Community Spotlight: Tricia Brown BSN, RN, NC-BC — Bringing Heart-Centered Nursing to Cannabis Care

When you meet Tricia Brown, one thing becomes immediately clear: her work is rooted in compassion, integrity, and a deep belief that people deserve to feel informed and empowered in their own wellness. After more than 31 years at the bedside, Tricia felt called to support patients in a new way, one that honored whole-person healing and recognized the therapeutic potential of cannabis. That calling led her to Ceres Medical, where she found perfect alignment in fellow nurse and founder, Lynn Wachtler, NP.

Meet Tricia

Tricia joined Ceres Medical after discovering that Lynn shared her values, vision, and commitment to evidence-based, stigma-free guidance. While she loved bedside nursing, Tricia knew she wanted to continue caring for people in a way that allowed for deeper education, prevention, and empowerment.

Since stepping into the cannabis space, Tricia’s work has evolved far beyond traditional clinical walls. She and Lynn routinely bring education into the community, presenting at senior living centers, hosting sessions at dispensaries, attending industry events, and meeting people wherever they are in their wellness journeys. Their efforts have helped Ceres Medical grow into a trusted, nurse-led resource for individuals seeking clear, safe pathways for cannabis use.

The most rewarding part for Tricia? Hearing the stories. People frequently share how cannabis has improved their sleep, eased anxiety, supported pain management, and restored a sense of hope after years of feeling unheard. As a nurse, witnessing someone finally find relief, especially after exhausting other options, remains the most meaningful part of her work.

With decades of experience caring for patients with complex medical, mental health, and addiction histories, Tricia approaches cannabis care through the lens of safety, individualized assessment, and harm reduction. She believes her strongest contribution is helping break stigma by grounding every conversation in trust, science, and compassion. Her deep knowledge of the endocannabinoid system allows her to translate complex information into clear, accessible guidance that people can understand and act on.

How She Shows Up for the Community

Community education is at the heart of Ceres Medical’s mission, and Tricia embodies that commitment. She has traveled across Minnesota teaching at senior living centers, dispensaries, wellness events, and community gatherings, often at no cost. She’s presented at major events like Lucky Leaf Expo and Legacy Cup, and is a regular presence at gatherings hosted by the Minnesota Craft Cannabis Guild and Earl Giles.

Her educational reach also extends into print. As a contributing writer for The North Bloom magazine, Tricia delivers approachable, evidence-informed content that helps readers integrate cannabis into their wellness routines safely and confidently.

Collaboration is another cornerstone of her work. Tricia believes the cannabis industry grows stronger when educators, healthcare professionals, cultivators, advocates, and consumers come together. Whether she’s joining MN Elevate hikes, participating in panel discussions, or contributing to community initiatives like Conscious Cannabis Consumption, she sees firsthand how connection strengthens understanding and consistency across the ecosystem.

One of Tricia’s proudest contributions is offering free educational sessions throughout Minnesota. Many attendees tell her it’s the first time they’ve received judgment-free, evidence-based information about cannabis. When someone finally understands their pain, anxiety, or sleep challenges through the lens of the ECS, it reinforces why this education matters so deeply.

What’s Next

Looking to the future, Ceres Medical is focused on three pillars: quality, empowerment, and education.

They are committed to partnering with growers who prioritize medical-quality cannabis, products that are clean, consistent, and reliable. Education remains central, and Tricia hopes to expand their reach through more accessible resources, community sessions, and evidence-based presentations.

She also remains dedicated to staying current with emerging science. As research accelerates, their team actively studies new findings to ensure their guidance stays accurate and clinically aligned. Tricia maintains active membership in leading professional organizations, including the Society of Cannabis Clinicians, the American Cannabis Nurses Association, Americans for Safe Access, and OPENurses, to remain connected to the latest science, policy updates, and best practices.

Ultimately, the goal is not just to keep pace with the industry, but to help shape it, prioritizing patient safety, responsible use, and whole-person wellness.

Her Advice for Leaders

When asked what she’d share with leaders entering the cannabis space, Tricia keeps it real: find your people. Surround yourself with individuals who share your values, integrity, curiosity, and compassion, because your circle shapes your path. And don’t try to do it all. Stay anchored in your purpose.

Her biggest personal lesson has been staying rooted in her role as a nurse coach. Her job is to educate and empower people to use cannabis safely and intentionally as part of a healthy lifestyle. When she stays grounded in that purpose, everything else becomes clearer.

Final Thoughts

Tricia knows that entering the cannabis space as an actively practicing nurse isn’t the easiest path, but it’s the right one for her. She believes wholeheartedly that if a plant helps people, nurses should be part of the conversation. Her mission is to bring evidence-informed, heart-centered nursing into cannabis care.

Trust is everything in cannabis. And with her decades of clinical experience, deep compassion, and unwavering commitment to safety, Tricia Brown is helping bridge the gap between what people fear and what we now understand about cannabis’s therapeutic potential.

Ceres Medical is not just guiding individuals, they’re helping elevate the entire community.

Connect with Tricia Brown

Connect with Tricia Brown on LinkedIn

Learn more about Ceres Medical