KAYVAN KHALATBARI



Through his volunteer work with Sensible Colorado and SAFER starting in 2005, Kayvan was one of the first vocal advocates of a regulated cannabis market in Colorado. Through this network Kayvan met his future business partners for his businesses, Sexy Pizza, Denver Relief, Denver Relief Consulting, Cresco Labs, Silver Sage Wellness, DRx, Sexpot Comedy and Birdy magazine, six of which are members of NCIA.

One year after opening Sexy Pizza, Kayvan co-founded Denver Relief, which is now the longest continually operating dispensary in Denver. Denver Relief takes to the industry a unique approach that encourages a change in the perception of cannabis in an effort to help normalize the industry and integrate seamlessly into our communities.

This mindset is what led to the development of the Green Team in 2009, a community outreach program that coordinates urban gardening efforts, free bicycle and wheelchair repair clinics, food, coat, clothing and hygiene product collection drives, trash pickup at events and more. The Green Team is also currently raising money to pay for an underprivileged student to attend college and is in the process of being converted into a 501(c)(3) to expand this network nationwide.

Denver Relief Consulting was formed in 2012 with a mission aimed to assist other states by helping them accomplish what Denver Relief has in Colorado. DRC recently went 11/11 in license awards in Nevada, including the top score in the state with Silver State Relief, and garnered the top three scores for cultivation licenses in Illinois with Cresco Labs.

Kayvan currently sits on the Board of Directors for the National Cannabis Industry Association, Illinois Cannabis Industry Association, Nevada Cannabis Industry Association, is a founding Council Member of the Council on Responsible Cannabis Regulation and was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees for Students for Sensible Drug Policy. He has also been a “big brother” mentor for Denver Kids Inc. since 2007.