Dr. Jeff Chen

Dr. Jeff Chen MD/MBA is a physician, researcher, and social entrepreneur pioneering cannabis research and commercialization. He is a thought leader on cannabis policy, science, and business and has worked at the intersection of these areas for the last five years to educate and accelerate research into the diverse impact of cannabis legalization on society. Dr. Chen is the Founder and Executive Director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative, one of the first university programs in the world dedicated to cannabis, where he leads a group of 40 interdisciplinary faculty drawn from 15 departments and eight schools at UCLA. At age 29, he is one of the youngest directors of a major university research initiative in America.

Dr. Chen is a graduate of the specialized MD/MBA program at UCLA — while a graduate student, he created some of the nation’s first cannabis science and business conferences, cannabis science and business clubs, and cannabis courses at an American University. As a medical student, Dr. Chen ranked in the 95th percentile amongst all U.S. medical students on national medical licensing exams and received the highest award of distinction for his performance in the specialties of Surgery, Neurology, Pediatrics, and Family Medicine. Dr. Chen has spoken on the topic of cannabis at venues ranging from the RAND Corporation and Senator Feinstein’s Office to the Yale School of Management and Nexus. He has traveled the world educating about cannabis — from teaching the country of Colombia’s first cannabis course for doctors to presenting to the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Bhutan to giving the keynote cannabis science talk at Asia’s first cannabis investment summit. He has appeared in fireside chats with public figures ranging from media personalities like Jonathan Van Ness, to athletes like Matt Barnes, to politicians like former Governor of Colorado John Hickenlooper. His work has been covered by outlets ranging from Rolling Stone and Vogue to TIME Magazine and the Wall Street Journal.

Dr. Chen is a David Geffen Fellow, U.S. patent holder, and published author in cancer research. He is a member of the Helena Group, Sandbox, and Nexus. He was named a “Globalshaper” by the World Economic Forum and is a Schusterman Foundation Reality Impact Alumnus. Dr. Chen graduated Magna Cum Laude from Cornell University, where he studied Biology, Business, and Music. He has been a lifelong musician, having sung at venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to the Vatican, and on weekends you can often find him singing and playing guitar on the Venice Beach boardwalk.

Kyle Kazan

Kyle Kazan is Co-founder and CEO of California Cannabis Enterprises (CCE). CCE is a California-based vertically-integrated cultivator, manufacturer, branding company and retailer for cannabis products. Over the course of his career, he has launched a total of 23 private equity real estate funds. The estimated value of properties currently owned and under management is over $1 billion. Kazan is a retired police officer from Torrance, California and became a cannabis legalization advocate through LEAP, “Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.” He closed his first fund in regulated cannabis industry — AP Investment Fund with $12.6 million in November 2016. Since 2016, Kazan has raised over $50M in private equity in the cannabis space. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California.

Matthew Nordgren

Matthew Nordgren is an ambitious executive, dedicated philanthropist, and accomplished athlete who brings a unique passion to creating strategic alliances. He brings breadth and depth of experience in finance, corporate development, and capital sourcing, as well as in building highly motivated teams of skilled professionals.

In 2005, Mr. Nordgren received his education at the University of Texas in Austin, while playing football for the Texas Longhorns football team. As a quarterback on a National Championship winning team, he developed skills that would be carried through his lifetime and core business philosophies. He was the first full scholarship in the NCAA University of Texas football history to graduate with two degrees in less than four years and being accepted into and pursuing a dual Master’s Degree program. After playing professionally briefly with the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles (where he was sidelined with injury), Mr. Nordgren went on to earn two Master’s degrees in business and sports management from the University of Dallas. He was subsequently featured on the Bravo TV show “Most Eligible Dallas,” while becoming a partner in the family business, NORDCO, Inc., a Dallas-based energy conservation firm. This is also when he helped to develop, manage and build his first private equity business/family office, which was a sports and entertainment focused portfolio.

Throughout his career, Mr. Nordgren has been appointed to many executive leadership positions at a wide-ranging group of companies and industries. From real estate to sports and entertainment, from hospitality to insurance and financial services, from emerging industries to later stage leveraged buy outs, he is singularly focused on finding synergistic opportunities that have upside potential. He is committed to successfully helping manage the overall financial state of his clients’ businesses and the companies with which he and his clients have interests within.

Mr. Nordgren is currently CEO and Founder of ARCADIAN Fund and ARCADIAN Capital management, a venture fund focused on the ancillary service providing companies in and around the cannabis and hemp industries. More specifically, on Series A type opportunities where proven businesses are looking for growth equity to attack and win new markets. He was recently name one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in the Cannabis Industry” by High Times Magazine. Additionally, he is the founder of NORDCO Consulting LLC, a private equity firm dedicated to buying and selling middle market companies with forward-thinking vision. To date, Mr. Nordgren has personally managed over $7 billion in transactions and maintains a portfolio of approximately 25 companies.

Inspired by his belief that education and athletics can open doors for at-risk youth, Mr. Nordgren founded The Leadership Foundation—an organization committed to giving back to non-profits whose purpose is to empower youth through sports and education. He feels strongly that young people, regardless of their personal circumstances, should have the opportunity for a bright future and the chance to make a positive impact. Furthermore, he is involved with and contributes to numerous philanthropic causes and remains dedicated to giving back and making a difference.