Faculty

Bob Calkin

CEO, Cannabis Career Institute – Green Dot Consulting

Robert Calkin is the visionary founder and owner-operator of numerous pioneering and highly lucrative cannabis businesses. For more than 40 years, while profitably operating his own cannabis businesses, Robert has provided nationally recognized advocacy supporting the legalization of cannabis. Robert is a well-known expert business consultant for cannabis entrepreneurs as well as a key strategist for developing highly profitable brand identities.

Robert was the first person to envision and successfully establish, brand, and operate a nationwide cannabis education business. Today his privately owned “Cannabis Career Institute” operates in all 50 states and enjoys an enviable, industry-wide reputation of educational excellence. Robert and his skilled staff have taught thousands of tuition-paying students how they can legally establish and effectively operate a cannabis business. CCI workshops provide expert instruction on how students can develop and enhance their business’ brand identity and profitably participate within the multi-billion dollar cannabis industry.

As a result of Robert’s unique ability to see business opportunities and branding opportunities, in 1990, Robert developed an entirely new category of cannabis business – Delivery Service. Robert pioneered and began profitably operating one of the first internet-based cannabis delivery services that introduced easy and efficient communications coupled with fast and discrete, car-based delivery of cannabis for clients throughout Southern California. Today his “Green Dot Delivery”- branded-service remains highly profitable and is widely considered to be the “founding father” entity of the web-based cannabis-delivery model. Robert’s carefully honed business procedures and highly effective branding strategies have been emulated by hundreds of cannabis delivery businesses throughout the country.

In 2019, in recognition of Robert’s esteemed reputation as an expert in cannabis product development and business branding, the state of Maryland awarded Robert a $90,000 grant to train minorities and the marginalized in how to apply for cannabis business licenses. Robert has created cannabis-based curriculum for numerous colleges and universities including Dunlap Stone University in Arizona and Mount San Antonio College in California.

Key Accomplishments

*An original member of the American Hemp Council with Jack Herer and Chris Conrad in 1988-1991 and B.A.C.H. (Business Alliance for Commerce in Hemp) 1987-1988.
• Cannabis Activist/Advocate since 1976-has done more patient-to-patient transactions than anyone in the cannabis industry
• (1988-2017) Pioneered and profitably operated the first branded cannabis delivery service in America: GREEN DOT DELIVERY
*GREEN DOT introduced easy and efficient communications, and fast, discrete car-based cannabis delivery.
*The founder and owner-operator of numerous legal, successful, and community-integrated cannabis businesses, Robert is a nationally recognized advocate who has been supporting the legalization of cannabis for over 40 years.
*The 1st to envision and successfully establish, brand, and operate a nationwide cannabis education business (2009):
• “Cannabis Career Institute” has operated nationwide since March 2009
• Taught thousands of students to establish legal and compliant cannabis businesses
• Helped create more cannabis brands than anyone in the industry
• Acknowledged as a “founding father” of the web-based cannabis-delivery model Career Highlights
• Cannabis Activist/Advocate since 1976
• Associate Professor at Oaksterdam University (2008-2016), created Delivery 102 curriculum
• (2007) First cannabis delivery consultant and professor in USA*
• (2008) Authored the best-selling book “How to Start Your Own Medical Marijuana Delivery Service”
• (2009) Created first marijuana business seminars, branded as “Cannabis Career Institute”
• (2010) Created CANNAJOBS/the first cannabis job fair in San Francisco (Drudge Report, DN)
• (2010) First person to obtain federal trademarks for Cannabis services: Cannajobs, Cannabis Career Institute, CannaMeeting, Cannabis State Fair, Cannabis State University
• (2015) Created the first cannabis college course for Dunlap Stone University in Arizona
• (2016) Created the first Spanish-language cannabis business seminar series
• (2017) Instrumental in forming MJRx CORP. Executive Management Team
• Instrumental in obtaining 12 City/State Licenses in Adelanto, CA
• Formed Retail Jet Room, Inc. in Adelanto, CA
• Equity Position Owner/Operator in all 12 MJRx licensed operations
• (2019) CCI receives $90,000 grant funding from the state of MD
• (2020) Created 1st Cannabis Adaptive Learning Portal
• (2020) Established 1st Federal Cannabis Humanitarian Project in America–Omega XI
• (2022) Created Cannabis Associates Degree for Mt. Sac College
* Plot advisor on the TV show “WEEDS”

Robert Calkin: “I am currently an owner and Vice President of Human Resources at MJRX, a cannabis management company located in Adelanto, CA. I am in charge of hiring hundreds of employees for our 12 cultivation, extraction, distribution, and dispensary licenses. MJRx was responsible for getting the very first permanent annual cultivation license in California and the only one in 2018. I also manage the OMEGA XI HUMANITARIAN PROGRAM–a data-gathering project that provides medicinal cannabis to terminally ill patients. I have successfully trained thousands of people! Come join us at the next seminar near you!”

