State cannabis commission hires CFO, launches website

Posted Wednesday, February 21, 2018 6:33 am

BOSTON — There is a decidedly Massachusetts Senate vibe growing at the Cannabis Control Commission.

The young commission's ranks grew to 10 on Tuesday morning with the announcement that former state Senate Ways and Means Committee Budget Director Adriana Campos had been hired to serve as the commission's first chief financial and administrative officer.

In the agency's administrative ranks Campos joins another former Senate staffer, Executive Director Shawn Collins. Collins worked as legislative and budget director, and then as chief of staff and general counsel to Senate President Pro Tempore Richard Moore.

"We are very excited to have her on board as we continue to grow as a commission and she will be a very valuable asset as we continue to grow in our current space, think about our future space and again think about our budget development process and revenue forecasting," Collins said Tuesday. "She'll be hands-on with a lot of those things and will be a valuable member of the team."

Campos, whom Chairwoman Karen Spilka said was known around the office as "AC Money," is at least the fourth CCC appointment or hire with ties to the Senate. Former Sen. Jennifer Flanagan now serves as a commissioner on the CCC and her fellow commissioner Britte McBride used to work as deputy counsel to the Senate.

Aside from the CCC's five commissioners, the agency now employs Collins, Campos, General Counsel Christine Baily, Program Manager Maryalice Gill and Executive Assistant Diane Rawding.

At full staffing, the CCC expects to employ about 40 people.

Also Tuesday, commissioners unveiled the agency's new website. Documents released by the commission, information on upcoming meetings and contact information is now available on www.mass-cannabis-control.com.