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The basics:

• Laufer named chair of NJ Cannabis Commission
• Ferraro selected as vice chair
• Leadership change follows Houenou resignation
• NJ’s cannabis market surpasses $1.2B in 2025 sales

Leadership changes are underway at the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

Commissioner Harris Laufer was voted as predecessor to longtime board Chair Dianna Houenou, who stepped down last month, during the CRC’s April 23 meeting. Regulators also selected Commissioner Jaqueline Ferraro as vice chair.

Laufer serves as mayor of Springfield and is a former senior advisor to state Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-22nd District. His background also includes serving as chief of staff for state Sen. Raj Mukherji, D-32nd District.

Meanwhile, Ferraro is a leading cannabis advocate and consultant. Prior to founding her own cannabis consulting and public affairs firm in 2018, she worked at the New Jersey Cannabis Industry Association.

Both joined the regulatory board last year to fill vacancies created by the exits of Charles Barker and Sam Delgado.

According to the CRC, the new chair and vice chair will lead fellow commissioners Amelia Mapp and Krista Nash “in advancing the commission’s mission to regulate a safe, equitable and sustainable cannabis market.”

‘A pivotal time’

Laufer remarked, “New Jersey has built a strong foundation for a safe, equitable cannabis market, and I am honored to step into this role at such a pivotal time.”

“As cannabis’ status evolves at the federal level, it is especially important that we remain engaged with stakeholders across the state – licensees, advocates, municipalities, and community leaders – to strengthen collaboration, support responsible business growth, and continue expanding opportunities for those historically left out of the industry,” he said.

Ferraro shared, “I am honored to serve as vice chair and to support the continued growth and success of New Jersey’s cannabis industry.”

She succeeds Nash as vice chair.

“The former commissioners and staff built a strong foundation on which to expand, and I will work closely with my fellow commissioners and the NJ-CRC staff to ensure our regulatory framework remains responsive, transparent, and supportive of responsible operators across the state,” Ferraro said.

A maturing market

Houenou led the board since the commission’s launch in April 2021. Former Gov. Phil Murphy appointed her to the seat following the overwhelming voter approval of legal recreational cannabis in 2020.

Since New Jersey launched legalized adult-use sales in April 2022, more than 270 dispensaries have opened across the state. In 2025, the Garden State recorded nearly $1.2 billion in recreational and medical cannabis sales.

According to Politico, Houenou announced her April 10 resignation in a letter to Gov. Mikie Sherrill. Houenou said she felt it was “time for a new leader” and that the agency had moved beyond its “infancy stage,” the outlet reported.

It’s not clear who Sherrill will appoint to fill the fifth seat on the CRC. The governor’s office declined comment on the position.

CRC acting Executive Director Chris Riggs praised the board for its progress “to stand up a nationally recognized regulatory framework.”

He also said he looks forward to working with the chair and vice chair “to build on that momentum as we continue in our next phase of growth.”

“Both are stepping into these roles at a time during the rescheduling of medical cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. We know there’s much work ahead, and our focus remains on delivering clear guidance, improving processes, and strengthening engagement with applicants, licensees, and communities across New Jersey,” Riggs said.