Leah Heise is an experienced executive, regulatory attorney and business innovator. She is most well known for her experience in the legal cannabis industry, where she was an integral part of the pioneering first wave of growth of regulated cannabis, from its origins as a legacy and activist-driven enterprise to a billion-dollar legal industry. As the Founder & CEO of Gemini Twin Consulting, she guides cannabis and other business operations through complex issues including scaling, infrastructure, compliance, licensing, and M&A – all while maintaining her personal mission of creating an inclusive environment for all. An accomplished C-suite veteran, Leah’s previous positions include Ascend Wellness Holdings (CAO), Women Grow (CEO), 4Front Ventures (CXO) and Chesapeake Integrated Health Institute (Founder & President). She has successfully exited four companies – two through acquisition, one which created a more than a 10x return for investors, and two through IPO. At Ascend, where she served as the Chief Administrative Officer, Leah’s focus on building scalable infrastructure assisted the company to grow its human resources from 73 employees to more than 1300 in less than 18 months, and from $19M in revenue in 2019 to a $1.6B market cap on IPO.

But before she became an industry leader, Leah was introduced to the cannabis industry as a patient. In the midst of a successful career as an attorney dealing with commercial fisheries, she was diagnosed with pancreatitis, a debilitating illness that can be fatal. After over 35 hospitalizations, the loss of her health and the ability to work, in 2015 Leah’s doctor suggested she try cannabis to reduce the inflammation and ease the pain, and the results were nothing less than life-changing. Not only did this plant medicine allow her the freedom and good health to live and work, but it brought her to the industry. In the years since she started using cannabis, she has only been hospitalized once with complications from pancreatitis, and her doctors remain enthusiastic about her body’s response to the plant.

Leah also serves as a Constellation advisor to Kearney, at top tier CPG and transformative management consulting firm bringing their operational expertise to cannabis. Additionally, she is also a Strategic Advisor and part owner in Safe Arbor (a pre-market contactless delivery system) and ProCanna (a software platform providing compliant, operational efficiencies to the industry). She also volunteers for Athletes for Care and Rylie’s Smile. When Leah isn’t working, she loves to watch live music, travel, hike, sing, sketch, read – and keeps promising herself that she will start doing yoga again.