Dr. Rachel Parmelee is an instructional assistant professor, nurse, and cannabis practice expert. She has designed graduate-level cannabis curricula for Master of Science programs for healthcare and cannabis industry professionals since 2020. She recently joined the Biomolecular Sciences Department at the University of Mississippi to develop the online MS in Dietary Supplements and Medical Cannabis utilizingadvancedd online learning technology. Rachel's specialty is designing cannabis content to maximize higher-order thinking using various aesthetically engaging design techniques with regular updates to reflect evolving cannabis research and regulations.

Rachel has over 17 years of experience in the cannabis industry and began traveling the country, educating nurses and healthcare professionals on medical cannabis and its evolving role in clinical care in 2016. A registered nurse since 2008, Dr. Parmelee spent the first decade of her career in downtown Detroit, specializing in neuro and spinal cord injury care. She holds a PhD in nursing education focusing on medical cannabis education, is an Advanced Holistic Nurse - Board Certified, a Certified Nurse Educator, Registered Nurse (MI & NY), and earned a Master of Science in Nursing.

As the Immediate Past President of the American Cannabis Nurses Association, she helped facilitate Cannabis Nursing as a recognized specialty practice in 2023. Dr. Parmelee has co-authored chapters on pharmacology and emerging research trends in Clark’s Cannabis: A Handbook for Nurses, co-edited the Scope and Standards of Cannabis Nursing, and is a published researcher. Dr. Parmelee has unique insight into patient care, education, and curriculum development, and looks forward to sharing her recent research findings, experience, and potential opportunities in the cannabis industry.