About Us

Erin Hiatt is a New York City-based writer and journalist who came to writing about cannabis and hemp after (and during!) a career as a performer. Of all the side hustles undertaken to support herself between gigs, writing is the hustle that stuck. Today, she is a cannabis industry veteran with more than eight years of experience under her belt.

As a freelance writer and author, Paul has covered a wide variety of topics from the history of gas attacks in WWI to travel memoirs about hiking a 750 mile Buddhist pilgrimage in Japan. He is also an accomplished storyteller and performer. He produced and hosted a monthly storytelling show in Seattle and his work has been featured on The Moth’s Grandslam, RISK!, Out There, and more. He has also been featured on several travel podcasts, including Backpacker Radio, Armchair Explorer, Zero to Travel, and Deviate with Rolf Potts.

Trevor is a content marketing writer who previously taught composition and literature at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Santa Fe College. He now uses his years of experience as an editor and educator to teach people about cannabis. After graduate school, Trevor took a job in copywriting and public relations for a regional event service, managing social media marketing across five cities. Later, he managed a bar in Florida, assisting with digital marketing and events coordination. He also briefly covered Seattle sports for SidelineBuzz.

Shirley Ju is a Journalist, On-Camera Host, Publicist based in Los Angeles, who's been writing and interviewing artists in the entertainment industry for over 11 years. Her first true love is music, but cannabis is a close second! She recently started her own show called Shirley's Temple, which has a focus on mental health. A firm believer in hard work, dedication, and passion, Shirley hopes to inspire people with everything she does. Her bylines include Variety, Complex, REVOLT, Flaunt Magazine, and she previously worked at Power 106 doing Digital Content/Artist Relations. She also has a puppy named Slim who she adores with all her heart!

David Martin is a Denver native, commercial cannabis grower and reviewer. He has worked in grows for multiple Colorado cannabis companies; most recently, Callie's Cannabis. He has his M.S. in Sports Marketing from the University of Memphis, and previously taught E.S.L. His favorite pastimes are animated comedies like Bob's Burgers and Rick and Morty. You can often find him concocting new edibles on the weekend.

Adam Pallay is a writer in the cannabis space that focuses on education and product engagement. Drawing from his doctoral work in semiotics and extensive experience in the cannabis industry, Adam specializes in crafting narratives that reshape the public perception of cannabis and psychedelics. In addition to contributing at PotGuide, his words can be found at Leafly, Cresco Labs, and Doubleblind Magazine.

Samantha Smith is a freelance writer, journalist, medical cannabis patient and marijuana advocate. Currently she holds the title of Corporate Merchandising and Marketing Communications Manager for The Green Door, a chain of dispensaries in Michigan.

Andrew Ward is a Brooklyn-based cannabis writer and creative. His work has appeared on Benzinga, High Times, PROHBTD and several other publications and brand blogs. He has covered the cannabis space for over three years, and has written professionally since 2011. His first book, "Cannabis Jobs," was released in October 2019. Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn to stay up to date.

Abby is a writer and founder of Cannabis Content, a marketplace designed to connect cannabis writers and creatives with businesses in the industry. She has been a professional cannabis writer since 2014 and regularly contributes to publications such as PotGuide and M&F Talent. She is also the Content Director at Fortuna Hemp, America’s leading feminized hemp seed bank. Follow Abby on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

As a former global educator, Nicholas uses his B.S. in biology to leverage his understanding of cannabinoid science into meaningful content for readers. For several years, Nicholas has written for several blogs, including Green Flower, and provided copywriting services for CBD and cannabis companies worldwide. He's also a Staff Writer for Terpenes and Testing Magazine, CBD Health and Wellness Magazine, and Extraction Magazine. While Nicholas is a medical cannabis patient in Michigan, he has traveled from Spain to Colombia to Cambodia to see what cannabis is like around the world. He uses his background in science, world experience, and unique writing style to help people learn more about cannabis and cannabinoids at www.TheCannabiologist.com and on Instagram @Cannabiologist. You can also connect with Nicholas on his LinkedIn profile.

A born and raised Hoosier and Indiana University alumna, Morgan Smith is a freelance writer and editor based in the Denver area. Morgan has worked with B2B, nonprofit and regional publications, but especially enjoys learning and educating others about the inner-workings of the cannabis industry. Her freelance writing supported her recent six-month solo backpacking trip to South America where she climbed volcanoes, played with llamas and jumped off a bridge.

Josh Kasoff is a freelance journalist, writer, poet and cannabis advocate living in Las Vegas. Originally from Texas, he moved out to Vegas to both have safe and legal access to cannabis and to work directly in the industry. He enjoys covering the law and politics behind cannabis, as well as the lifestyle and culture of cannabis, and its many uses.”

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Samuel J. Smith is a modest Green Bay Packers fan who enjoys creative writing, cooking and inventing useful products. As an unaffected youth of the war on drugs and 1990s DARE program, Samuel seeks to spread his passion of cannabis to other like-minded individuals.

Mohammad Ashori, M.D. is a board-certified physician practicing in Los Angeles, CA. He attended UCLA medical school and completed his family medicine residency at UCLA as well. His career started out at a large HMO at Kaiser Permanente which he left in 2016 to work on the then-burgeoning field of telehealth. Since then he has worked with numerous healthcare startups focusing on patient education, empowerment, and access. He is passionate about the science of clinical medicine but doesn't like to stray too far from one-on-one clinical care. As of 2021, he is practicing in various urgent care in the Los Angeles area.

Dr. Hooten is a research physician in new therapeutics with a special focus on psychiatric diseases. He received his MD from the University of Queensland in Australia (where he maintains close ties with the medical cannabis community) and a clinical certificate from Ochsner Clinical School in New Orleans.

Stephanie Bagnall, J.D. is a legal research and writing expert who supports nonprofits, law firms and other organizations in a wide variety of industries all over the country. She is also a passionate advocate for civil rights and people with disabilities.