Founder and CEO of Ardent, a Boston-based biotechnology company, Shanel Lindsay combined her entrepreneurial passion with her experience as a practicing attorney to effect change in the cannabis industry and bring innovative solutions to medical cannabis patients and the broader community. Shanel Lindsay was an author of - and spokeswoman for - the successful ballot initiative that made cannabis legal for adults over the age of 21 in Massachusetts.
 
In July 2017 Shanel Lindsay was appointed to the Massachusetts Cannabis Advisory Board by State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg. Shanel Lindsay was reappointed for a second term in August 2019. The Board and Shanel Lindsay work with the Cannabis Control Commission to oversee marijuana legalization and licensure for companies seeking to grow, process or sell marijuana products in the state..
 
Shanel Lindsay remains involved in the development of marijuana laws and new businesses in Massachusetts and across the country as a frequent speaker and expert consultant for other emerging businesses in the cannabis and biotech space. Always focused on creating and empowering a diverse and inclusive industry, Shanel Lindsay is also co-founder of Equal Opportunities Now, which successfully fought to preserve and expand the equity provisions in the new Massachusetts cannabis law and the Northeast Cannabis Coalition, a multi-disciplinary group of business owners and professionals dedicated to ensuring that innovation and access are central features of this new economy.
 
Ardent’s suite of consumable products and commitment to science and data make it a leader in the medical and adult use markets. Ardent is poised for explosive growth in both the B2B and B2C cannabis markets, as well as the broader health and wellness space.
 
Focus areas:
* New Product Development
* Strategic Marketing & Branding
* Client Relationship Management
* Licensing, Patents & Copyright
* Public Relations
* Contracts & Negotiation
* Social Justice Reform