Julia Bramante

received her BSc in chemistry with minors in mathematics, biology, and Chinese from the University of Denver. After working in immunology and organic synthesis research, Julia began her career in the cannabis industry in 2014 at Gobi Labs, one of the first cannabis testing facilities to open in Colorado. She then transitioned to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Cannabis Reference Laboratory where she currently serves as Lead Scientist. Additionally, Julia is the Chair of the Cannabis Chemistry Subdivision of the Division of Chemical Health and Safety of the American Chemical Society, a position she has held since January of 2019.  She also serves as Chair of the AOAC CASP Microbial Contaminants Working Group, Chair of the AOAC CASP Microbial Contaminants Expert Review Panel, serves on the AOAC CASP Cannabinoids and Chemical Contaminants Expert Review Panels, and is an active member of the Colorado Marijauna Science and Policy Working Group.

Melissa Wilcox 

received her BSc in biology and environmental science from Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo, MI).  In her 25-year career in the field of analytical chemistry, she has served in R&D, marketing, sales, and tech service roles. She is currently the Global Sales and Market Development Manager for Regis Technologies, a chromatography supplier to a broad range of industries. She has more than 20 years’ experience in chromatographic analysis and purification and is a named inventor on a patent for Evaporative Light Scattering Detection technology.  She serves on many scientific organizations’ cannabis committees including ASTM, AOAC, ACS (Cannabis Chemistry Subdivision), and AHPA, and has served as a consultant to the cannabis industry. In her spare time, she coaches her daughter’s soccer team and volunteers with Girl Scouts.  

Michael Coffin

is an experienced chemist and engineer with a deep interest in metrology. His experiences include natural product extraction, analytical chemistry, systems engineering, and herding cats in lab settings. Nine years of work in the regulated cannabis industry in California with multiple companies in multiple roles, have built a unique set of skills relevant to cannabis chemistry, regulation, and safety.

Brittaney Dowd

graduated from Florida International University with her Bachelors Degree in Chemistry. Finishing up her undergraduate research, she decided to venture to the ACS National Meeting 2018 in New Orleans to explore career options. There, she found CANN and her goals immediately shifted towards the burgeoning cannabis industry. Through CANN, Brittaney was connected to two jobs. Her first job in the cannabis industry was at Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs in San Diego, California. Following this opportunity she exercised her new skills in analytical chemistry and moved to Salt Lake city to step into the role of Chief Chemist at Dragonfly, the first vertically integrated cannabis company in Utah. There she conducted in house quality assurance and assisted with R&D product development, and extraction efficiencies. She is currently shifted to the nutraceutical industry working as an Analytical Chemist at Advanced Laboratories Inc. in Salt Lake City.

“Like any similar story in this industry, my start was unconventional. My last semester of college I decided to go to the ACS National Meeting in New Orleans. On a whim, I stumbled upon CANN’s symposia and was floored by the hard science developing in the cannabis industry. Afterwards, the networking event was the perfect place to connect with other people pioneering this industry. I was extremely inspired by the incredibly smart and passionate individuals that make CANN. I agreed to volunteer and that was the best decision I could have made for my career path. Through CANN, I have met several figures in the cannabis science space and expanded my network across the country. I was connected to two jobs through CANN colleagues who became true friends and mentors. I am honored to be a part of CANN in a time where it truly is the Wild West of science. Cannabis scientists need a legitimate home, and ACS serves the right place to reach the greater scientific community. CANN Fam forever!”

Mary Beth Koza, MBA 
Executive Director of Environment, Health & Safety, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, retired.

Mary Beth Koza is the retired Executive Director of the Department of Environment, Health & Safety for The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as of 11/2019.  She currently is working part-time as an EHS Advisor for UNC System. She has 40 years’ experience in the environment, health, and safety field, and was previously the Director of EHS at Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts/Chemistry from Kean University and an MBA in Pharmaceutical Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Mary Beth Koza has been a member of D-CHAS since 1986 and has served as the division’s treasurer for the last six years.   She is a CHAS Fellow, member of the ACS Committee on Science and the Past -Chair of the NC Local Section of the ACS.