Princella Ray
Marketing and Brand Management Director | Artizen Cannabis
Princella Ray has practically seen it all in the cannabis industry, persevering through the industry’s numerous challenges and a whirlwind of changes dating back more than a decade to Washington state’s medical-only days.
“For the past 15 years, I’ve worked in almost every facet of this industry,” she says. “I started an all-woman trim crew in the medical days and then went on to do retail management, consulting and director of sales and marketing positions.”
Today, she’s helping grow Artizen Cannabis, one of the most successful licensed producers and processors in Washington, as the company’s marketing and brand management director, bringing experience, tenacity and persistence to her new role. Artizen is working to strengthen its footprint in its home state of Washington, while expanding the brand into new states and markets in the coming months. Continuing that expansion is one of Ray’s biggest goals for the remainder of 2023.
“I’m really excited about refreshing one of the largest OG brands in the state and reintroducing it to new customers,” she says. “Washington will see a massive upgrade to all digital and printed assets in the coming months.”
Meanwhile, the company is also rolling out new products like Burstz by Artizen — “a new look for fun flavored distillates in a super discreet device,” Ray says — that will further cement the brand’s status as an innovator and an industry leader in multiple states.
“As we expand into Oregon and California, I am excited to develop the Artizen brand identity across the West Coast,” she says. “We grow great flower and are now extending it to be consumed in several other forms, from cured and live resin to hash rosin.”
With more than 15 years of experience in cannabis, Ray says it’s her combination of persistence and flexibility that has allowed her to be successful in the rapidly changing industry.
“I have a habit of not giving up even when times get hard,” she says, “but also I know when to pivot.”
But beyond the grind of working in a challenging industry, Ray says she’s constantly reminded about the importance of the relationships she’s made over the years.
“I’ve learned that no matter how fast-paced and ever-changing the industry is, the foundation will always be the people who make it,” she says. “It’s important to constantly remember your passion for this plant and the people in this industry that have created it. It will keep you honest.”