Gov. McKee Nominates 1st Administrator of the RI Cannabis Office

PROVIDENCE, RI — Gov. Dan McKee on Thursday nominated Michelle Reddish as the first administrator of the Rhode Island Cannabis Office.

"Michelle’s significant expertise in regulatory compliance, development, and technological advancement position her to hit the ground running on day one," McKee said. "I'm confident Michelle will effectively continue Rhode Island’s commitment to promoting the safe usage and responsible regulation of cannabis in our state."

As laid out in Rhode Island statute, the administrator reports to the Rhode Island Cannabis Commission and is responsible for coordinating the oversight and administration of cannabis use across the Ocean State. The Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) is responsible for the regulation, licensing, and enforcement requirements regarding regulated cannabis businesses.

"I am pleased that Gov. McKee has chosen to nominate Michelle as the first administrator of the cannabis office," commission chair Kim Ahern said. "Her regulatory and industry experience will help ensure our commission continues its thoughtful and thorough progress as we carefully expand the adult-use market in Rhode Island."

Reddish currently serves as the chief operating officer at the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, the independent state agency regulating Oklahoma’s medical marijuana program. In this role, Reddish has been instrumental in introducing technological advancements to streamline internal services and has overseen significant projects such as the inaugural records retention implementation and the expansion of satellite offices, state officials said.

"I’m thrilled to move to beautiful Rhode Island with my children and step into the role of inaugural administrator," Reddish said. "I am eager to build strong partnerships across the state in support of safe and equitable access to cannabis. I sincerely thank Governor McKee and the Cannabis Control Commission for their trust and recommendation."

The Governor has submitted Reddish’s name to the Rhode Island State Senate for advice and consent.

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