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Elite Athletes as Cannabis Advocates at #CannaBizSummit

Tune in to hear more from elite athletes as cannabis advocates at #CannaBizSummit. Generally speaking, more and more athletes have been coming forward to help destigmatize, and also advocate for the plant to be used for health issues like chronic pain and injury. It’s a little different than celebrity-like a musician or actor coming forward as an advocate like Melissa Etheridge and Whoopi Goldberg. Athletes bring a bit more story to the game here.

Anna Symonds is a retired Women’s Premier League rugby player with a 20-year rugby career that included a Division I National Championship, national All-Star selection, and a Sydney (Australia) Premiership Championship. She has also won four national championships in Touch Rugby and competed for the USA at the 2015 Touch World Cup. An advocate and educator, Anna speaks regularly about the therapeutic benefits of cannabis for elite athletes and the wider population alike. She served on the Oregon Cannabis Commission’s Research Leadership Subcommittee from 2020-2021. Anna is an Ambassador for various nonprofits including, the Last Prisoner Project.

Rachael Rapinoe won an NCAA national championship with the University of Portland in 2005, played pro soccer in Europe in 2010, and eventually retired to pursue her passion in the health and fitness industry. Leveraging her BS in Life Sciences and MS in Health & Exercise, Rachael went on to build a top performance training company and lifestyle apparel brand with her sister, US Soccer star Megan Rapinoe, both in Portland and nationally. After working for the University of Portland women’s soccer team as the head performance coach, Rachael left to co-found Mendi– an athlete and active consumer-focused cannabis brand helping people thrive naturally.