Full Name
Dr. Alyza Brevard-Rodriguez
Job Title
Founder/CEO
Company
The Other Side Dispensary
Speaker Bio
"Dr. Alyza “Beast” Brevard-Rodriguez is a dynamic, disruptive thought leader, serial entrepreneur, scholar, and decorated 2x combat-disabled U.S. Navy veteran. As the visionary founder behind The Other Side Dispensary, SW3AT Wellness, and the Coffee & Cannabis Podcast, Dr. Beast is widely recognized for her trailblazing work at the intersection of wellness, cannabis, and community empowerment.
A proud graduate of John Jay College and New Jersey City University, she earned a Masters in Security Management and her doctorate in Leadership, Management & Policy magna cum laude with research centered on women’s leadership. Prior to transitioning into cannabis, she served a decade of service in the U.S. Navy as a military police officer and held public servant roles within the New York MTA. She is the first Black, LatinX, LGBTQ, female, disabled veteran to become a licensed cannabis operator in New Jersey, now leading one of the state’s premier dispensaries and lounges in Jersey City.
Known for her bold, data driven yet compassionate leadership style—“The Kindest Asshole You’ll Ever Meet”—Dr. Beast also serves as a professor of cannabis and business studies at Hudson County Community College. Her popular podcast garners thousands of monthly streams, amplifying diverse voices and facilitating difficult conversations around the cannabis industry and beyond.
Her accolades include being named NJ Biz 40 Under 40 in 2020, Mindbody’s Diversity & Inclusion Award and ClassPass Wellness Business of the Year for SW3AT and the T-Mobile Veterans Graduate Award at John Jay College. She has been featured on Manifest, Succession, Cash Cab, The Equalizer, and held a community partnership with the NHL NJ Devils through SW3AT. Deeply committed to equity, leadership, and healing, Dr. Beast continues to shift culture by empowering underserved communities with education, access, and inspiration."
A proud graduate of John Jay College and New Jersey City University, she earned a Masters in Security Management and her doctorate in Leadership, Management & Policy magna cum laude with research centered on women’s leadership. Prior to transitioning into cannabis, she served a decade of service in the U.S. Navy as a military police officer and held public servant roles within the New York MTA. She is the first Black, LatinX, LGBTQ, female, disabled veteran to become a licensed cannabis operator in New Jersey, now leading one of the state’s premier dispensaries and lounges in Jersey City.
Known for her bold, data driven yet compassionate leadership style—“The Kindest Asshole You’ll Ever Meet”—Dr. Beast also serves as a professor of cannabis and business studies at Hudson County Community College. Her popular podcast garners thousands of monthly streams, amplifying diverse voices and facilitating difficult conversations around the cannabis industry and beyond.
Her accolades include being named NJ Biz 40 Under 40 in 2020, Mindbody’s Diversity & Inclusion Award and ClassPass Wellness Business of the Year for SW3AT and the T-Mobile Veterans Graduate Award at John Jay College. She has been featured on Manifest, Succession, Cash Cab, The Equalizer, and held a community partnership with the NHL NJ Devils through SW3AT. Deeply committed to equity, leadership, and healing, Dr. Beast continues to shift culture by empowering underserved communities with education, access, and inspiration."
Speaking At
