KATIE BURRELL
Katie Burrell is an award-winning marketer, entrepreneur, and advocate in the cannabis industry. She’s a cofounder of PufCreativ—a community-focused marketing agency that provides innovative and results-driven strategies to cannabis businesses. In 2022, she was named AdCann’s Marketer of the Year for her work and positive impact. Burrell’s road to success has come with challenges, and she’s been a trailblazer every step of the way. “Growing up with ADHD and identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community, I struggled to fit into traditional work environments,” Burrell says. After leaving a job in an industry that did not align with her values or encourage authenticity, she took a marketing internship that sparked the inspiration to combine her love of cannabis with her marketing skill set. Working in a white, male-dominated industry, Burrell is a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion in the cannabis space. PufCreativ’s joint initiative, the Cannabis Creative Movement, generates awareness and provides education on some of the most pressing issues facing the cannabis community. Through the Cannabis Creative Movement, Burrell—who is nonbinary with an androgynous gender expression—created the Pride Guide. The comprehensive guide to understanding the differences between sex, intersex, and gender was named AdCannabis Marketing Campaign of The Year in 2022. Burrell approaches the obstacles and setbacks she faces with a growth mindset, choosing to see adversity as an opportunity for learning. When the going gets tough, she leans on her community—her PufCreativ partners, friends, and family—to help her navigate challenging times. She encourages other queer folks to join the cannabis space and says her ultimate goal “is to be a leader in the cannabis marketing space and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.”
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