Natalie Darves, MBA

Managing Partner at Cougar Acres Consulting LLC
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Contact Information
us****@****om
(386) 825-5501
Location
Portland, Oregon, United States, US
Languages
  • English Native or bilingual proficiency
  • French Professional working proficiency

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Elizabeth Bowen

Natalie Darves is an asset to any team and a brilliant professional mentor. We worked together for over four years on a variety of projects. Natalie strives for excellence, she has a keen analytical mind, a deep understanding of economic systems and an impressive ability to get things done. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from Natalie, and I would enthusiastically work with her again.

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Credentials

  • UC Master Gardener
    UC Master Gardener Program
    Jan, 2011
    - Oct, 2024

Experience

  • Cougar Acres Consulting LLC
    • United States
    • Business Consulting and Services
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • Managing Partner
      • Dec 2011 - Present

      As Founder and Managing Partner, I founded and developed a consulting company that specializes in supporting aspiring entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry and other analogous industries. Through partnerships with various government entities like the City of Los Angeles and the State of Connecticut, I have assisted their business development initiatives. Additionally, I manage a range of strategic and entrepreneurial projects from beginning to end and provide solutioning across startups and large multinational conglomerates. I created Cougar Acres with the goal of supporting aspiring entrepreneurs to understand the opportunities and risks associated with launching a highly regulated business and formulate a strategy for a successful launch. Through my company, I prepare clients to manage change in a constantly evolving marketplace by providing actionable guidance and creating educational content that raises awareness of best practices across multiple industries. Show less

  • City of Los Angeles
    • United States
    • Government Administration
    • 700 & Above Employee
    • Social Equity Program
      • May 2020 - Present

      As a subcontractor, I work on various projects to support social equity entrepreneurs. I partner with the more than 2,000 individuals in the social equity community in L.A.to provide them with comprehensive business services including helping them develop business plans, go-to-market strategies, and new revenue opportunities. I also manage a coaching program that delivers these wraparound business services directly to social equity licensees. Additionally, I collaborated with the City of Los Angeles to create education programs that train aspiring social equity participants in cannabis business operations. These programs consist of both synchronous (webinars) and asynchronous (self-paced coursework) learning to deliver actionable curriculums. Show less

  • Oaksterdam University
    • United States
    • Higher Education
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • Chair of Business
      • Mar 2018 - Present

      As Chair of Business, I lead a team of 15 faculty members with a focus on improving and evaluating the curriculum to increase student retention and facilitate growth within the program. In addition, I introduce contemporary ideas of business strategy by emphasizing the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all departmental curricula.

    • Dean of Faculty
      • Mar 2018 - Nov 2021

      As Dean of Faculty, I supported over 60 faculty members with team development, hiring, onboarding, and training of new team members. Additionally, I designed and implemented a new curriculum methodology that focused on building successive learning outcomes, benefiting Oaksterdam’s 3,000 active students. Furthermore, I was involved in vetting and securing partnerships with other institutions, such as The Arcview Group, Minority Cannabis Business Association, and Golden Gate University.

    • Lead Outdoor Horticulture Instructor
      • Jan 2012 - Feb 2018

      As Lead Outdoor Horticulture Instructor, I designed and taught outdoor cannabis cultivation curriculum focused on sustainability and land stewardship to over 3,000 students from diverse backgrounds. I also developed and implemented strategies to promote sustainable cultivation practices in local and global communities and worked with environmental regulators to bring awareness of cultivation practices to state governments.

  • State of Connecticut Social Equity Council
    • Vendor
      • Dec 2022 - Apr 2023

      As a subcontractor for the State of Connecticut, I worked with an extensive coalition to develop and deliver one of the most robust cannabis business accelerator programs for social equity applicants in the United States. Providing curriculum and content support, as well as delivering informative webinars, I assisted the coalition with helping them guide the launch social equity-owned cannabis businesses. As a subcontractor for the State of Connecticut, I worked with an extensive coalition to develop and deliver one of the most robust cannabis business accelerator programs for social equity applicants in the United States. Providing curriculum and content support, as well as delivering informative webinars, I assisted the coalition with helping them guide the launch social equity-owned cannabis businesses.

  • Blake Industries LLC
    • United States
    • Business Consulting and Services
    • Industry Analyst
      • Apr 2018 - Jan 2021

      As an Industry Analyst, I was integral in delivering comprehensive strategic reports and compliance assistance to businesses operating in or entering the growing hemp industry. I also offered business mentoring, marketing strategies, and BU launch and consultation services. As an Industry Analyst, I was integral in delivering comprehensive strategic reports and compliance assistance to businesses operating in or entering the growing hemp industry. I also offered business mentoring, marketing strategies, and BU launch and consultation services.

  • Cougar Acres Farms
    • Founder and Director
      • 2006 - Apr 2018

      Cougar Acre Farms cultivated high-quality, medical-grade cannabis grown using permaculture techniques. Cougar Acres Farms was women-owned and provided internships and opportunities to women and marginalized communities. As Founder, I provided complete wraparound support to affiliated farms and landowners and promoted forward-thinking best practices that met or exceeded the current compliance standards and pest-management techniques used today. Cougar Acres farms were some of the first to participate in regulatory efforts put in place by local and state regulators at the advent of cannabis decriminalization in California. Show less

  • 421 Group
    • United States
    • Business Consulting and Services
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • Business Strategist
      • Sep 2016 - Mar 2017

      Help clients create solid business plans that can drive immediate and long-term success. Support clients as they build capable teams through training, coaching, and recruitment. Help clients create solid business plans that can drive immediate and long-term success. Support clients as they build capable teams through training, coaching, and recruitment.

  • Mendocino County Ordinance 9.31 Permittee and Zip-tie Program
    • Assistant Inspector
      • Jan 2011 - Jan 2012

      As an Assistant Inspector, I conducted inspections of Mendocino County cannabis farms to assess their compliance and land-stewardship practices. My role also focused on outreach and community development of the program, which was instituted by the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors and administered by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and had the distinction of being the first government-agency regulatory effort in the United States of cannabis. As an Assistant Inspector, I conducted inspections of Mendocino County cannabis farms to assess their compliance and land-stewardship practices. My role also focused on outreach and community development of the program, which was instituted by the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors and administered by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and had the distinction of being the first government-agency regulatory effort in the United States of cannabis.

Education

  • Sonoma State University
    Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Wine Business Management
    2013 - 2015
  • University of Oregon
    Bachelor’s Degree, Honors BA in Sociology
    2002 - 2004
  • University of California, Santa Cruz
    Coursework toward BA in Sociology, 3.99 GPA
    2001 - 2003

Community

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