Executive Leader | Community Builder | Advocate for People, Place & Purpose
Work Experience
Senior Vice President of Compliance
November 2023 to November 2024
Drove the national compliance strategy, operations, and programs for a multi-state organization, ensuring adherence to all applicable federal, state, and local regulations. Revitalized organizational integrity, managing compliance risks, and fostering a culture of ethical practices across the company.
April 2023 to December 2023
Played a pivotal role in driving growth and expansion for a high-growth healthcare startup. Responsible for developing and executing licensing strategies, writing highly competitive licensing applications, fostering strategic partnerships, and identifying new revenue opportunities that align with the company’s mission to innovate and transform healthcare.
March 2021 to June 2023
Spearheaded growth and expansion initiatives into new and untapped markets for a high-growth healthcare startup. Provided critical insight for identifying opportunities, developing market entry strategies, and driving the adoption of the company’s innovative healthcare solutions in diverse geographies and populations.
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Work Experience
Executive Vice President of California Operations
February 2020 to April 2021
Oversaw and drove the strategic, operational, and commercial functions of a high-growth startup targeting the California market. This key leadership role involved managing regional operations, ensuring compliance within a highly regulated industry, and delivered business results that aligned with the company’s broader vision and goals.
Vice President of Regulatory Affairs & Compliance
December 2018 to July 2020
Deliver all compliance and regulatory strategies for a cannabis company, ensuring the organization adhered to complex and evolving state, federal, and international laws. Offered critical input in regulatory affairs and was instrumental in shaping and maintaining the company’s reputation as a responsible and compliant operator in the cannabis industry.
Director of Operations
March 2017 to December 2018
Responsible for overseeing and optimizing the day-to-day operations of the organization, ensuring efficiency, productivity, and alignment with the company’s strategic objectives. Delivered strong leadership to diverse and large team, and sucessfully managed cross-functional teams, streamline processes, and drive operational excellence to support business growth and sustainability.
Project Management & Team Development
At Justice Cannabis Co. dba BLOC Dispensary, Shivawn drove the successful opening of five retail locations within a period of four months across the state of Missouri. Implementing state approved standard operating procedures and leading the companies licensing and compliance strategies through the medical and adult use markets.
Operational Leadership & Regulatory Compliance Expertise
Served on several community advisory committees, including the Sonoma Cannabis Advisory Council, the Sonoma County Hemp Advisory Committee, and the Sonoma Clean Power Advisory Committee. Contributed strategic input to initiatives focused on innovative customer benefits, renewable energy projects, and the development of clean energy goals for the community. Additionally, held a board member position with the Conservation Action Fund for Education, a nonprofit organization, supporting efforts to advance conservation and environmental education initiatives.
Innovative Educator
Recognized as a subject matter expert and engaging public speaker, Shivawn has been a guest speaker at two of the Marijuana Business Conferences in Orlando, Fl and Las Vegas, NV. She was invited to speak in Montego Bay, Jamaica to address the emerging regulated markets in the Caribbean. She was also an instructor with the California Environmental Health Association.
INTERESTS
skiing
reading
songwriting
“I would trust Shivawn to manage my bank account or babysit my kids. Her integrity is unmatched. In short, Shivawn is the total package - smart, reliable, level-headed, and hard working.”
-Gail Brashers Krug, Chief Legal Officer at Justice Cannabis Co., attorney and mother
“What sets Shivawn apart is her visionary leadership. She has the unique ability for inspiring teams to achieve beyond expectations while maintaining and collaborative and inclusive workplace culture. She fosters innovation by encouraging creative problem solving, always ensuring that the team is aligned with the company’s goals. In an industry where change is constant, Shivawn has shown agility and adaptability, always staying ahead of industry trends and regulatory updates .”
-Jon Loevy, attorney and founder of Loevy & Loevy & Justice Cannabis Co.
Skills
Q & A
The personality traits that have most directly led to my success are curiosity, empathy, and a sense of humor.
Curiosity fuels my continuous learning, problem-solving, and innovation. It drives me to seek knowledge, adapt to change, and explore new ideas. In our rapidly evolving world, curiosity is a crucial trait for my personal and professional accomplishments.
Practicing empathy is also critical, as it has allowed me to understand and relate to others’ emotions and perspectives. It enhances communication, builds strong relationships, and fosters collaboration and teamwork. Ultimately, empathy enables effective leadership.
A sense of humor is vital for success as it fosters resilience, relieves stress, and enhances social connections. It helps people navigate challenges with a positive outlook and builds rapport with others. Ultimately, a good sense of humor can improve communication, teamwork, and overall well-being, contributing to personal and professional success.
— What personality traits do you most attribute to your success and why?
“My greatest accomplishment so far in life has been translating my career success and accomplishments into an opportunity to build a lasting family legacy with land ownership. The start of building a place for immediate and extended family to make memories and produce resources to sustain us.”
— What was the greatest accomplishment of your life so far? Is there anything you wish to do better?
The people who have shaped me most are not public figures or business leaders. They are my family.
My mother, a single parent living with a disability, remains one of the most determined individuals I have ever known. While raising her children, she pursued and completed her graduate degree, demonstrating every day that circumstances do not define our potential. From her, I learned resilience, perseverance, and the importance of education. More importantly, she taught me that strength is not measured by the absence of obstacles, but by the courage to continue moving forward despite them.
My maternal grandparents, whom we affectionately called Nana and Opa, profoundly influenced my understanding of family, service, and generosity. My Opa survived World War II in Nazi-occupied Germany before immigrating to the United States in search of opportunity and a better life. Through hard work, vision, and unwavering determination, he built a future for his family that was rooted in hope rather than hardship.
Yet it was my grandmother who helped transform that vision into reality. Together, they built not only a successful life, but a family culture grounded in love, generosity, patience, and mutual respect. They taught us that true wealth is measured not by what we accumulate, but by what we give to others and the relationships we nurture along the way.
Their legacy continues to bind our family together. The values they lived—hard work, compassion, humility, resilience, and a deep commitment to one another—remain guiding principles in my life and leadership. They showed me that meaningful impact begins at home, that strong communities are built through service, and that the most enduring success is found in helping others thrive.
Today, whether I am leading an organization, serving my community, or raising my own son, I strive to honor the example they set. Their stories remind me that leadership begins with character, that vision requires action, and that love, patience, and generosity have the power to shape generations.
— Who are your main influences?
Education
Shivawn studied sustainable agriculture at the Santa Rosa Junior College and went on to pursue a B.S. at Colorado State University in Business Management.
