SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR AND JACK OF ALL TRADES

Born and raised in Vermont, Grayson has always had a profound love for chemistry as both a science and a tool. He received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Vermont.

While there, Grayson focused on organic chemistry and material science, working on organic semiconductor synthesis for optoelectronic, organic photovoltaic, & organic LEDs. But extreme insomnia threatened to derail his entire life. He avoided narcotic sleep aids, not wanting to trade a lack of sleep for an addiction. Looking for a scientific solution led Grayson to discover how helpful CBD has been for many insomniacs.

When Grayson began looking for a job after college, he wanted to pair his love of science with an organization that values bettering the local community. Finding X-Tract Vermont brought those two loves together. Like the rest of X-Tract Vermont, Grayson has a great love for the outdoors and enjoys hiking as often as the weather permits. For those days when outside travel is not favorable, he can be found playing his French horn.

FOUNDER & MANAGING DIRECTOR

Cella’s dream for a better world began with tragedy. When her husband, Paul, was diagnosed with cancer, cannabis became a major part of his curative and relief regiment. But even sick, Paul was never one to sit still. He and Cella began growing CBD hemp plants in their own greenhouse. Deeply involved with both their community and its politics, Paul & Cella had a dream to start an integrated cannabis company that could bring relief to others. They were able to rent a facility and open an extraction lab.

However, after being in remission for over a year, Paul’s cancer returned with a vengeance. He passed away before the lab was operational. But his dream remained, and ever since, Cella has been devoted to making it come true.

With the help of her daughters, Paul’s parents and her amazing team, Cella carries Paul’s legacy forward by emulating his generosity of spirit, brilliant ideas, and integrity. Her goal is to craft a business model that will make the world a better place: for her community and for everyone involved in the production process from farmers, distributors, employees, clients, to customers and more.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & CHOCOLATIER EXTRAORDINAIRE

Back in 2018, Emma journeyed into the new and exciting cannabis industry with her father and mentor, Paul Rose. Together they built the foundation for an amazing family run & vertically integrated business that would grow, process, and transform the highest quality hemp into medicine for those in need.

Having lived in Vermont for most of her life, Emma deeply values healthy eating and sustainability. She sees a great need for more quality in the food and hemp industries, as too often products are filled with additives and preservatives that should never be put in your body.

Today, Emma owns her own chocolate company, Rosie’s Confections, which features a CBD-infused line of products. Emma grew X-Tract Vermont and Rosie’s Confections side by side over the years in the CBD market, and the transition into recreational cannabis has been an immense dream come true! She is heavily involved in all facets of X-Tract Vermont, lending her marketing knowledge and food manufacturing experience to help build a strong culinary system for the manufacture of top-quality edibles.

EXTRACTION ARTIST & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Chris is a hydrocarbon extraction expert and cannabis products enthusiast with 5 years of marijuana industry experience. He is the former Director of Extraction for Everest Concentrates and has produced and sold over two thousand batches of craft cannabis concentrates for sale. Chris oversees the day to day production operations at Xtract Vermont and is excited to create high quality concentrates and edibles for the state's emerging recreational market.

Before entering the cannabis industry Chris was a researcher for the Forest Service, where he led teams on multi-day backpacking expeditions to collect data on wildfires and endangered carnivores. He is still passionate about the outdoors and can be found trail running, climbing, biking, and skiing when not in the lab.

CULINARY ARTIST & EDIBLES DIRECTOR

For nearly 15 years, Andrew Peterson has worked in and around the Vermont food industry. Born and raised in Vermont, Andrew studied at the Culinary Institute of America in the Hudson Valley of New York. Having worked in fine dining from coast to coast, at prominent establishments such as High Cotton (Charleston, SC), Central Provisions (Portland, ME), Restaurant 1833 (Monterey, CA), the Nantucket Yacht Club (Nantucket, MA), and Hen of the Wood (Burlington, VT), Andrew has taken a step back from the restaurant business to refocus on what gives his life meaning.

Andrew has always been just as passionate about cannabis as he is about food, making a transition into cannabis edibles a natural move. Today, Andrew leads X-Tract Vermont’s edibles manufacturing team and ensures only the best quality products make it to shelves.

With the support of X-Tract Vermont, Andrew is now building his own edibles brand, Cultivar Chocolates, and is getting ready to launch this exciting new product line in the near future!

ACCOUNTS & ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR

After receiving her Aviation Degree from Vermont Technical College, Lydia decided to embark on her family’s entrepreneurial journey and has been an invaluable team member ever since. She spent over two years running Rosie’s Coffee Shop in Winooski, serving coffee, pastries & chocolates.

Beloved in the community, Lydia has an eye for detail and uncanny ability to charm the most difficult of customers! She brings her years of customer service experience to X-Tract Vermont to ensure all our clients are taken care of and happy with our services. She enjoys meeting new people and getting to be a part bringing our high-end products to the wonderful dispensaries of Vermont!

In her free time Lydia loves to spend time with her family hiking, swimming, and cooking! Other hobbies include playing chess, flying, motorcycle riding, sky diving, beekeeping, and golfing! She hopes to have a positive impact on the people she encounters to brighten the world one smile at a time.

OPERATIONS MANAGER & LOGISTICS WIZARD

Jon comes from a culinary background where creativity and resolve are the only limits that determine what can be made! Joining X-Tract Vermont, he found cannabis to be such a great outlet to push a plate greater than the sum of its parts. He has been a natural fit for the small but talented kitchen/production team for over a year now building up his skills and knowledge of all processes that naturally lead him into the role of Operations Manager.

Logistics is a natural fit for Jon as he has a very unhealthy need for numbers to align, and boxes, labels and jars to be organized neatly. With Jon on the team, everything from purchasing to production, packaging & deliveries is streamlined and efficient, resulting in X-Tract’s most renowned strength: adaptability & speed!