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CURIOSITY MEETS
CONSISTENCY.

Our Team:

As career veterinarians, we couldn’t dismiss the natural healing power in hemp and cannabis. But where was the rigor? The precision? How were we supposed to recommend any particular option to our clients without known standards?

We decided to pursue the answers ourselves. Bringing together industry-leading experts in cannabinoid science, veterinary medicine and manufacturing, CHOU2 PHARMA/CHOU2 PET WELLNESS created products we could believe in with all our hearts—and our heads.

We know what’s possible. We hold ourselves to the highest standards. And we’re proud to share our line with other like-minded pet parents and veterinarians. Nature has the answers. It’s up to us to ask the right questions.

John Payne
John Payne

Founder and Executive Chairman

Brian Segebrecht

Chief Executive Officer

Jospeh Wakim
Joseph Wakim

Founder

Stuart Wilcox
Stuart Wilcox

Founder & Acting Chief
Operational Officer

Alexandra Wakim​
Alexandra Wakim

Founder

Blake Smith, MPH​
Blake Smith, MPH

Advisor, Cannabinoid Molecular Engineering

Eleanor Green, DVM, DACVIM, DABVP
Eleanor Green
DVM, DACVIM, DABVP

Advisor, Veterinary Medicine

Annie Casta, MD​
Annie Casta
MD

Advisor, Research & Development, Education and Clinical

Jeff Pollard, DVM, DACVIM
Jeff Pollard
DVM, DABVP
Advisor, Medical Team
Dr. Ken Sadanaga
VMD, DACVS

Advisor, Veterinary Medicine

Mark Cushing
Mark Cushing

Specialized Legal Counsel

Lindsay Jones
Lindsay Jones

Advisor, Manufacturing

Alison Cornell​
Alison Cornell

Board Member & Chair of
Audit and Compensation

Bill McKernan

Board Member

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About CHOU2 PHARMA

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Cannabinoid products for animals are not yet approved by the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine. It is advised to consult with a veterinary professional regarding any changes or additions to your dog’s health.

As executive chairman and founder in CHOU2 PHARMA, Mr. Payne identified a significant opportunity to advance vet med through the development of cannabinoid molecules. His background in animal health includes entering rapidly expanding new markets, driving the adoption of innovative technology, setting up international distribution and launching category-leading products.

Mr. Payne also serves as vice chairman, board of directors for National Veterinary Associates (NVA) and was previously president and CEO of Compassion-First Pet Hospitals.

Mr. Payne founded Compassion-First in 2014, which merged with NVA in 2020. Today, NVA Compassion-First Specialty + ER is dedicated to changing the veterinary landscape and elevating patient outcomes. With 100 locations across the country, the family of hospitals employs more than 3,000 caregivers, including 230 board-certified specialists across a wide range of medical disciplines.

An active leader across the field of veterinary medicine, his other board memberships include chairman of the board for American Humane and Zivo Bioscience, Inc. He also serves on the board of regents for Ross University School of Medicine and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine.

Mr. Payne served as a member of the global leadership team for Mars Pet Care and was previously president and CEO of Banfield Pet Hospitals as well as president and general manager of Bayer Healthcare’s North American Animal Health Division.

As CEO, Brian joins the CHOU2 PHARMA team with over 13 years of experience in the animal health industry. Alongside his passion for bringing innovative companion animal products to market in underserved therapeutic areas, Brian has experience stepping in to succeed founders to lead a company through a new strategic direction and phase of growth. Drawing on this experience will be critical as Brian leads CHOU2 PHARMA through a strategic pivot to focus on the development of a pipeline of new companion animal pharmaceuticals.

