About

Avis Bulbulyan is the CEO of SIVA Enterprises. He has over 12 years’ experience in the cannabis industry and is recognized as an industry expert. He began as a cultivator in 2007 and quickly moved into manufacturing and retail. Prior to starting SIVA, Mr. Bulbulyan developed successful applications for former US Congressman Bill Delahunt in Massachusetts, where they were the highest ranked (160/163) applicant and only group to win 3 of the 3 licenses available. He has gone on to win licenses in other states, such as Nevada, Illinois, Maryland and California.

Because of his comprehensive understanding and deep insight into the nuances, regulations and trends of the cannabis industry, Mr. Bulbulyan was appointed to California’s 22-member Cannabis Advisory Committee, which advises the 3 state departments and bureau on the development of California’s State Cannabis Regulations. He was also the President of the Los Angeles Cannabis Task Force from 2016 to 2018.

Mr. Bulbulyan’s commitment to providing outstanding client services has propelled SIVA into the forefront of the industry. Under his direction, SIVA was voted Top 10 Legal and Consulting firm in the nation by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2018. Expertise.com, a company that independently vets service providers, voted SIVA as one of the Top 18 Consulting Companies in Los Angeles in 2017.

He continues to provide critical insight and depth to the evolving cannabis industry, on a local, state and national level, having testified in front of the CA Dept. of Insurance, advising local and state elected officials and participating in conferences and town halls across the U.S.

Mr. Bulbulyan’s success is predicated on his experience and insight, as well as the cultivation of strong industry and business relations. His core values are expressed in how he conducts business, his willingness to provide guidance and support, and in the creative solutions he develops for specific client goals and needs.

Derek Sigman currently works at SIVA as the Director of Licensing. In 2011, Derek graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies. Upon graduation, Derek moved to Los Angeles, California where he served as the Implementation Manager for a social-tech company. In 2019, Derek received his Master of Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University.

As the Director of Licensing, Derek leads SIVA’s cannabis business licensing department and helps clients throughout the country secure their local and state licenses. To date, Derek has helped SIVA’s clients secure over 30 licenses in various localities throughout the country.

Derek believes that each project is unique and customizes each application to fit that particular client’s team and business concept. It’s not enough to simply create an application on behalf of the client, the application needs to be a reflection of the client and provide a blueprint for the operations of their business.

In his spare time, Derek is an avid chef that enjoys home-cooking, hiking and reading.

Christine Mardikian currently works at SIVA as a Senior Policy Analyst. Christine received her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, and Law from the University of Southern California, and her Juris Doctorate degree from Western State College of Law.

As part of SIVA, she researches and reports on the regulatory frame work in the United States and pending legislation surrounding cannabis legalization both at the state level and in the Senate. She also assists the licensing team on local and state applications.

Christine believes that every day presents an opportunity to learn something new. She personifies that belief by feeding her curiosity and staying informed.

Christine is a citizen of the world. She spends her free time finding her center in yoga and going on new adventures.

Johnny Sayegh is a graduate of California State University Channel Islands with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Economics. This dual perspective is informing his systemic approach to business ventures and social impact.

As part of the SIVA team, he is responsible for heading up marketing initiatives, business development efforts and consulting on client strategy when needed. Johnny has been part of the cannabis industry since 2012 and frequently attends industry event always looking for ways to support other industry professionals. Johnny strongly believes adaptability and persistence is key to succeeding in personal and business situations.

In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, reading or going mountain biking. One of his aspirations is to build a sport complex in the inner city to help youth avoid negative peer pressure, and provide them a place to gather and grow.

Anthony Zolezzi is CEO of Twinlab Consolidated Holdings, Inc., a leading nutritional supplement company. A San Diego native, Zolezzi has spent his career focusing on ways that biotech breakthroughs can enhance consumer health and wellness. Zolezzi is also Strategic Advisor for Pegasus Capital Advisors, a private asset management company focused on sustainability and wellness sectors. As a serial entrepreneur, Zolezzi has dedicated his career to the well-being of both people and the planet, co-founding businesses that provide potential solutions to both health concerns and key environmental issues. Zolezzi joined the Twinlab Board of Directors in May, 2018.

Zolezzi is a former board member of Vitamin Angels, a non-profit focused on providing nutritional support in impoverished countries. He also co-founded and is a former board member of the Organic Center for Education and Promotion, and a former member of the Organic Alliance Board of Directors.

Zolezzi currently also serves as an advisory board member with the Menus of Change program, a joint venture between The Culinary Institute of America and Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health, and the Keurig Corporation.

In 2014, as a member of the board of directors of Wild Oats Marketplace, Zolezzi facilitated the democratization of organics, and brought this respected brand into Wal-Mart stores. Zolezzi shepherded this influential organic retailer, increasing market share and consumer awareness of the availability of lower-priced, healthier-for-you organics.

Code Blue Recycling, which Zolezzi co-founded in 2007, was created to further plastics reclamation and recycling goals. Zolezzi and his team ultimately filed 19 patents on unique recycling technologies, tailored for Nestlé, PepsiCo and Whole Foods Market. Code Blue Recycling was sold to Waste Management in 2009, becoming Greenopolis Recycling. Zolezzi continued to lead the Greenopolis team until it was again sold to RecycleBank in 2012, as one of the most technologically advanced recycling systems in the U.S.

In 1994, after seeing the movie Forrest Gump, Zolezzi was instrumental in bringing together Paramount Pictures, Meridian Products seafood company and the Rusty Pelican restaurant chain to create the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Through this venture, Zolezzi helped shepherd two successful turnarounds: The Con Agra purchase of Meridian Products seafood, and the re-branding of Rusty Pelican into the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., which now produces nearly $400 million in annual revenue.

Zolezzi has built and co-founded a number of other businesses ranging from the New Organics Company line of low-priced organic foods for mass retailers (such as Wal-mart) to Pet Promise pet food, which was created to provide better pet nutrition while helping to sustain organic family farms, to TruCost, a 1998 venture seeking to help restaurant retailers track produce hard costs.

Once developed and nurtured, most of these businesses were sold to larger concerns with the resources to make them even more effective. Zolezzi believes that we will not see significant change in environmental issues if we do not engage big companies as the solution.

Zolezzi has authored and co-authored six books, including:

Chemical-Free Kids: the Organic Sequel (ASM Books, 2008)
Do Something: Leave Your Mark on the World (ASM Books, 2008)
How Dog Food Saved the Earth (ASM Books, 2005)
The Detachment Paradox: How an objective approach to work can lead to a rich and rewarding life (ASM Books, 2004)
Chemical-Free Kids; How to Safeguard Your Child’s Diet and Environment ( Kensington / Twin Streams, 2003)
His specialities include: Investment and Growth Strategies, Management Strategies, Entrepreneurship, Consulting, Organic Product Marketing, Natural Channel Marketing and Sales, Brand Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Turnarounds, Business Strategy, Motivational Speaking, Sustainability, Material Recovery, Energy Saving Technologies