Ahead of her final day in the position, Vivas spoke to Greenway about the successes and struggles of being the first to hold her position.
Abby Vivas
Abby Vivas, the Chief Equity Officer of the Office of Business Opportunity within the Division of Cannabis Regulation, is bidding farewell to her role, marking the end of her tenure.
Vivas served as the state’s first Chief Equity Officer, and in that capacity was successful in ushering in the application process for awarding and verifying marijuana microbusiness license applications, creating outreach opportunities, building rapport in communities, and fostering relationships to push social equity forward in Missouri’s cannabis industry.
As she departs, Vivas leaves behind a foundation for creating a more equitable space for the cannabis industry, but with many questions still unanswered ahead.
Vivas, who has served the state of Missouri for more than 20 years, moves to a new position with the Department of Health and Senior Services, returning to her roots Vivas will move to the State Public Health Laboratory to serve as Unit Manager for the The Laboratory Preparedness, Education and Safety unit.
