2 New Board Members Elected to the Arizona Dispensaries Association

Arizona Dispensaries Association (ADA) has announced its new board members. ADA welcomes newly-elected Michael O’Brien from Ponderosa and Brian Warde from Prime Leaf as board members for the 2023-2025 term. Lilach Mazor Power from MAZOR Collective was re-elected and will serve another term.

Michael O’Brien graduated from NYU’s law school in 2007. From 2007 to 2018, he worked in the traditional legal sector offering legal advice for various practices or in-house at Arizona companies. In 2018, he made the switch to working in cannabis and served as the CEO and general counsel for Sonoran Roots Craft Cannabis in Tempe, Ariz. O’Brien is a member of the State Bar of Arizona, Arizona Cannabis Bar Association and several local industry associations.

“I am honored to join the Arizona Dispensaries Association board as they continue to grow its membership and serve as the voice for Arizonans involved in the cannabis industry,” said O’Brien. “The opportunity to impact the state of cannabis in Arizona is not to be taken lightly and I have many innovative ideas to bring to the table.”

Warde has two operational licenses in Arizona. With eight years of experience in the Arizona cannabis industry, he actively provides sage business advice to peers interested in learning more. Warde continues to be actively involved in a variety of cannabis industry networking groups. “My perspective has been formed through integrity and business ethics. All of my work and advice is fair and candid,” said Warde.

“I have worked tirelessly to legitimize the Arizona cannabis industry in the eyes of the greater community and have been successful in forging partnerships with a wide range of organizations and nonprofits,” said Warde. “In my new role, I am in support of all efforts that advance the conversation about cannabis and believe it is vital to normalizing its use in Arizona.”

Lilach Mazor Power is the founder and CEO of Mazor Collective—one of the only woman majority-owned Arizona cannabis licensed companies. The collective includes vertically integrated, Arizona-based Giving Tree Dispensary as well as product lines Kindred, Sneakers and cannabis for menopause brand, Revelry. She has served nine years in the industry and has helped raise more than $100,000 for charities through her cannabis brands. She currently has operations in Puerto Rico and has plans to expand to her home country of Israel.

ADA board members aim to help the association in expanding social justice and equity in the cannabis industry. Their combined extensive experience in legal operations and cannabis will help them reach communities in the Arizona market.

The Arizona Dispensaries Association membership is open to individuals who are officers, directors or members of an Arizona organization holding a valid dispensary registration certificate. Affiliate membership is open to those actively engaged in business in Arizona’s cannabis industry. To learn more about the Arizona Dispensaries Association, please visit the Arizona Dispensaries Association website.