17th Annual Ethics and Responsible Business Forum

Tiffany Devitt

Co-founder & Chief Compliance and Information Officer CannaCraft and a North Bay Women in Business Award Recipient.

Tiffany is responsible for overseeing CannaCraft’s compliance, government affairs, and research. Tiffany was previously the Senior Vice-President of Business Development for NearSpace where she led that company in pioneering the healthcare application market. Prior to NearSpace, she was Vice President of Business Development for J2 Global Communication, a multi-billion dollar telecommunications company, where she oversaw the company’s international expansion/operations. She received a BA from Tufts University, and a Masters from Stanford University.

Dr. Howard C. Samuels

Licensed therapist and leading expert in alcohol and substance abuse; Founder of The Hills Treatment Center

Dr. Samuels is a licensed therapist with a doctorate in Clinical Psychology who has worked in the field of addiction for over 30 years. He has run and operated three world-renowned treatment centers while maintaining a successful private practice in the Los Angeles area. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Friendly House and is involved with Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a not-for-profit organization which lobbies against the legalization of marijuana alongside Patrick Kennedy, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Dr. Samuels treats patients who suffer from a variety of issues other than drug and alcohol addiction, including depression and anxiety disorders. This broad range of expertise has made Dr. Samuels one of the most sought after addiction professionals in the nation.

Jeff Froshman

Financial Consultant, Wells Fargo Advisors; Distinguished Lecturer, College of Business at CSUMB

Jeff Froshman is the "original" faculty member with our College of Business, teaching here since January 1996. He founded our accounting program, taught the initial classes and assisted with the expansion of the accounting concentration to its current level. A retired CPA, Jeff is currently a Financial Consultant with Wells Fargo Advisors at the Santana Row office in San Jose.

Sarah Cabral

Ethicist, Boston College

Sarah is a Senior Lecturer of Business Ethics in the Portico Program at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. Her areas of research specialization are Business Ethics, Social Responsibility, and Business Ethics Education. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy and English Literature from Gordon College, an M.A. in Humanities from University of Chicago, an M.B.A from Boston College, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Loyola University of Chicago.

Richard De Andrade

Founder & CEO Solare Holdings, LLC, Inc.

Richard De Andrade is an emigre from South America holding several undergraduate degrees. He received his MBA in 1996, from MIIS in Monterey, CA. He has more than 30 years of experience in finance and business management. Richard is also active in several charitable organizations helping children, animals, and the elderly. He was recently nominated for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society Silicon Valley/Monterey Bay Man of the year campaign in 2018 to help raise awareness and funding for blood cancer, and continues to currently raise awareness for this cause.

Gavin Kogan

Co-founder & Chairman of Grupo Flor

Gavin is a Co-founder and Chairman of Grupo Flor, a vertically integrated group of cannabis enterprises headquartered in Monterey County, California. Gavin is a member of the California State Bar Association, the California Cannabis Industry Associations ("CCIA"), the National Cannabis Bar Association (“NCBA”) and is a co-founding member of the California Cannabis Manufacturer's Association ("CCMA"). He is one of California's earliest cannabis business attorneys. He is a frequent speaker on cannabis laws, regulatory development, and supply chain issues nationwide. Gavin is a frequent guest contributor to cannabis industry magazines and blogs.

Jason Sweatt

Founder & Director, Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance

Jason Sweatt is a co-founder of Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance (SCVA) and Pharmers Manufacturing currently operating licenses for cultivation, distribution, manufacturing, and retail. Jason has been featured in the New York Times, on CNN, and has served locally on advisory seats for both the Santa Cruz County Cultivation Choices Committee (C4) and the City of Watsonville as they developed cannabis regulations. Today, SCVA represents a fast-growing grass-roots effort of disabled veterans and their supporters who believe in the therapeutic qualities of cannabis.

Dean Shyam Kamath, Ph. D.

College of Business

At CSUMB, we tackle the big issues that confront us as educated community members and an engaged citizenry. The debate surrounding the legalization of cannabis and its impact on our society is reminiscent of the debate on the abolition of prohibition in the last century. I join my fellow deans in our collaborating colleges in welcoming you and our talented speakers and panelists to present and discuss the issues raised by the legalization of cannabis in our 17th annual Ethics and Responsible Business Forum. Our speakers and panelists will address the tough and difficult questions concerning freedom of choice and regulation, the impacts of commercialization, health benefits and costs, safety impacts, and economic and equity issues that are pertinent to the debate. I look forward to an informative and lively forum that will educate and enlighten us. Thank you for joining us for this important debate and conversation.

Dean Ilene Feinman, Ph. D.

College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

I am honored to join my fellow deans in welcoming you to the 17th Annual Ethics and Responsible Business Forum. At its best, the Forum represents engagement across colleges and disciplines to address important issues of our time and provide an opportunity to bring together our knowledge and skills to explore the ethical underpinnings of business practices. This year’s presentation raises key questions regarding the impact of legalizing cannabis and understanding its social, economic, and health effects. Thank you for joining us for this important conversation.

Dean Britt Rios-Ellis, Ph. D.

College of Health Sciences and Human Services

Welcome all students and friends of the University. The College of Health Sciences and Human Services is delighted to sponsor the 17th Annual Ethics and Responsible Business Forum. This year’s theme “Is Cannabis ‘Good’ Business?” is an important topic for discussion and dialog because it has health, economic, and community implications.

Associate Dean Thomas Horvath, Ph. D.

College of Science

The College of Science extends a warm welcome to all the participants in this year’s Ethics and Responsible Business Forum. With our commitment to providing students a framework for making informed and ethical choices, we can fully support a balanced and in-depth dialogue around what is becoming a major agricultural and culture-based industry in our region. The College of Science is also committed to applying broad-based, integrated approaches to environmental issues. Cannabis is already a major cultivar in Monterey County. Ensuring that its development as an economically viable crop is done in an environmentally responsible manner is beneficial to everyone. We look forward to engaging conversations around this topic and truly appreciate your participation.