Emma Chasen | Eminent Consulting
Emma Chasen is a Brown University graduate with a specialized Biology degree in Medicinal Plant Research. Formerly the Director Of Education at the venerable Portland cannabis dispensary Farma, Emma now co-owns and operates Eminent Consulting, a firm specializing in cannabis education and industry development.
Emma, how did you first get involved in the cannabis space?
I came to the cannabis industry from an academic, research background. I received my undergraduate degree from Brown University with a focus in medicinal plant research and ethnobotany. After graduation, I went on to work at the Brown University Oncology Research Group helping to coordinate
clinical oncology trials nationwide. When my supervisor laughed at the prospect of conducting a cannabis trial, I quit and headed across the country to Portland where I found work in the cannabis industry as a budtender at the Portland dispensary, Farma. I found I had a real ability to explain cannabis science and guide people in their integration of cannabis medicine. I was promoted to General Manager where I truly realized the stark lack of education and standardized training in the cannabis industry.
This was and continues to be a huge liability, especially in regards to retail cannabis professionals. Patients seek answers to questions from dispensary employees that their doctors cannot even answer. Without proper training, dispensary employees may give uneducated advice to patients that could negatively impact a patient’s experience. This deep realization and my desire to produce accessible and digestible educational resources for the cannabis industry and lay enthusiasts was pivotal. It made me step down from my role as General Manager and pursue cannabis education full time. This eventually led to the formation of my business – Eminent Consulting.
What do you hope to achieve in your career long-term and who do you hope to impact?
I hope to have global influence and impact on the way regulated markets promote scientific-based cannabis education and require standardized training for dispensary professionals.
What excites you about being an instructor with Althea?
My passion is to create accessible and digestible educational opportunities for cannabis industry professionals and lay enthusiasts, so working with Althea in this way was a no brainer. I am especially excited about the educational marketplace tailored for cannabis where different companies can all come together to host their diverse expertise on the same platform.
Emma Chasen & Matt Taylor, Founders of Eminent Consulting Firm
What's the best career advice you've heard?
Reframe your relationship with failure and keep hustling! If you believe in your mission, stay with it and look to “failures” as learning opportunities that allow you to level up and get closer to achieving your vision.
Okay, top three skills needed to succeed in cannabis... Go!
A conscientious work ethic, an intellectual curiosity and drive to learn more, and an ability to easily adapt to change.
Elevate the Ecosystem. It's our responsibility to lift up the people around us to create a strong and diverse ecosystem.
We all love cannabis but what else are you passionate about?
I am obviously very passionate about science, specifically in the realm of integrative plant medicine. I also love to cook, get out in nature and spend time with my friends and family.
What do you do when you aren't working?
I love to read, cook abundant amounts of Italian food, spend time with my family and friends and get out into nature.
Finally, if you could change one thing about the current cannabis environment, what would it be?
We need restorative justice and equity measures. This industry is way too white given the calculated violence enacted on marginalized communities and people of color during the War on Drugs. To have largely white men profiting off of this plant that destroyed communities of color during prohibition is simply put disgusting and unfair.
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We need strategies that will allow people who have been disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs to participate in the legal industry. And we need to free all people who are currently in jail for cannabis crimes and expunge the records of all people who have been previously convicted of cannabis crimes.
