I didn’t set out to be in cannabis banking. My journey wasn’t a straight line. It was filled with many detours and stops along the way, beginning with traditional finance, moving to technology, and then back to finance again. However, there was one moment in particular that gave me the clarity I needed to chart a new path.
I was just past 50, sitting in a role at a bank where decisions were increasingly made at the expense of people. One situation hit me hard: a long-standing customer, a small business that had been good to the community, found itself in a tough financial spot. They needed just a little grace, one payroll cycle, a few days to catch their breath. But the mandate came down: “Take the money. Close the account.” It wasn’t about helping them survive. It was about mitigating institutional risk.
That was the moment. The switch flipped. I didn’t want to be part of a system where money always mattered more than people. So I did what any rational person does in a moment of mid-career crisis: I Googled “plant medicine, technology, and banking.” That search led me to Green Check and to the realization that I could use decades of banking experience to help build something with real impact, rooted in access, equity, and human dignity.
Finding Voice in Male-Dominated Spaces
My entire career has been spent moving through spaces as the only woman in the room. For a long time, I thought the way to survive was to be like the men in my orbit: direct, assertive, and fast-moving.
But here’s the truth: it wasn’t always well received. I was once told I walked too loudly through the office lobby. Not talked too loudly. Walked. It felt like just the sound of my heels was too much, like I was a threat just by being there. That’s when it hit me: I could keep making myself smaller to fit into spaces that weren’t made for me, or I could show up as I truly am.
Now, I lean into my authenticity, and that has served me well. I don’t water myself down anymore, nor apologize for being confident, passionate, or outspoken. The discomfort that someone else feels in the presence of your brilliance is for them to unpack, not you.
Real Impact, Real People
One of my proudest moments in cannabis banking came early in my time at Green Check. We were working with a company called Bennabis, which provides health benefits for medical cannabis patients. They were new, needed guidance, and just wanted to do right by their community. The meeting was filled with hours of education, true connection, and problem-solving. When that call ended, I sat back in my chair and said to myself: This is what it’s supposed to feel like.
We weren’t just pushing paper or checking regulatory boxes. We were helping a company help people access the medicine they rely on. That joy still carries me to this day.
Learning from Trailblazers
Throughout this journey, I’ve been very fortunate to learn from powerful women in the cannabis space who lead with courage and kindness.
Scheril Murray Powell is a legal and social equity powerhouse. The first time we met, she handed me three business cards, one for each of her ventures. A strong educator on justice through the Last Prisoner Project, and the real stakes of equity in cannabis. She’s everywhere. Always with a smile and a hug. Always advocating.
There’s Mary Jane Oatman, founder of the Indigenous Cannabis Industry Association. Watching her work with tribal nations, building economic opportunities while honoring culture and sovereignty, is endlessly inspiring. She embodies a balance that includes economic vision rooted in community healing.
And then there’s Debra Borchardt, who ran the Green Market Report for years. I’ve never met her in person, but her sharp business insight and commitment to data remind me that in this work, heart and numbers must coexist.
Building with Women, for Everyone
The most meaningful collaborations? They happen with the women on my team. We come from cannabis, finance, compliance, and tech, but what unites us is a shared drive to solve hard problems with empathy, strategy, and integrity. When we face a challenge, we huddle. We get creative. We build.
In this industry, women tend to amplify each other. We refer business, share intel, trade hugs, and contacts on the conference circuit. We write guidelines together. We teach. We lift. And when one of us wins, we all move forward.
Advice for the Next Generation
To women looking at cannabis or finance and wondering if they belong: you do. Here’s a bit of advice. Don’t waste your energy trying to break into rooms that were never built for you. Look for companies where diversity is a natural part of their ecosystem, where women are already leading as CEOs, CFOs, and founders. The ones hiring diverse teams. The ones where you won’t have to fight just to be seen.
Fighting to be seen is exhausting. If I had the opportunity to do it all over again, I would have sought out more inclusive spaces earlier in my career, instead of trying to fix broken ones.
Changing the System
If we want more women to lead and thrive, the system has to shift. We need a balance between metrics and meaning, profit and purpose. It’s not about erasing traditional paths, but making space for new ones.
Too often, leadership looks like a single worn-down sidewalk: business school, golf outings, corporate ladders. But there are other paths. Feminine leadership offers a different but equal path: direct, intuitive, and community-centered. When hiring at Green Check, the first thing I look for is what makes a candidate unique, not the same, and I insist that all candidates receive a fair shot. Internally, I am intentional about shining a light on the women within our organization who don’t always know they’re allowed to brag.
I make sure everyone’s presence is seen and heard, not just the loudest. Because our footsteps matter, even if they’re a little loud in the lobby.
