{"id":150,"date":"2023-04-26T04:28:46","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T04:28:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/?page_id=150"},"modified":"2025-04-02T22:02:50","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T02:02:50","slug":"about-us","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/about-us\/","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"150\" class=\"elementor elementor-150\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-24aa526 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"24aa526\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-82ee4f2\" data-id=\"82ee4f2\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51ab6b4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"51ab6b4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The mission of the New York State Cannabis Workforce Initiative (CWI) is to promote and support social equity in the adult-use cannabis market by providing quality workforce development and legal education. Our work prioritizes diversity, equity, and quality jobs in the emerging cannabis industry through skills training, entrepreneurism services, workforce supports, legal education for employees and employers, and the development of high-road career pathways. We draw our expertise from Cornell ILR and WDI.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-ee26b3c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ee26b3c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-2e3e835\" data-id=\"2e3e835\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e80ea1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1e80ea1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Staff<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7922347 elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"7922347\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\">\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"section\" data-elementor-id=\"687\" class=\"elementor elementor-687\" data-elementor-post-type=\"elementor_library\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7c8b116b tabs elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7c8b116b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-26117488\" data-id=\"26117488\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-7c02bdfd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7c02bdfd\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-cce66d8\" data-id=\"cce66d8\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f2922df elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f2922df\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Esta-002-2-1.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-1422\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Esta-002-2-1.png 200w, https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/Esta-002-2-1-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b449eb1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b449eb1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5>Esta Bigler, Esq.<\/h5><p><strong>Director<\/strong><br \/>Labor and Employment Law Program, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-86b25a2\" data-id=\"86b25a2\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7894c027 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"7894c027\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ADesjardin-e1688594097705.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-1423\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ADesjardin-e1688594097705.png 250w, https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ADesjardin-e1688594097705-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-16669a59 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"16669a59\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5>Amy Desjardins<\/h5><p><strong>Executive Director<\/strong><br \/>Workforce Development Institute<br \/>(WDI)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-70c77fe\" data-id=\"70c77fe\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f08a0ba elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f08a0ba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Oyediran-Cecilia-headshot-web.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-1270\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Oyediran-Cecilia-headshot-web.jpeg 200w, https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Oyediran-Cecilia-headshot-web-150x150.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6bd793d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6bd793d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5>Cecilia Oyediran<\/h5><p><strong>Deputy Director<\/strong><br \/>Labor and Employment Law Program, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-423cfe2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"423cfe2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-7e2ef01\" data-id=\"7e2ef01\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3fd613f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3fd613f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Sara-Edwards-2017.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-1271\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Sara-Edwards-2017.jpeg 200w, https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Sara-Edwards-2017-150x150.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ddd0773 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ddd0773\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5>Sara Edwards<\/h5><p><strong>Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives<\/strong><br \/>Labor and Employment Law Program, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-7b5e4118\" data-id=\"7b5e4118\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-30dce6ef elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"30dce6ef\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/DavidSerrano_web-e1688594116131.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-1419\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/DavidSerrano_web-e1688594116131.jpeg 250w, https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/DavidSerrano_web-e1688594116131-150x150.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-41413af elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"41413af\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5>David Serrano<\/h5><p><strong>Cannabis Workforce Initiative Project Manager,<br \/>Instructor<\/strong><\/p><p>Workforce Development Institute<br \/>(WDI)<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-b757fb3\" data-id=\"b757fb3\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d56eebd elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d56eebd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"760\" src=\"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Screenshot-2024-11-18-at-11.23.52\u202fAM.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-5732\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Screenshot-2024-11-18-at-11.23.52\u202fAM.png 800w, https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Screenshot-2024-11-18-at-11.23.52\u202fAM-300x285.png 300w, https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Screenshot-2024-11-18-at-11.23.52\u202fAM-768x730.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5726e46 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5726e46\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h5>Charles Johnson<\/h5><p><strong>Senior Education &amp; Training Associate, Labor and Employment Law Programs<\/strong><\/p><p>Labor and Employment Law Program, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The mission of the New York State Cannabis Workforce Initiative (CWI) is to promote and support social equity in the adult-use cannabis market by providing quality workforce development and legal education. Our work prioritizes diversity, equity, and quality jobs in the emerging cannabis industry through skills training, entrepreneurism services, workforce supports, legal education for employees [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-150","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-02-14 01:53:20","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=150"}],"version-history":[{"count":82,"href":"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/150\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6113,"href":"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/150\/revisions\/6113"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabisworkforce.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}