Meet the Judges

We have hand selected 13 judges to sample the Top 3 qualifiers in each category. Each judge has been asked to use a flower vaporizer to experience the most from the terpenoid taste and flavor. We’ve also asked them to limit their sample intake to no more than 3 per day and to space the samples out  by 3-4 hours to be able to enjoy and differentiate the full effects.

Please meet the Judges… 

 

Tommy Bombs was born in New Jersey and started smoking cannabis when he was 15. From then on it was a passion for the plant, always trying to find more and better. After high school he did and was lucky enough to encounter legends like White Widow, White Rhino, White Shark as well as AJ’s Sour Diesel and the original Purple Haze. With a background in information technology/telecommunications, he moved to Washington state in 2013 and received his medical recommendation that year. Immediately he began a quest for finding the rare and hard to find strains out there.  In early 2014 he started as a evening Manager for the PDA Lounge in Belltown, Seattle. There he started pushing to bring in more growers and expand the selection. Making it all about the terpenes and being able to select the ones right for you. In late 2014 when Rosin was first taking off, he took a passion for that process as it was new and tasted great. November of 2014 helped create the brand Full Spectrum Rosin with the company Agency PDA.


AC Braddock is the CEO of Eden Labs who has been innovating extraction distillation equipment since 1996. AC’s personal mission is the furthering of whole plant medicines, healthy extraction methodologies, socially responsible business practices and providing entrepreneur’s with the tools they need to be successful. AC serves the industry on boards for The Cannabis Alliance, NCIA and NCIA’s Federal Policy Council and is well known as an industry thought leader and supporter of women and small business. She lives in Seattle.


Pam Haley. Cannabis Aromatherapy and the therapeutic application of cannabis terpene profiles.

Aromatherapy helps us understand the chemical structure of terpene’s and the effects they have on our biochemistry. Appreciating this sage art will broaden our use of cannabis. Adding this to our holistic approach can guide our choice of cannabis for therapeutic use. Consultations with Pam use the Structure-Effect diagram overlaid on cannabis terpene profiles. Learn why everyone reacts differently even with the same plant. CannabisAromatherapy.org


John Kruse is an expert in supercritical CO2 cannabis extraction methods and a pioneer in the field of terpene preservation. John’s products have been honored with prestigious industry recognition and outstanding consumer adoption. In the endless pursuit of better extracts, John’s terp quest has led to a mastery of alcohol and light hydrocarbon techniques from live resin to broad spectrum concentrates.

 


Giana Lampreda is Co-Founder/Owner and Chief Officer of Operations for WAM Oil, a Seattle-based company founded in 2011, specializing in SFE Co2 cannabis oil extractions; a company that is for the people and stands by the people.

Giana, a Seattle University graduate, an educator and cannabis oil manufacturer recognized the healing effects of cannabis early on in her childhood life when she woke up with debilitating pain that was later diagnosed as cancer. As a patient first, she understood the importance of producing safe cannabis oil for consumption. In conjunction with her team; Giana began to work with different extraction methodologies to help bring products, manufactured with the safety of the public in mind, to the market.

Giana is an advocate that has spoken locally and internationally on the safe production and consumption of all cannabis products. Giana and her team continue to perfect simple Co2 extraction methods in order to produce clean, pure and healthy oil concentrates that are consistent with test results and flavor. She is motivated to revolutionizing the way people view their overall health and mental wellness that will ultimately help alter policies that affect the quality of life for people.


Mikehydro
A commercial botanist with a life devoted to the gardens.The past 12 years primarily spent in commercial agriculture with focus in aquaculture, tissue culture, ornamental/carnivorous propagation, greenhouse+ hydroponic food crops, and of course cannabis. As a large scale cannabis farmer, and researcher, pheno hunting for unique terpenes through thousands of seeds is just part of the job.

Ras Kaya Paul was born and raised on the Kitsap peninsula in Washington. He  began smuggling in the mid 90’s and parlayed his knowledge into a successful growing and breeding enterprise, working tirelessly to push the movement forward.

