumo Snacks
Shanduke “Trife Gangsta” McPhatter – CEO & Founder, Gangstas Making Astronomical Community Changes Inc.
Kim Napoli – Counsel, The Mensing Group
Rabbi James Kahn – Executive Director, Liberty Cannabis Cares
The MJU Venture Summit, a highly curated one-day program exclusively for investors, fund managers and family office executives to gather and discuss the cannabis investment landscape will kick off at 10am on April 26, and also features a hosted lunch, networking, a preview of exhibiting companies raising capital and an hour early access to the exhibit hall. The line-up features:
Eric Sloane – CRO at CBOE (Chicago Board of Options Exchange) and NEO Exchange
Barrington Rutherford – COO at Combs Global Cannabis Ventures, Chairman of the Board at Park Jordan
Axel Bernabe – Chief of Staff & Senior Policy Director at New York State Office of Cannabis Management
Steven Saltztein – CEO, Force Family Offices
Toi Hutchinson, President and CEO at Marijuana Policy Project
Nicholas Vita – CEO at Columbia Care
“MJ Unpacked is returning to New York City at a moment when anticipation from investors is building around east coast expansion,” said George Jage, co-founder and CEO of Jage Media, producer of MJ Unpacked. “We’re honored to present the most comprehensive CPG event in the industry and create an executive summit environment where decision makers can connect and get deals done. Our goal is to foster a community of brands and retailers and provide them with space and resources to thrive.”
For more information on attending brands, speaker lineup, registration, equity sponsorship, sponsors and more, please visit MJ Unpacked’s website and Instagram at @mjunpacked. Don’t miss out on the chance to save $100 and receive your badges in advance by registering early – advanced registration closes on March 31st!
About MJ Unpacked
All it takes is a spark. MJ Unpacked is the first cannabis event of its kind that places passionate cannabis retailers, THC CPG brands and investors together to drive the future of the industry, determine the next stage of market growth and deliver a true return on investment. The event, founded by George Jage, former president of MJBizDaily/MJBizCon and CEO of Dope Media, and Kim Jage, former EVP and CMO of World Tea Media, creates unique opportunities for executives to learn from fellow professionals, explore expansion opportunities and prepare to be competitive in a national market. Launched in 2021 and held biannually, MJ Unpacked features over 100 nationally-recognized cannabis brands alongside impressive speaker panels and an invite-only Venture Summit. For more information, visit mjunpacked.com and follow on Instagram and Twitter.
