Marianne Bays, Ph.D.

Dr. Marianne Baysis a cannabis industry business consultant, analyst and entrepreneur and a lifetime resident of New Jersey. She has been studying and working in the cannabis industry since 2008. She has been the lead consultant on cannabis business license application projects in 8 states, and the District of Columbia, helping to win licenses for her clients in 6 of these locations, including one of the initial 10 licenses granted in New York State. She was a founding operations member of Kalyx Development, a real estate investment trust in the cannabis industry, and also a Managing Director of Mingleridge Business Resources, LLC, providing consulting services to the industry.

In 2017, Dr. Bays began the establishment of a cannabis contract manufacturing business, targeting MA and NJ as states in which to obtain licenses and establish operations as the foundation of a regional business called Northeast Corridor Provisions. A business plan and business partnerships have been established and launch is expected by 2023.

Marianne has over 20 years of previous experience working as a management consultant with Fortune 2000 businesses and government agencies on process, performance and structure improvement. She was also previouslyan Assistant Professor of Management at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ. She has managed an independent organizational consultancy for much of her career, working in industry and government. She holds a PhD in Business –Organization and Policy Studies from CUNY Graduate Center in NYC.

Dr. Bays is a founding Board Member of the New Jersey CannaBusiness Association, its past Policy Committee Chair and its current Vice President. She isalso the Chair of its Higher Education Committee. In this latter capacity, she has worked with NJ colleges to develop curricula and programs related to careers in the cannabis industry, including launching and running the first two New Jersey Cannabis Career Fair & Business Expos in 2019 and 2020.