Steve Fox, Director of Government Relations
Steve Fox is co-founder and chief lobbyist for the National Cannabis Industry Association. Steve is co-founder, former executive director, and current board member for SAFER – a non-profit dedicated to changing the image of cannabis in America. Additionally, Steve is co-author of Marijuana is Safer: So why are we driving people to drink?, a popular book about cannabis. Steve also serves as the National Political Director for the Marijuana Policy Project, where he has worked for more than seven years. There, he has built support for cannabis policy reform in Congress and has coordinated statewide ballot initiatives, including Arizona's medical cannabis initiative in 2010 and the 2012 Colorado campaign to regulate cannabis like alcohol.
Steve holds a law degree from Boston College Law School and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar. Steve works and lives in Washington, DC.
F. Aaron Smith, Executive Director
Aaron Smith is co-founder and executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association. Prior to launching NCIA, Aaron distinguished himself as a public advocate for marijuana policy reform — first under the auspices of a California-based medical cannabis advocacy group, Safe Access Now, and more recently as the California state policy director for the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project. Aaron has successfully built coalitions with elected officials on both sides of the aisle in order to advance marijuana law reform legislation in the state capitol and among the voting public. Aaron’s opinion pieces have appeared in major newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times, and he has been a frequent commentator on national television news networks. Aaron is currently based in Phoenix, Arizona and Denver, Colorado.
Betty Aldworth, Deputy Director
Betty Aldworth is the deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association and chair of NCIA's Women's CannaBusiness Network. Since 2009, Betty has specialized in community outreach, public relations, advocacy, and policy reform as a consultant to cannabis-related businesses and nonprofit organizations. Prior to transitioning to the cannabis and medical marijuana fields, Betty was a volunteer leadership professional with some of Denver's most well-respected nonprofit organizations. Most recently, she served as spokesperson and advocacy director for Colorado's successful Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, the collaborative committee responsible for legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana for adults in Colorado. Betty lives and works in Denver, Colorado.
