Jacqueline Ferraro has been chosen by NJ Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-19-Middlesex) to be the 5th NJ Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) Commissioner.
“She brings a rare combination of industry expertise and steadfast advocacy to this role,” Coughlin said in a statement. “From helping shape New Jersey’s medical and adult-use cannabis laws to building trusted relationships across the state, she has consistently demonstrated her leadership. And I am confident she will serve with integrity and a deep commitment to the people of New Jersey.”
Ferraro is a professional cannabis industry consultant and has been a political advocate with the volunteer Cannabis Advisory Group. The group was launched in 2020. They hold annual gatherings to bolster their efforts. Their golf outing in 2022 featured the pro-cannabis former athlete Ricky Williams.
Her company biography notes she has been a cannabis advocate since 2016.
Background
She has been notable for quite some time as a thought leader in the space. Ferraro was previously an advisor of the NJ Cannabis Industry Association before it went defunct.
Along with the state level, she has done so on the federal level and supported the SAFE Banking Act, which would help with banking issues. She also supported the MORE Act, which included descheduling to help the state legal cannabis companies thrive and would have ensured justice.
The publication Insider NJ named her the 26th most influential person in NJ cannabis last year.
(They named me, Heady NJ Editor and Publisher Dan Ulloa, the 25th most influential. While many congratulated me and thought I should be higher on the list, I was surprised to be so high in the first place.)
Prior to getting into cannabis, she worked for a staffing firm.
Ferraro has been cited by many and featured on many podcasts and platforms as an industry expert.
She is replacing former NJ-CRC Vice Chair Sam Delgado who has a great deal of experience in business and politics. He retired in June 2025.
