LUNA DE LA RIVA
Oakland, California
SUMMARY
Born-and-raised Oakland resident and one of the city’s first social equity cannabis operators, with hands-on experience navigating local and state cannabis regulation and operations. A Latina and trilingual professional, bringing strong operational knowledge, optimistic energy, grounded perspective, and e
ffective trilingual
and cross-cultural communication skills to public service and cannabis policymaking.
CORE EXPERIENCE
House of LDLR - Co-Founder
Oakland, CA
Dates: 2017 – Present
● Co-founded and operates a licensed cannabis manufacturing microbusiness under the City of Oakland’s Social Equity Program.
● Hands-on experience navigating City of Oakland and California Department of Cannabis Control regulations, licensing, and ongoing compliance. Maintains a positive working relationship with Special Permits Sta
ff and State licensing analysts and inspectors.
● Brought new and innovative products to market with an emphasis on consumer safety, product quality, and diversification of the market.
● Oversees compliant production of cannabis edibles and topicals, and manages permitting, inspections, SOP development, quality control, METRC reporting, and regulatory communications.
● Engages directly with customers, retail partners, regulators, and local stakeholders.
COMMUNITY & CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
16th Street Train Station Committee Member - Oakland Heritage Alliance Oakland, CA
Dates: 2025 - Present
● Joined the committee as part of the City of Oakland’s cannabis business beautification requirement, as a way of giving back to the community where we operate. ● Serves on a volunteer-based committee supporting the preservation, restoration, and re-activation of the historic 16th Street Train Station ● Support the memorialization of its historical and cultural significance to West Oakland and the greater Bay Area.
● Help organize large-scale community events (700+ attendees statewide). ● Actively involved in site reactivation planning and advocating for the responsible inclusion of cannabis as part of the site’s reactivation with careful consideration to neighborhood impact, public health, and safety.
National Cannabis Industry - DEI Committee Member
Dates: January 2025 - December 2025
● Co-served on the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee.
● Supported and helped organize virtual events for social equity operators. ● Offered lived experience and operational knowledge to enhance NCIA’s understanding of social equity.
Cannabis Buyers Club of Berkeley - Thanksgiving Volunteer Dates: November 2023, November 2025
● Volunteered to serve 100+ free Thanksgiving meals to community members. ● Supports a long-standing tradition of making CBCB a welcoming, safe, and inclusive space for the Bay Area community, centered on dignity, access, and belonging.
AWARDS
Eaze Momentum
San Francisco, CA
Dates: November 2019 - 2020
● Selected for Eaze’s inaugural equity-focused accelerator, receiving a $50,000 grant and completed a ten-week education program led by industry experts focused on compliant operations, finance, marketing, and sustainable growth.
Founders Institute
San Francisco, CA
Dates: 2020
● Admitted to the Founder Institute’s core pre-seed accelerator through the Eaze Momentum program; advanced to the final cohort of 16 out of 40+ companies throughout the US, while completing rigorous weekly pitch deck and brand critiques from national cannabis industry leaders.
SKILLS & INSIGHT
● Legal Cannabis Operations and Compliance
● Oakland Social Equity Framework & Operations
● Regulated Product Manufacturing & Distribution
● Long-term Vision — won’t fall for short-term gains that compromise community or credibility.
● Thoughtful, Diplomatic Communication
● Trilingual Communication: Fluent in English, Spanish, and French
EDUCATION
Oaksterdam University - Oakland, CA
Dates: January 2025 - June 2025
Gained comprehensive knowledge from industry experts on various aspects of the cannabis industry (including but not limited to legal, compliance, regulations, horticulture and science, GBPs, and GMPs) to build a solid foundation for our business.
The New School - New Y ork, New Y ork
Dates: 2013 – 2016
Majored in Non-Fiction Writing & Literature and Minored in French.
Parsons Paris - Paris, France
Dates: January 2015 – June 2015
Bentley School - Lafayette, CA
Dates: 2008 – 2012
École Bilingue de Berkeley - Berkeley, CA
Dates: 1999 - 2008
Luna de la Riva
1545 Willow Street
Oakland, CA 94607
510-704-3262
[email protected]
January 11th 2026
Cannabis Regulatory Commission
City of Oakland
Oakland, CA
Dear Members of the Cannabis Regulatory Commission,
I am writing to express my interest in serving on the City of Oakland’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission, representing District 3. As a native Oakland resident, one of the city's first social equity cannabis operators, and a Latina professional, I believe I would bring a meaningful, grounded, and much-needed perspective to the Commission.
My understanding of cannabis regulation comes from daily, on-the-ground practice. I co-founded and operate one of the city's
first verified social equity microbusinesses and have spent years navigating regulations and compliance, licensing, inspections, SOP development, METRC reporting, lab testing, manufacturing, distribution, and community engagement, just to name a few. This experience has given me a practical understanding of how cannabis policy functions in real life: where it succeeds, where it creates friction and struggle for small and equity operators, and how it impacts the larger community.
I know what it feels like to have your voice overlooked as both an operator and a resident. That perspective is what motivates my interest in serving. As an operator, I am particularly motivated to help reduce unnecessary barriers to entry that continue to obstruct capable small operators and entrepreneurs from participating in the legal market. As an Oakland native and resident, I do not view the community as a monolith. I see individuals—each with distinct needs, challenges, and aspirations to live healthy, digni
fied, and fulfilling lives in Oakland. I believe in engaging Oakland residents not only as consumers, but as informed participants in the ongoing legalization and regulation of cannabis.
As a Latina woman, I represent a community that has historically been underrepresented and underserved in cannabis policymaking. I would love to uplift our rich and diverse Oakland community and I bring the ability to communicate across languages, cultures, and lived experiences.
Oakland is experiencing a renaissance and has immense potential to evolve and influence in terms of medical cannabis research, cannabis hospitality, consumer experience, and responsible recreation. I have a sincere desire to serve as a conduit between the community and the City and I am dedicated to promoting cannabis in a way that is safe, healthy, and responsible.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I would be honored to contribute to the Commission’s work and to the continued evolution of Oakland’s cannabis landscape.
Respectfully,
Luna de la Riva