Tag Archives: medical marijuana

Steve Baghoomian, Esq.

Vice President of Licensing & Compliance

Steve serves as SIVA’s Vice President of Licensing & Compliance. Previously, he worked as in-house/general counsel for some of the most heavily regulated industries, including: debt settlement, debt collection and credit repair. In these roles, Steve was responsible for building, monitoring and improving compliance programs, along with navigating businesses through complicated licensing and permitting processes nationwide.

Steve is also an experienced litigator, having represented clients in both state and federal courts. In 2015, Steve began representing clients before administrative tribunals, including the California Department of Consumer Affairs and Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board. In 2017, Steve represented Prime Marketing Holdings, LLC. in the largest cases ever initiated by the federal government against a credit remediation company.

Along with his passion for compliance and administrative litigation, Steve is an adjunct professor, teaching courses in civil litigation, criminal law and paralegal studies. Steve also holds a mediation certificate through the Los Angeles Department of Consumer Affairs and is a special master for the County of Los Angeles.

Education:

B.A., Criminology, California State University at Northridge (Dean’s List)

Juris Doctor, Loyola Law School

Avedis Keoshgerian

Coming Soon

Kevin Bulbulyan

Coming Soon

Quinn Hopp

Account Associate

Quinn Hopp joins the SIVA team as Account Associate where she primarily works alongside the Licensing team. 

Quinn holds her degree in Journalism: Public Relations from the University of Oregon.

Joselyn Cua

Controller

Joselyn Cua is an Accounting professional with 25 years of progressive and diverse operational and financial management experience with a concentration on private companies within both the corporate and divisional areas of organizations. Industries include: startups, online retail, marketing, publications, professional firm, engineering, hospitality, residential, and commercial real estate management.

Email: joselyn@sivallc.com

Amber Norwood

Legal Associate

Amber Norwood brings over seven years of both legal and business experience to the SIVA team. She is an integral part of the Licensing Application process for SIVA clients nationwide. Amber’s focus has primarily been on working with clients to obtain cannabis licenses in merit-based application municipalities across the United States.  She is proficient in technical writing, document review, contract drafting, regulatory compliance, legal research and negotiations.

Prior to joining SIVA, Amber served as a Contract Analyst and Technical Writer for the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) in Miami, Florida.  In this role, Amber was responsible for analyzing the details of government contracts to ensure terms were equitable for the USAO.  In addition, she researched and drafted legal documents, monitored and ensured compliance with contract terms, and reviewed and negotiated long-term agreements.

Email: amber@sivallc.com

Asena Iyigun

Executive Assistant

Business Development

Asena Iyigun is the Executive Assistant to Avis Bulbulyan, CEO of SIVA, and Business Development associate.  She joins us from the retail world where she was the store manager and lead salesperson for a Los Angeles-based jewelry designer and diamond wholesaler.  Asena was responsible for managing the company’s sales portfolio, annual sales reports, invoices, and relationship management.  Previously, Asena had utilized her organizational and interpersonal skills as a legal assistant and administrative assistant, coordinating both customer and document flow for boutique Los Angeles-area law firms Tennehouse, Minassian & Adham in Glendale and the Law Offices of Daniel Behesnalainin Beverly Hills.

Email: Asena@sivallc.com

Vartan Avanesian

Vice President of Licensing

Vartan Avanesian is the Vice President of Licensing at SIVA.  He brings over 11 years of experience designing and implementing analytical systems to improve operational and organizational efficiencies and client management.

Vartan began his career in data systems, networking and operational management in the United States Marine Corps and was based in Camp Pendleton, CA.  During his multiple combat tours to Iraq, he served as the Network Operations Manager, where he was responsible for designing, assembling and deploying portable and tactical data communications suites as a member of the Special Communications Team.  He also supervised the support and maintenance of the Marine Corps Networks.

