Lori Ferrara is an accredited and award-winning cannabis industry professional, advisor, entrepreneur, and investor with a passion for educating new cannabis consumers and business development. Empowering women and promoting social equity are the values that she holds close to her heart and has remained in the forefront of her businesses. Ferrara’s latest creation is Treehouse Global Ventures, a fund she co-founded that focuses raising capital to invest in women and minority owned businesses in cannabis. Additionally, Ferrara’s private equity firm, Alexava Holdings, specializes in cannabis investments and consultation nationwide. Ferrara has aided multiple applicants to win cannabis cultivation and retail licenses while also mentoring, advising, and scaling these companies. Her awards include: Female Cannabis Investor of the Year by The Motley Fool in 2022, Pioneering Investment Manager of the Year in 2019, Cannabis Dealmakers Summit, and an Outstanding Member award by the Arcview Group in 2017. Ferrara also serves on the Benzinga Cannabis Advisory Council, a board comprised of key thought leaders sharing insights into industry trends, relevant news and forecasts. Ferrara’s professional toolkit comes with 25 years of television syndication and program distribution for clients such as Warner Bros., Tribune Entertainment, Disney ABC Television Group, King World and Harpo. Ferrara founded Picture Perfect Partners in Chicago, Illinois. The company delivered television programming via satellite worldwide. Her hope for Treehouse Global Ventures and Alexava Holdings is to empower, inspire and mentor these entrepreneurs while also managing a successful fund.