About Sweetleaf Health Equity
3,000+ patients and veterans in the Sweetleaf network
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1,600+ Pounds of cannabis accessed
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$0 paid by patients
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3,000+ patients and veterans in the Sweetleaf network | 1,600+ Pounds of cannabis accessed | $0 paid by patients |
Sweetleaf Health Equity’s mission
Sweetleaf Health Equity organizes services for low-income veterans and terminally ill patients to facilitate receiving free Medical Cannabis. Established in 1996, we are one of the oldest Medical Cannabis groups in the world. In the past two and a half decades, patients in our network have received over $5 million worth of compassionate cannabis, with over $2 million of that given in 2021, thanks to the generosity of our donors and partners.
With the growth of the industry and the increase in retail cannabis, the needs of low-income patients are greater than ever. The next era of compassionate cannabis requires that we go beyond individual donations. Corporate sponsors can join our movement to accommodate more patients and support more health equity programs.
Sweetleaf Health Equity began as the Sweetleaf Collective in 1996 in San Francisco, California, the birthplace of medical marijuana and the cannabis compassion movement. In the beginning, Sweetleaf helped 5 AIDS patients access free medical cannabis. We now support more than 3,000 patients and veterans in the Sweetleaf network by facilitating access to free medical cannabis, getting support from various special programs, and actively advocating for health equity in California. At Sweetleaf, we remain committed to compassionate access to underserved communities and ensuring health equity for all who would benefit from free, safe access to medical-grade cannabis.
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Joe Airone is the founder and director of Sweetleaf Health Equity. He has been an activist in the Bay Area for more than 20 years, working with groups providing food to the elderly, shelter to the homeless, and cannabis to low-income, terminally ill people. He ran a community art center in San Francisco’s Mission District for five years, creating a forum for artists, musicians, and performers to practice and show their art free of charge. Joe also founded the Humanitarian Circus and has traveled worldwide, making free circus shows for refugees and orphans in war zones and developing countries. His last mission was to the island of Lesbos where he performed for Syrian refugee children after they had made the harrowing journey from Turkey to Greece.
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Lesley Nickus: Sweetleaf Web Manager & Media Consultant - is the creator of the Scary Plants Foundation and founder/president of the Scary Plants Foundation, where she uses storytelling and community-focused projects to support people and causes that deserve more care, visibility, and resources.
Compassion is at the center of Lesley's work and her volunteerism. She believes compassion is a daily practice: listening first, showing up consistently, and communicating in ways that help people feel safe, respected, and understood.
With 20+ years in content creation, journalism, and marketing, Lesley brings a steady, human-first approach to digital communication, especially for mission-driven organizations.
Lesley chose to support Sweetleaf Collective because their community-first values align with her own. In managing Sweetleaf's website, she helps ensure the brand's online presence reflects the same compassion customers experience in real life: clear information, thoughtful education, and a welcoming tone.
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Benjamin Grambergu: Sweetleaf Sales & Marketing Coach - Benjamin Grambergu is a results-driven sales and marketing strategist who believes that people matter more than metrics. With a long track record of delivering measurable, sustainable growth, Benjamin helps organizations scale intelligently while building authentic, values-based relationships.
A mission-driven leader, Benjamin excels at integrating cross-functional teams and aligning resources to drive outcomes that benefit both organizations and the communities they serve. His consulting approach is rooted in partnership, working closely with clients to assess challenges, develop innovative strategies, and lead thoughtful implementations that strengthen brands, marketing efforts, and sales performance.
Benjamin operates with a strict professional and moral compass. He only represents products, services, and organizations he genuinely believes in; if it does not benefit all parties involved, he will not sell it.’
Notable Experience & Achievements:
Director of Operations for Contra Costa County’s longest-running dispensary, 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center
Founder of experimental arts and events space, Exit Now
Appointed Chief Revenue Officer at RISE (2018), where he overhauled internal processes and helped drive a successful eight-figure acquisition by Dionymed
Grew Dionymed’s California revenue from approximately $500K per month to $7M per month, achieving a 42% gross margin and industry-leading revenue per employee
Founded and scaled a consulting business in 2016, reaching low six-figure net revenue in its first year while supporting 12+ clients
Serves on various boards and is a volunteer with the Bay Area non-profit, The Homeless Cat Network
Benjamin’s success strategy is simple but disciplined: think outside the box, take the stairs instead of the escalator, and continually innovate how relationships and challenges are approached to create long-term, sustainable growth. “Lead with your heart.”