Gary Lane

Executive Director, Cannabis Career Institute

An honors graduate in Public Relations from Humber College in Toronto,  Canada, Gary is a sales, marketing and PR consultant who has worked with cannabis companies like Cannabis Career Institute, Cannaworx, Cannajobs, Freddy Coco and Supreme Organics.  As a media specialist, Gary has arranged and/or appeared on major news outlets around the continent – from CNN to the CBC. 

A life-long pro-cannabis activist, Gary founded the Underground Games Company in 1983 with the launch of the counterculture, cannabis-themed board game – TRAFFICKING (trafficking.com).    Gary is also the founder and Commissioner of THE BIG LEBONGSKI Bowling League and Tournaments (The Big Lebongski Data Sheet) — which features as its championship trophy, a seriously cool, hand-crafted bowling pin shaped bong that is contested seasonally by some of the trippiest bowlers on the planet.

Cheech Rodriguez

The owner of a prominent edibles company in the Los Angeles area, Cheech is known as an edibles operation expert. Additionally, Cheech as 15 years of cultivation experience.

Jacie Crowell, C.A.

Certified Aromatherapist

Jacie Crowell C.A. is a scholar-trained certified aromatherapist from Aromahead Institute as well as a graduate with a teacher-training certificate from both Aromatics International and Stillpoint Aromatics. Jacie is also a graduate of Living Flower Essence, led by renowned herbalist and flower essence practitioner Rhonda Pallas Downey. As a result of this training, Jacie specializes in teaching small groups how to connect with plant spirits and how to ask for guidance from their ancient knowledge. Jacie loves working one-on-one in flower essences. Jacie has also studied Lavender in France with Swiss Aromatics, an industry leader, which has inspired Jacie to distill lavender to be used in lip balm. As a scholar Certified Aromatherapist with hundreds of hours of training, Jacie has applied her aromatherapy healing skills in all kinds of settings – from hospices to individuals who have turned to her when conventional medical solutions were unsuccessful. Jacie’s goal as a Cannabis Career Institute instructor is to teach students how to combine cannabis with Aromatherapy to achieve amazing body, mind, and soul-soothing results.

Dr. Nancy Powers

Holistic Physician
Brain Scientist
Nutritionist
Cannabis Educator
High Times Magazine Health Contributor

Dr. Nancy Powers is dedicated to helping people and pets worldwide feel better every day in every way.

As host of “Dr. Nancy Talks Health” and “Florida Medical Marijuana New,” Dr. Nancy understands and explains the body’s intricate endocannabinoid system and maximizing the medicinal benefits of compassionate cannabis care. The time you spend with Dr. Nancy Powers will enrich your knowledge of the natural healing potential to amplify your cannabis awareness.

James Baik

Well before cannabis information was google-handy, James Baik extensively researched everything there was to know about the cannabis plant. Mr. Baik’s concept of cannabis upended when he learned the true history of cannabis and the politics that surrounded the mystical plant.

According to Mr. Baik: “Cannabis gives life. Why? Because there are three vital things we need to survive – food, clothing and shelter. Cannabis provides all three and then some as the health benefits of consuming cannabis are life changing, to say the least.”

Career Highlights

o Immigrant from South Korea at age of 12

o Ordained Presbyterian Reverend at age 31

o Started consuming cannabis at age of 30

o Changed career path to cannabis after researching cannabis

o Co-founded Cannajobs in 2010

o Participated in the nations first Cannabis Job Fair at Hempcon at the Cow Palace, San Fransico, 2011

o As Human Resources Officer for MJRX Corporation, conducted countless interviews, evaluations and new employee training sessions

o Expertise in Cultivation: germination, cloning, vegetation, hydro, aeroponics, LEDs, MH, Halogen lightings

o Licensing: experienced in developing and executing cannabis licenses for retail

o Lobbying: experienced in lobbying targeted influencers

o Recruited late stage cancer patients into NEPE14 Humanitarian Effort

o Patient liason for late stage cancer patient for NEPE14 Humanitarian Effort

o Cannabis Consultant for Cannabis Career Institute

o Help set Dispensary software system (Indica Online) and deployed delivery app and connected apps together (weedmaps)

o Well versed in cryptocurrency and teaches basic crypto knowledge so you can be cryptocurrency ready

 

Robert Eakin

Robert’s first grow was in 1967 – a landrace from unknown strain that was not too successful. From 1970-88, Robert cultivated “Oxaca” land race and “Simila” – in Robert’s view: ” still some of the best cannabis I’ve ever had.”

Robert then beacme an Artist for the next 20+ years and also learned the cannabis consulting business and did that until 2013.
Robert began working for Cannabis Career Institute in 2013 as the Institute’s Grow Instructor for 5 years…all the while managing grows of up to 8,000 plants.

Robert is also a “Light Recipes” expert, a method that increases terpene and THC production.