Prior to joining CHOU2 PHARMA, as the CEO of Sentrx Animal Care, Brian transformed the company from a contract manufacturing operation into a fully integrated commercial animal health company, launching several new proprietary brands and products, and scaling the company globally to an eventual exit to a strategic buyer in Q3 of 2023. Sentrx Animal Care was a company focused primarily on the development, manufacturing and commercialization of ophthalmic therapies for companion animals. However, Brian also has developed experience in companion animal oncology through his role as Chief Revenue Officer of ELIAS Animal Health, and more broadly across multiple therapeutic areas while working for Bayer Animal Health in business development & licensing and corporate strategy. Brian holds a BSc in Finance and an MBA from the University of Kansas, and he is also the proud pet parent of two cats and a 105-pound Labrador Newfoundland mix.

Joseph Wakim provides CHOU2 PHARMA with strategic expertise, multi-industry connections in all areas of the business, negotiation and contract guidance, philanthropic efforts, in addition to scale, contingency and succession planning. Having worked alongside Mr. Payne at Compassion First, Mr. Wakim similarly championed the vision for cannabinoids in animal health with the co-founding of CHOU2 PHARMA.

Mr. Wakim co-founded and served as CEO of Mid-Atlantic Veterinary Specialists, where he oversaw the group’s acquisition by Compassion-First Pet Hospitals. Additionally, Mr. Wakim has extensive experience in the cannabis industry as a farm co-founder and owner. Based on a 30-year career in hospitality, Mr. Wakim’s vast and varied background aids him in creating cross-industry connections and creative concepts.

Stuart Wilcox’s manufacturing contacts and experience are invaluable to CHOU2 PHARMA’s launch, scale, and expansion into new and international markets. His background aligns perfectly with ongoing efforts to bring operational processes in-house in a strategic, cost-effective manner. As CHOU2 PHARMA works to standardize and shape the pet cannabinoid market in a similar manner as the human cannabinoid market, Mr. Wilcox’s legal and educational guidance will continue to be an asset to the company and to the industry.

Mr. Wilcox brings 30 years of global supply chain and operations experience and has served on numerous cannabis and biotech innovators boards. He’s currently chairman of the board for Ora Pharm, an international cannabis company based in New Zealand, and partner of NuRevelation Bio-tech Company based in North Carolina.

In his 3 years as Chief Operating Officer of Curaleaf, Mr. Wilcox played a key role in the company’s journey from a small cannabis operation in the Northeast to the world’s largest cannabis company. He’s been instrumental in leading all efforts to legitimize and professionalize the medical cannabis industry, including passing legislation to require SQF (Product Safety) certified programs, standard product testing, and pharmaceutical and product standard operating procedures. Curaleaf has filled prescriptions for over 400,000 patients in 23 medical cannabis states.

Alexandra Wakim is a co-founder and held the founding CEO role at CHOU2 PHARMA. As an experienced start-up leader and executive, she remains an active support system for the team across all verticals. 

Blake Smith works closely with CHOU2 PHARMA’s team of veterinarians and doctors to formulate, test and refine a science-first product line to treat every possible need state of every animal. His expertise in the isolation, extraction and encapsulation of cannabinoid molecules is fundamental to CHOU2 PHARMA’s trade-secret Cannolation Purification System. His pharmaceutical and educational backgrounds aid the company’s clinical trial and continuing education efforts.

Mr. Smith brings over 5 years of experience in formulating and compounding cannabinoids for the medical cannabis industry, built on his previous career in pharmaceutical formulation and education. He’s the owner and Chief Scientific Officer of Zion Medicinals in Utah and is regarded as the state’s leading cannabinoid expert. Working closely with universities and regulatory agencies, he helps innovate/compound cannabinoids for specific conditions. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and political science from the University of Utah and a master’s degree in biostatistical analysis epidemiology from Westminster College.

Dr. Eleanor Green is highly regarded within the veterinary industry and has a special interest in the future of veterinary medicine, specifically around the innovations that will help ensure a thriving profession. Her expertise contributes to the development of CHOU2 PHARMA products, clinical trials, and continuing education efforts. She also plays a key role in legal advocacy efforts.

Dr. Green held the Carl B. King deanship of the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP). She earned her Bachelor of Science (BS) in Animal Science from the University of Florida and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from Auburn University. After establishing a veterinary practice in Mississippi as partner/owner, she became a founding faculty member of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University.

Her prestigious academic appointments include equine faculty member at Middlebush Equine Center at the University of Missouri, head of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and director of the Large Animal Hospital at the University of Tennessee, chair of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and the chief of staff of the large animal hospital at the University of Florida.

Annie Casta, MD, contributes to CHOU2 PHARMA’s educational and clinical trial efforts, providing oversight on all studies and findings. She’s crucial to efforts with the medical and technical teams to refine dosing for each animal, need state, and treatment goal.

Dr. Casta has more than 7 years of experience in treating, educating, and advocating for patients in both her primary care sports-medicine practice and the medical cannabis arena. She’s also the team physician for the USA Judo and USA Ski teams. While pursuing her subspecialty in Sports Medicine in Massachusetts, Dr. Casta learned about the use of medical cannabis as a treatment option for various medical conditions. This experience led her to 4 years with Cannacare, a major New England-based company, where she provided services to patients who qualified for medical cannabis treatments for various conditions. She was an asset in the implementation and treatment care for medical cannabis in the states of Maine and Massachusetts. Dr. Casta has joined Mr. Wilcox, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Smith in their efforts to standardize cannabis as a medical pathway, leveraging education on the endocannabinoid system and dosing—on which Dr. Casta is considered an expert.

As a practicing veterinarian engaged in the legislation guiding the animal cannabinoid space, Dr. Jeff Pollard works closely with both the legal and medical teams at CHOU2 PHARMA.

Dr. Pollard received his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Naples, Italy. Upon graduation, he worked in a mixed animal practice for several years before venturing into emergency/critical care medicine, where he spent the majority of his 25-year career. In 2006, Dr. Pollard became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and is currently one of only eight veterinarians in San Diego County with this distinction. He sits on the advocacy committee for the Veterinary Cannabis Society, whose mission is to bring the benefits of cannabis to pets in a legal, safe, and effective way. Dr. Pollard’s unique intersection of proficiencies makes him a valuable asset for the company’s efforts and the greater development of the market.

Dr. Sadanaga attended the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine, interned at the California Animal Hospital in Los Angeles, CA, and completed his surgical residency at Penn. He is also a board-certified Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Dr. Sadanaga is one of the region’s leading soft tissue surgeons and was one of the first in the nation to specialize in soft tissue surgery in private practice. With more than 25 years of experience, he has expertise in a variety of surgical procedures and incorporates the latest technologies in his advanced approaches to treatment. 

Dr. Sadanaga is a member of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Veterinary Cancer Society, the Delaware Valley Academy, and other regional and national veterinary medical associations.

Mark Cushing leads CHOU2 PHARMA’s advocacy and legal efforts—working closely with his external network and Dr. Jeff Pollard—to improve the understanding, education, and policy regarding cannabinoid pet health care. His focus is supporting veterinarians’ ability to discuss and recommend cannabinoid-based products within their practices.

Mr. Cushing provides high-level strategic advice, state and federal lobbying, regulatory and policy services, and consulting to animal health and veterinary clients throughout North America. Since 2004, he has specialized in animal health, animal welfare, veterinary, and veterinary educational issues, developing a cutting-edge practice across these sectors. He currently leads several industry coalitions and initiatives. Mr. Cushing has guided successful AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) accreditations for a growing list of veterinary colleges, including new accreditations.

A frequent speaker at veterinary medicine and other animal policy conferences, he’s an adjunct professor of law at the Duncan School of Law in Knoxville, Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, and the University of Oregon School of Law. He’s also an honors graduate with distinction from Stanford University and the Willamette University College of Law.

As the founder and managing partner of the Animal Policy Group, LLC (APG), Mr. Cushing offers representation for a wide range of veterinary and pet health interests. Most recently, Mr. Cushing authored Pet Nation, a Penguin Random House title that explores the forces behind pets becoming treasured members of the family.