Later, he went on to work for several leading data and network support companies such as DynCorp, DRS Technologies and VCubed Solutions, Inc. His extensive experience in network administration, development and implementation of projects and protocols enable him to maximize resources and manage SIVA projects at a superior level.

Vartan’s certification and training includes: CCNA Routing and Switching, Data Network Specialist Course, Active Directory and MS Exchange Server, Cisco Routing and Switching, LAN/WAN Infrastructures, Windows Server, Active Directory, Cisco Wireless Equipment, Cable Management, KG250, SecNet 54, iBuilder, iMonitor, CIMS Ticketing Systems, Paradise Modems, iDirect, LNB, WPPL Systems, BGP, ISIS, and EIGRP and OSPF Routing Protocols.

Vartan is a decorated Marine, having earned the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal in 2008 and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal in 2007

Email: vartan@sivallc.com

Lance Ott, CPP

VP, Business Development

Lance Ott, CEO of Guardian Data Systems and former Director of National Bank of California, is a 17-year veteran of the cannabis, banking and financial services industries. He has expertise in FinTech, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), merchant services, operations, compliance and consulting. Ott also is a Certified Payments Professional “CPP” through the Electronic Transactions Association.

Ott founded Guardian Data Systems in 2008 with the specific intent of providing secure, reliable and transparent financial services for our cannabis community. He is a cancer survivor and fierce advocate of alternative medicine, including medicinal cannabis. Lance Ott firmly believes that safe access to medical cannabis must be provided as medicine for any patient in need. 

Since the inception of Guardian Data Systems, Mr. Ott has become a ubiquitous presence at cannabis industry conferences and events produced by the MMJ Business Daily, National Cannabis Industry Association, International Cannabis Association/Cannabis World Conference, Israel Cannabis/CannaTech, Native Nations Events and Secure Cash Transport Association. He has been regularly featured in national media and his profile is highlighted in the third edition of ArcView’s Annual State of Legal Marijuana Markets Report.  Last year, Mr. Ott was ranked #38 in the top 100 most influential cannabis business executives by Cannabis Business Executive. 

Lance has demonstrated the courage of his convictions by fashioning a network infrastructure of cannabis friendly banks, institutions, processors and technology providers in order to provide the cannabis industry with a safe, legitimate venue for all commerce related and logistical challenges they may encounter.  He has taken it upon himself to offer preeminent expertise for a unique and complex business model. Ott believes that proper regulation coupled with technology will bring credibility, legitimacy and transparency to our emerging and evolving industry.

Ott is currently serving his second term on the Board of Directors for the National Cannabis Industry Association and has served as a member of the ethics subcommittee. Guardian Data Systems is a Sustaining Member of the NCIA. Ott also serves on the Regulatory Advisory Board for the Los Angeles Cannabis Task Force, as well as the Los Angeles Bank Working Group.

Ehab Haddad

Chief Operating Officer

Ehab Haddad aka “Hab” is the COO of SIVA and oversees the development, operation and interaction of SIVA Consulting, Management, Ventures, and Brands in serving its diverse national clientele.

Prior to SIVA, Hab was the CEO of Habco Media, LLC, a business development consultancy for the media and technology Industries, specifically catering to the sports, music and film industries. Habco Media’s clients range from merchandise and licensing companies (Epic Rights, MashON), to technology companies (Swagbucks, Simfy) to NFL sports teams (Chargers, Packers, Colts, Giants), as well as a-list musicians and entertainers (KISS, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Gene Simmons and more).

Prior to Habco Media, Hab served as the Vice President of Business Development at McGhee Entertainment, a full-service artist management company. Hab was responsible for the company’s digital media strategies, business development, eCommerce, and tour management. He coordinated projects for recording artists such as KISS, Guns N Roses, Ted Nugent, Night Ranger, Darius Rucker, VH1, MTV, and many more.

Education

Bachelors of Science, Audio Engineering, DePaul University

Email: hab@sivallc.com