Kellie Rivera

Sr. Counsel & VP Corporate Affairs

The Cannabist Company f/k/a Columbia Care

Kellie Rivera serves as Senior Counsel and Vice President of Corporate Affairs at The Cannabist Company Holdings, Inc. f/k/a Columbia Care, one of the largest and most experienced cultivators, manufacturers, and providers of cannabis products and related services, with vertically-integrated, licensed operations in 14 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

In her role at The Cannabist Company, Kellie leads the company’s legal, compliance, and regulatory affairs efforts in existing and emerging eastern U.S. markets. She also focuses on regulatory policy, market design, improvements to medical cannabis programs, and the crafting of successful and equitable adult-use markets. She regularly engages with government agencies, policymakers, and industry associations at the federal, state, and local levels. Additionally, Kellie manages relationships with cannabis regulators to serve as a subject-matter expert on comparative and emerging cannabis markets.

Kellie currently serves as Vice-Chair of the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association and is an active member of both INCBA's In-House Committee and the New York State Bar Association Cannabis Law Section.

Kellie is personally passionate about the therapeutic potential of medical cannabis due to her own experience as a chronic pain patient following a spinal injury during childhood.