Diamond of the Community
Tracy Ryan
Founder & CEO of CannaKids
Tracy Ryan is the founder & CEO of CannaKids, a California-based brand with a focus on supplying medical cannabis oil tinctures and medical cannabis products to patients of all ages. She is also the CEO of CK Sciences whose sole focus is to execute pediatric human trials using cannabis medicine both in the U.S. and around the world. In addition, Tracy founded the 501c3 non-profit, Saving Sophie Inc (SavingSophie.org). Their mission is to provide educational resources and financial support to families whose loved one has been diagnosed with a serious disease.
Since her infant daughter’s brain tumor diagnosis in June of 2013, Tracy has dedicated her life to educating herself on the medicinal powers of medical marijuana in treating her own daughter’s disease, as well as all other pediatric and adult cancers, autism, epilepsy and beyond. Tracy has worked on a global scale with families who are seeking education and treatment options for their loved ones, and has guided many patients to unheard of success.
Tracy has partnered with, and is on the Advisory Board of, CURE Pharmaceutical, (OTCQB:CURR), (“CURE”), a leading disruptive drug delivery technology and pharmaceutical cannabinoid molecule development company, and the Technion Institute in Israel who is leading the way in cannabis research for cancer.
Tracy and CannaKids have been the recipient of several industry awards, furthering her strength in the cannabis community as a key player including Advocate of the Year, Cannabis Activist of the Year, and the Caregiver Award. Her and her family have been featured in many national and international news pieces including an appearance on The Doctors, National Geographic, Time, Vice News, CNN, Entertainment Tonight, The Huffington Post, GMA Today, Telemundo, and many more. They are also the key focus of the Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein documentary, “Weed The People” that is currently in theaters across the country.
Business Person of the Year
Diana Sanchez
Public and Community Relations Director
Van Nuys Airport
For over 25 years, Diana Sanchez has worked in the marketing, public, and community relations field. For 19 years, she has been a part of Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) with just over a decade at the Van Nuys Airport (VNY). While at LAX, Ms. Sanchez was responsible for community relations, serving as a liaison to the City of Inglewood where she was elected Vice President of the Inglewood/Airport Area Chamber of Commerce for three terms. She also implemented the LAX Speakers Bureau, K-6 educational programs, and a three-week summer Aviation Careers Education (ACE) camp for middle and high school students, which has since successfully expanded to VNY.
Currently, she is the Public and Community Relations Director for VNY – one of the busiest general aviation airports in the world, – and is responsible for all facets of the airport’s community, media, and public relations outreach. Since she started at VNY, Ms. Sanchez has expanded the airport’s involvement in the community, forming it into one of the key organizations in the San Fernando Valley. She has also formed valuable partnerships with local chambers, schools, and non-profits by taking a hands-on leadership role in these vital community groups and even more, she exceeds company expectations by donating her personal time and money to assure each organization’s success.
Her community outreach extends beyond work. In her spare time, she also participates in clean ups and fundraisers for organizations such as the National Kidney Foundation, the Mid Valley YMCA and Valley Presbyterian Hospital. At the airport, she formed Team LAWA (an employee and tenant volunteer group), started the airport’s Aviation Careers Education program, grew Job Shadow Day and established an online newsletter for both airport tenants and the community. Each year she works with a committee to host over 1,400 high school students for a one-day aviation career fair introducing students to the world of aviation. This year Aviation Career Day has grown to include middle schools. She has also fostered partnerships with groups such as the Greater Van Nuys Rotary, Valley Family Center, Tierra del Sol and New Horizons.
Under her leadership, the airport has received several community awards, including the Champion of Education Award (2011) and the Valley of the Stars Award (2013) both from The Valley Economic Alliance. The airport also received the Mid Valley YMCA Philip Smith Pillar of the Community Award (2013), the Community Award of Excellence from the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce (2012) and was inducted into the Valley Industry and Commerce Association Hall of Fame (2016).
She has also expanded the airport’s marketing efforts by participating in business trade shows, including the National Business Aviation Association’s Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Organization annual conference. She has organized public and media outreach to support these projects and events including social media, news releases, speaking engagements and advertising. Currently, she has been asked to write an article on Airport Community Relations for the Journal of Airport Management that will be published in March.
Ms. Sanchez was awarded 2nd place in the Valley Cultural Center’s 2018 “Dancing With The Valley Stars,” is the recipient of the 2016 Pillar of the Community Award for the Mid Valley YMCA, the 2015 Mendenhall Memorial Award from the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce, the 2011 Champion of Education Award from The Valley Economic Alliance and is past president/chairwoman of the Encino Chamber of Commerce and the Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce.
She currently also serves as Secretary to the Valley Presbyterian Hospital Foundation Board, is a member of the Board of Governors for The Valley Economic Alliance, and Vice-Chair for the Mid Valley YMCA.
Prior to joining LAWA, Ms. Sanchez was general manager of INFOMAT, a list brokerage and list management company. She previously served as Senior Account Executive for Creative Direct Marketing Group (CDMG) and as Production Manager and Fulfillment Coordinator for Cadmus Direct West, where she started as a college intern.
Ms. Sanchez is a graduate of California State University Long Beach, where she served as student body president (1991-1992). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations and a Master’s degree in Public Administration.
For more information visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianasanchezpr