Tristan Watkins has a varied background, with roots in academia and the cannabis industry. Dr. Watkins earned his PhD from Vanderbilt University, where he studied obesity, neuroinflammation, and cannabis. From there, he ventured out west and co-founded a cannabis company, LucidMood, in Boulder, CO. His time in the startup required him to develop expertise in branding, marketing, and public relations. He is published in a variety of media outlets—from scientific journals to lifestyle magazines—and has spoken at leading conferences. Now, Dr. Watkins is a member of OEDIT, where he started as the program manager for the Cannabis Business Office and now serves as deputy director for the Business Support Division. Dr. Watkins is dedicated to developing accessible and effective economic development programming that directly benefits all Colorado residents.