Jessica Gonzalez is a cannabis attorney, a cannabis adjunct professor, a policy advocate, and consultant. An Ecuadorian immigrant, Jessica has dedicated her career to uplifting communities harmed by cannabis prohibition through advocacy and education. In 2020, Jessica led the social impact committee for NJ CAN 2020, the coalition that ran the most successful cannabis legalization campaign in the United States. Through her advocacy work, Jessica has helped shape cannabis policy in New Jersey and has helped advise on social equity efforts in more than seven different states.
In 2021, Jessica gave the first cannabis industry presentation to the US Patent and Trademark Office. As a cannabis attorney, Jessica has assisted clients in navigating the legal cannabis industry in the areas of trademark and state licensing applications. Most recently, Jessica’s consulting company, Veridis Quo, was selected by the New Jersey Business Action Center to serve as the inaugural consultant to develop and launch the New Jersey Cannabis Training Academy.
Jessica has been recognized as one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People” in cannabis by High Times magazine, “Top 40 under 40 Rising Stars” by Marijuana Venture magazine and Cannabis Now magazine, designated as a “Cannabis Law Trailblazer” by the National Law Journal, and awarded “Community Game Changer of the Year” by NJ Cannabis Media. Jessica is also an alumnus of the New Jersey New Leaders Council, a national organization that selects civic leaders in their respective fields. She’s been quoted and featured in numerous media outlets such as the New York Times, Rolling Stone, NJ Law Journal, MJBIZ Daily, Cheddar, and the Cannabis Business Times.
