Jill Lamoureux is a nationally recognized cannabis best practice expert in Colorado with extensive experience in cultivation, manufacturing and distribution. Jill was the only industry representative to serve on both the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Colorado Department of Revenue medical marijuana advisory committees. She also serves as a subject matter expert to BOTEC Analysis Corporation for Washington State and the Commonwealth of Jamaica. Jill regularly provides strategic consulting to public and private clients on a variety of issues from operations and regulations to financing and due diligence. Her latest venture is serving as the CEO for SprkLabs.
When building the cannabis industry from the ground up, why is gender parity (having at least 50% women) so important?
I don’t know that overall gender parity is as important as parity of opportunity for advancement. It would be great if the workforce at a minimum represented regular users (6% of women and 8% of men) and that stayed consistent to the executive level.
What social justice and/or criminal justice reforms do you want the US to make around its drug policy, particularly around cannabis?
After legalization in Colorado overall cannabis arrests went down, but increased for minorities – that is definitely not the result drug reformers wanted to see.
Why are environmentally sustainable business practices essential to the future of the cannabis industry?
As a human being, sustainability in every industry and in our homes is critical for our future – period. From a business standpoint, utility costs are a large portion of the cost of cultivation and any reduction in utility usage will make a business more competitive.
How do you incorporate gender parity, social justice, and environmental sustainability into your work and the growth of your business/organization?
I often assist companies with the design of their early-stage operating models and am able to implement these goals in the initial planning phase. Once up and running, the standard operating procedures already incorporate steps toward meeting these goals.
