WILLIAM TROUTT, NMD
Dr. William Troutt, NMD, Lead Medical Director, Trulieve
Bio:
Dr. Troutt is an Arizona and Maryland licensed naturopathic doctor with over three decades experience studying and advocating for cannabis-based medicine. Dr. Troutt graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. In 2003, he graduated from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine specializing in botanical and natural medicines.
Since 2010, Dr. Troutt has worked exclusively in the cannabis industry. In that time, he has consulted with thousands of medical cannabis patients, top physicians, researchers, public servants, and industry leaders—sharing his extensive practical experience in safe and effective cannabis use. He has created educational materials and protocols for employees, customers, patients, and their caregivers in more than ten State Regulated Medical Cannabis Programs.
Eugene (Gene) Jones
Eugene (Gene) Jones, Executive Director, Can-Ed, Inc.
Bio:
Gene Jones serves as CEO of Southern Waste Information Exchange (SWIX), a non-profit organization which has been operating since 1981 assisting businesses and municipalities with their waste management issues.
In addition, to his day-to-day roll at SWIX, Gene conducts a variety of conferences in the environmental industry sectors. He also formed the Florida Medical Cannabis Conference & Exhibition and the Florida Industrial Hemp Conference & Exhibition.
Gene is a serial entrepreneur and brings over 40 years of experience with waste management and recycling in senior executive level positions. Gene has successfully founded, built and sold several businesses including Environmental Management & Consulting Services, Inc., Advanced Derived Fuels, LLC, Hazardous Substance and Waste Management Research, Inc., Environmental Industry Conference Management, LLC, FieldClean of Florida, LLC, Lawncare Equipment Sales and Services, LLC, Environmental University, and his latest venture, Florida Industrial Hemp Company, LLC.
Gene is based in Florida and specializes in building strategic relationships with firms and has managed a vast network of associations in many different sectors from his work in organizing conferences such as;
Conferences:
• the Agricultural Plastics Recycling Conference & Trade Show,
• the Waste Conversion Technology Conference & Trade Show,
• the Southeast Recycling Conference & Trade Show,
• the New Life for Closed Gas Stations Conference and Exhibition,
• the International Symposium on the Redevelopment of Manufactured Gas Plant Sites,
• the National Conference on Waste Exchange and Resource Reuse,
• PFAS Forum
• the Florida Industrial Hemp Conference & Exhibition, and
• the Florida Medical Cannabis Conference & Exhibition.
Associations/Organizations:
• Florida BioFuels & BioEnergy Association, Inc.,
• Recycle Florida Today, Inc.,
• Can-Ed, Inc.,
• Florida Agricultural Plastic Recycling Cooperative, Inc.,
• Florida Environmental Assessors Association, Inc.,
• International Society of Technical & Environmental Professionals, Inc.,
• Florida Brownfields Association, Inc., and
• Keep Florida Beautiful, Inc.
Gene is a Martial Arts practitioner and has his 8th degree black belt in Shaolin GoJu and a 5th degree black belt in Nisei GoJu. Gene is also the Author of Instant Self-Esteem: Empowering Self-Confidence and The Mindful Sensei.
Gene is also the inventor of the Soap Bag Saver, which he designed for the reuse of leftover soap bars.
DR. BARRY GORDON, MD
Dr. Barry Gordon, MD, President & Chief Medical Officer, Compassionate Cannabis Clinic of Venice
Bio:
For more than three decades, Barry Gordon M.D. built a career working on the front lines of the American health care system.
After years of seeing the same faces and resurrecting the same addicts daily in Ohio emergency rooms, he thought there had to be a better way.
Today, Florida is just one of 30 states that recognize the medicinal value of marijuana for the relief of symptoms associated everything from neurological illness to chemotherapy.
Dr. Barry, as he is affectionately known, is at the forefront of the medical cannabis movement.
A 1981 graduate of the Ohio State University College of Medicine and a founding fellow of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, Gordon said it wasn’t until decades into his medical career that he even began hearing the words “endocannabinoid system.”
“It was my career in emergency medicine that drove me to find an alternative for my patients and research cannabis more,” Dr. Barry explained. “I like to think of my background as a bit of a social scientist. I’ve seen the dangers of alcohol and tobacco. I like to tell my patients that you can’t even compare the intoxication effects of alcohol to cannabis.”
Opportunity came knocking when Dr. Barry took an early retirement from Alliance Community Hospital in 2015 and relocated to Florida with his wife Patty. He created Florida Vacation Telehealth P.A., which eventually gave birth to the Compassionate Cannabis Clinic.
No longer tethered to a large healthcare organization, Dr. Gordon made the decision upon overwhelming passage of the Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization Amendment on November 8, 2016, to begin seeing and treating patients with chronic illnesses using cannabis therapy.
“Just as the overwhelming majority of voters in Florida demonstrated their belief in the many benefits of cannabis therapy, I, as a healthcare professional, am deeply committed to providing patients with an option to compassionately ease their suffering,” says Dr. Barry.
“My practical experience coupled with my own scientific research has enabled me to offer a unique approach in care to my patients. I feel a responsibility in both providing the appropriate education and allowing my patients to live a better quality of life without the harmful effects of conventional pharmaceutical prescriptions,” he added.
Dr. Barry has utilized his undergraduate degree in communications from The Ohio State University to advocate for patients before becoming the owner of the largest medical marijuana practice in Florida. He provides an unique voice and an ability to break down complex medical terminology, whether answering common medical questions or facilitating discussions on complicated ailments.
“For a number of years, I saved lives with paddles in emergency rooms. Now I am looking beyond conventional medicine for answers,” Dr. Barry explained. “I don’t encourage people who have success with conventional medicine to change their strategy; however, alternative medical options, like medicinal cannabis, need to be available for those who want and need it for relief.”