Lindsay Jones is at the core of CHOU2 PHARMA’s manufacturing and R&D network, with a focus on scientific advancements, contingency planning, efficiency, process improvement, automation, and ease of operation. He’ll be critical to bringing CHOU2 PHARMA manufacturing and fulfillment in-house.

Mr. Jones is a senior operations professional with 40+ years of experience supporting well-known start-up businesses in the US and Canada, including Starbucks and the Original Cakerie, and has held key leadership roles with Frito Lay, Campbell’s Soups, and Chiquita. He was instrumental in growing the Florida Cannabis program in 2017 with the addition of 5 acres of cultivation space. He also expanded Curaleaf’s retail footprint from 1 to 22 dispensaries in only 12 months, making it one of the largest in the state. His team was the first to gain approval to dispense cannabis-based medications to mobility-constrained patients and veterans struggling with PTSD, accomplished through secure drive-up windows at multiple state-approved locations. In the face of exponential sales growth, he oversaw the expansion of staffing from 50 employees in 2017 to 500 by the end of 2018. Mr. Jones led the first cannabis business to achieve Global Food Safety Certification. He was an inaugural member of the National Cannabis Trade Federation and was part of the first cannabis group to address the capitol staff at the US Capitol.

Alison Cornell provides CHOU2 PHARMA with expert guidance on fundraising, use of funds, risk management, internal controls, distribution, while navigating a high growth market.

Ms. Cornell is an accomplished and highly skilled global senior executive, business leader and strategist. Her extensive board of director interactions and significant executive leadership accomplishments cover categories including animal health, healthcare, chemicals, consumer products and telecommunications industries.

In July 2017, Ms. Cornell joined Compassion-First Pet Hospitals as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, responsible for all aspects of financial management, capital allocation, acquisition due diligence and integration, risk management, clinical trials, Informatics, purchasing, facilities and OSHA. She played a lead role in recapitalizing the company, which resulted in the highest EBITDA multiple and valuation achieved in the industry to date.

Previous to her work at Compassion-First, Ms. Cornell held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at International Flavors & Fragrances (NYSE:IFF), and Corporate Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Covance Inc., a global drug development company located in more than 60 countries with and annual revenue of $2.5B and more than 12,500 employees, as well as several substantial leadership roles at AT&T over the course of 19 years, including leading finance for a $30 billion division, as vice president, forecasting, performance and investment analysis.

Bill McKernan is president of NSM Insurance, the leading specialty insurance provider with more than 25 best-in-class programs and brands, including Embrace Pet Insurance, in the US and UK.

Mark Cushing leads CHOU2 PHARMA’s advocacy and legal efforts—working closely with his external network and Dr. Jeff Pollard—to improve the understanding, education and policy regarding cannabinoid pet health care. His focus is supporting veterinarians’ ability to discuss and recommend cannabinoid-based products within their practices.

Mr. Cushing provides high-level strategic advice, state and federal lobbying, regulatory and policy services and consulting to animal health and veterinary clients throughout North America. Since 2004, he has specialized in animal health, animal welfare, veterinary and veterinary educational issues, developing a cutting-edge practice across these sectors. He currently leads several industry coalitions and initiatives. Mr. Cushing has guided successful AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) accreditations for a growing list of veterinary colleges, including new accreditations.

A frequent speaker at veterinary medicine and other animal policy conferences, he’s an adjunct professor of law at the Duncan School of Law in Knoxville, Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland and the University of Oregon School of Law. He’s also an honors graduate with distinction from Stanford University and the Willamette University College of Law.

As the founder and managing partner of the Animal Policy Group, LLC (APG), Mr. Cushing offers representation for a wide range of veterinary and pet health interests. Most recently, Mr. Cushing authored Pet Nation, a Penguin Random House title that explores the forces behind pets becoming treasured members of the family.