We are happy to call Ben, Sweetleaf’s Sales & Marketing Coach, who has applied his professional skills & background to Sweetleaf's compassion mission. Therefore, creating both a successful and viable environment has allowed Sweetleaf to thrive and grow.
“When I first got my physician's recommendation on my 18th birthday, I had no idea how widely cannabis could be helpful for people. Those in need should have access to this sacred medicine if it benefits them, and keeping that viable in the recreational cannabis reality is important to me.” ~ Ben G.
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Laniakea Evans: Sweetleaf Business Consultant - has worked in the cannabis space for over 15 years. She is currently the General Manager and Co-Owner of 365 RecreationalCannabis in Santa Rosa, California. Laniakea started her career in the legacy market as a trimmer and has gone on to manage farms, distribution facilities, and dispensaries throughout Northern California. Her passion is education and making cannabis more accessible to her community. She is currently working on creating an education and outreach program to connect Sonoma County’s nearly 180 assisted living and board and care home facilities with free cannabis consultations and educational material for their aging residents. You may also recognize her from her publications in Sensi Magazine, Dope Magazine, and Leaf Magazine, or from her appearance on Secrets and Sisterhood on Hulu. Laniakea has faced some unique challenges in the male-dominated cannabis industry, but believes that leading with honesty and creating a sense of community, almost a sense of ’Ohana (Hawaiian for family), has been what drives her continued success. When Laniakea isn’t managing 365 Recreational Cannabis, she is a proud mother of three wonderful girls, and she enjoys spending her days off cooking, gardening, and doing crafts.
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Eduardo Villalobos: Before joining this project, I spent 10 years building electrical systems for construction projects in Mexico. Three years ago, I got the opportunity to join Sweetleaf, which was a real challenge since I had to constantly train myself in sales, marketing, and artificial intelligence. Thanks to Sweetleaf's support, I continue learning and improving my skills every day.
Currently, my role at the company is Sales Lead & Marketing. For 2026, my goal is to deliver better quality and precision in the designs I create for retailers and for Sweetleaf Collective itself, while capturing the excellent vibes of the company's 30th anniversary.
My Story with Medical Cannabis
As a cancer survivor, I've had the privilege of experiencing firsthand the positive impact of free medical cannabis in this battle. During chemotherapy, it was vital to relieve uncontrollable nausea and restore my appetite during those difficult days. What's interesting is that this connection went beyond my own experience. When my mom faced her own battle against cancer, I was able to share the insights I had gained. She also found solace in its therapeutic effects.
Because of these experiences, I'm a strong advocate for the potential of medical cannabis in easing the side effects of cancer treatment. I'm excited to see Sweeleaf's commitment to making a positive impact, and I'm ready to contribute to our shared mission.
A Little More About Me
Outside of work, I love spending time with my cats. But I'm also passionate about supporting local artists with few resources in my city. I co-founded Earthquake Soundsystem, a collective where we explore different artistic expressions and create our own spaces to share our work with the community. It's all about building something meaningful together.
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Brooke Rosel is the COO of Operational Logistics, Compassion Program, Patient Management, Distribution Liaison, Brand Donation Onboarding, ETC.
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Ethan Tenzin Ash: Sweetleaf Business & Compliance Consultant - is the Chief Executive Officer of Padre Mu Weed Delivery in the Bay Area, California. After living in China for ten years studying politics, literature, and performing as a full-time musician, Ethan moved back to the USA in 2019, where he became involved with the cannabis industry when his family started Padre Mu. As the son of Beat author Mel Ash (Padre Mu), who passed from pancreatic cancer in 2019, as well as being someone with a deep interest in politics who worked extensively with Chinese communities through music and teaching, Ethan Tenzin Ash has always been passionate about activism and staying engaged locally.
Since opening, Padre Mu has been grateful for the opportunity to work with Sweetleaf Collective in order to continue the legacy of medical cannabis and compassionate use in California, in an attempt to keep commercial cannabis connected to its roots while giving back to the Bay Area community.