A rabid Cleveland sports fanatic, Dr. Barry will entertain almost any discussion about football, basketball, and his ultimate love – baseball. He spends his free time fishing and on the water.
Gordon, his wife Patty and dog, Tiva reside in Venice, Florida.
Robert Friedman
Robert Friedman, Founder, CLAB
Bio:
Robert is founder of cannabis lab, law, accounting a business. A cannabis industry association that has been operating since the inception of medical cannabis in Florida
Dr. Vipul Kabaria, MD
Dr. Vipul Kabaria, MD, Pain Management Specialist, Pain Management & Anesthesiology
Bio:
Dr. Vipul Kabaria is an lnterventional Pain Management Anesthesiologist in Tampa, Florida. He received his medical degree from Baroda Medical College, India, Anesthesiology training from New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY and fellowship training from USF, Tampa, FL. He has been in practicing of Multimodality Pain Management for more than 25 years in Tampa Bay Area. He is board certified in Anesthesiology and Pain Management.
Charles Felix
Charles Felix, Owner/Publisher, Cannabis News Florida, South Florida Hospital News & Healthcare Report, and Executive Director, Florida Medical Cannabis Physicians Group
Bio:
Charles Felix is the owner and publisher of Cannabis News Florida and South Florida Hospital News & Healthcare Report. Founded in 2004, South Florida Hospital News, a 48-page monthly newspaper quickly established itself as the premiere chronicle of the healthcare industry in South Florida. It now represents the only monthly healthcare newspaper available in South Florida. When medical cannabis became legal in the state of Florida, Cannabis News Florida was incorporated into the original newspaper and now focuses on local, state and national news from leading authorities about medical and business developments in the medical cannabis, CBD and hemp industries.
A certified public accountant as well as certified in financial forensics, Mr. Felix earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in public accounting, from Bernard Baruch College in New York City. Mr. Felix’s early career focused on commercial real estate management, specializing in multi-family construction and management in the Southeast.
Mr. Felix then moved into sports management and franchise development, leading a growing and changing multiple-entity enterprise whose key business interests included three professional ice hockey clubs and three arenafootball2 teams with combined annual revenues of more than $8.2 million. During his tenure, Mr. Felix led the effort to bring the minor-league Atlanta Knights into the International Hockey League and, later, guided the franchise’s move to Quebec City. He also helped create the Xtreme Football League, which later became arenafootball2.
Active within both his profession and community, Mr. Felix has participated in numerous organizations and activities, and is presently Treasurer of the South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association, twice Past President of the South Florida Healthcare Executive Forum (now known as ACHE of South Florida), a division of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and is the Past President of the Rotary Club of Fort Lauderdale and currently a board member. Founder of the Florida Medical Cannabis Physicians Group.
Aaron Bloom, Esq.
Aaron Bloom, Esq., Chief Executive Officer, DocMJ
Bio:
Aaron Bloom serves as the CEO, overseeing the mission and growth of DocMJ. Aaron’s passion for improving patient’s lives comes from his background in health care. For more than 20 years Aaron owned, operated, and represented traditional health care organizations. This experience created a passion for finding improved ways to relieve suffering. His goal as CEO is to work hard every day to bring relief to all patients who seek better health and wellness through the medicinal benefits of medical cannabis and evidence based alternative medicines.
Eric Stevens
Eric Stevens, Executive Director, Senior Advisor, Florida for Care
Bio:
Eric Stevens helped launch Florida’s Medical Marijuana Yes on 2 campaign with United for Care in 2013 with John Morgan and Ben Pollara. He served in every role of campaign strategy, but settled in as the Campaign’s Finance Director from 2014-2016 The 2016 multi-million dollar statewide campaign effort passed with the highest margin of any medical marijuana question in any state ever at 71%. He also founded and served as the Managing Director of Florida for Care, a non-profit C(4) membership based social advocacy organization made up of the majority of those involved in the campaign from 2016 and has managed multiple contract teams and staff.
Florida for Care, focuses on informing the public and officials. He continues to work on smart ideas for policies for Florida’s medical marijuana system for patients, doctors, and state operations based on best practices. He has spoken at hundreds of events across the country and was appointed to Florida Dept of Agriculture’s Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee in 2019.
He has been recognized by the U Clinton Global Initiative and as Cannabis Business Awards Advocate of the year. He helped start Florida‘a first Cannabis LAB (Law, Accounting, and Business) Industry Networking Group in Miami as well and used to lead business development/rulemaking/industry interaction for the cannabis testing lab and technology company Kaycha Group. He has spoken at hundreds of Cannabis conferences since 2013.
Before this, in addition to various other work experience, Eric worked in his home state of Massachusetts with the Mass Patient Advocacy Alliance to help pass Question #3 for Medical Marijuana in November 2012. While residing in Miami Beach Eric helped push Miami Beach to become the first city in the state to decriminalize possession and Miami Dade as well become the first county. He also has been involved in many local discussions regarding ordinances, zoning and land use regulations related to this topic. Eric attended the University of Miami School of Business in Coral Gables, where he received an endowment for this policy work and helped found the University’s chapter of Student's for Sensible Drug Policy Chapter.
Outside of this he helped found an electric transportation company The Freebee and has served as a brand manager for Red Bull, and on the sidelines for D1 Collegiate and Professional Teams. He still works on field every year for the Super Bowl and other large productions. He is experienced in a variety of administrative roles with a demonstrated history success on difficult issues, political messaging, finance, and campaigns. He enjoys Sports, Outdoor Activities & Family time.