ABOUT ME

Born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I embarked on a journey that took me from the plains to the mountains. I eventually found my way to Durango, Colorado, to pursue higher education at FLC, where my Cherokee heritage granted me a tuition waiver. I studied History and Sustainable Agriculture while balancing work at Mac’s Liquor and gaining hands-on experience with the Southwest Conservation Corps at the Old Fort Lewis site in Hesperus.

After graduating, I became a Manager and Butcher at Sunnyside Farms Market before co-founding THC Design, a cannabis cultivation company in Los Angeles. As head grower, I played a key role in designing and building advanced cultivation facilities, helping the company expand from a small team of four to over 160 employees.

In 2018, I launched Vinny’s Trees, a company named after a favorite tree-skiing zone at Purgatory Ski Area. After selling the licenses in 2019, I took on a new challenge—designing and building Heartland Farms’ first cultivation warehouse in Oklahoma. The company quickly grew into one of the state’s most successful cannabis operations.

Eventually, I returned to Durango to embrace the lifestyle I love. These days, you’ll find me boating, biking, snowboarding, hiking, and camping with friends in and around this beautiful mountain town.