He pioneered some of the first brick mortar collectives and is known for his staunch advocacy for medical cannabis. He is also the Founder of WorldWideRoots a multifaceted canna-business, encompassing world class hash making and internationally renowned seed company and lifestyle brand PacificNwRoots.


Caitlin Reece is the lab manager at Analytical 360 in Seattle. She has worked at the lab for over four years. During that time, she has gained a great appreciation for cannabis and its healing properties. Before joining the cannabis industry, Caitlin moved to Olympia, WA from Chicago, IL to attend The Evergreen State College, where she acquired a Bachelors of Science degree in analytical chemistry. In her spare time, Caitlin loves to cook, bake, and go on hikes with her family.

Justin Ruiz smoked for the first time for 14th birthday in 1999. It was literally love at first smell and taste. He’s been heavily involved in Hempfest ever since, first as a fellow protester, then he began supporting the event through vending in 2007.

In 2003 he was busted for VOCSA for marijuana at which point he did 1.5 years of treatment and 4 months in county (They were trying to give two years in prison) for WEED! He completed sentence in 2005.

In 2011 Justin established hypeHERBALly (hyperbole).

Justin is proud to have helped pioneer the Washington cannabis industry we know today and is now creating a lifestyle around hypeHERBALly. Named #1 brand name in Washington state by The Seattle Times.

Nicole Spink. Hi my name is Nicole, I’m 27, and born here in Washington. I graduated from the Evergreen State College with my B.A.S. in organic and biochemistry. I now work at Analytical 360, a cannabis analysis laboratory servicing Washington state. I have enjoyed the benefits of cannabis for several years now and appreciate the medical benefits of cannabinoids as well as terpenes. As high THC numbers continue to be a fad, I am very excited to help educate the cannabis community about the benefits, effects, and importance of terpenes in cannabis products. I look forward to judging a variety of high terpene products and thank all involved for the opportunity.

Nikole Trickler is the assistant manager and certified medical budtender at Trees Pot Shop in Seattle, WA. She was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, endometriosis, carpal tunnel, and gastrointestinal issues when she was 18. Deciding to curb muscle relaxers and other pharmaceuticals, she found relief and an easier life with cannabis. After her own experience, she decided to dig even deeper into the root science of such an amazing herb. Spending the last 5 years learning about different cannabinoids and terpenes, and the last two navigating the i-502 industry, Nikole has dedicated as much of her time as possible to helping others understand the benefits of cannabis. She remains active in the cannabis community on Instagram, sharing her uses and stories and answering questions to the curious. You can find her as @dont.fear.the.reefer!


Michael West is a researcher, entrepreneur and adviser to clients engaged in the Medical Cannabis, Adult use cannabis and hemp farming and products industry.

Michael West is currently the COO at OdO inc.  where he is developing the states largest super-critical extraction lab, building a pharmaceutical production line of extracted botanical, topical, edibles and recreational products. Odo is currently culturing and researching 226 cultivar genetics for the medical, recreational and the hemp market and currently is working initially to build a genetics research lab to provide the best genetics to the world market. We are currently advising hemp and medical research in 4 states, 3 countries, and advising the first american commercial hemp processing company in Colorado. Mike  is developing cannabis & hemp phytocannabinoid cannabis products,  botanical nutraceuticals, bio-composites, bio-fuels, building materials and composites  parts.


Jeff Wilhoit @cannabisreverend is The director of Extracts and sales manager at Puffin Farm a clean green certified tier 3 producer processor in Washington.

He is also the Director of Extracts for the Legion of Bloom CA and consultant to several legal cannabis companies.

He has a deep knowledge of hashish and has experimented with most methods of extraction used today.


Madhu Zugsmith is the Founder of Siddhi Tonics & Herbals; An ayurvedic brand steeped in the ancient tradition of bhang infused ingestibles. His unique formulations combine a 5,000 year old medical science with modern processes available today. राधे श्याम चकाचक काम

 

 

 

Sample questions for the judges….