# Erin Gore

> Erin Johnson Gore is the founder and CEO of Garden Society, a Sonoma County cannabis company launched in 2016. A University of Wisconsin-Madison chemical and biological engineering graduate, Gore spent more than a decade at Henkel, helped build Tom Gore Vineyards, and turned informal baking gatherings with friends into a consumer brand built around approachable products, responsible sourcing, education, and women’s participation in cannabis. She has led the company through wildfire disruptions, a pandemic-era sales pivot, a $7 million Series A, multistate expansion work, and the 2024 acquisition of craft cannabis brand Chemistry.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Garden Society
- **Organizations:** Garden Society, Henkel, Tom Gore Vineyards, Chemistry, North Sonoma County Healthcare District, Healthcare Foundation Northern Sonoma County, International Cannabis Farmers Association, Sonoma County Growers Alliance
- **Education:** Bachelor of Science in Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- **Known for:** Built Garden Society from a 2016 Sonoma County launch into a licensed consumer-products and manufacturing company., Raised more than $7 million in Series A financing in 2022., Created a $320,000 Series A SPV designed to include strategic women and BIPOC angel investors.

## Career timeline

- **Before 2016** — Spent more than a decade at Henkel, where public bios say she managed a global business valued at $100 million.
- **Before 2016** — Worked with her husband on Tom Gore Vineyards, a joint venture with Constellation Brands.
- **2014** — Began discussing a women-focused cannabis concept with future co-founder Karli Warner after the two connected through the wine industry.
- **2016** — Founded Garden Society and launched the brand at the Emerald Cup under California’s pre-Prop 64 framework.
- **2016** — Joined the elected North Sonoma County Healthcare District board.
- **2019** — Garden Society expanded its retail and education model while Gore received national recognition on women-in-cannabis lists.
- **2020** — Led a pandemic-era return to direct delivery and partnerships with other women-owned brands after prior wildfire disruptions.
- **2021** — Received a North Bay Business Journal Women in Business award.
- **2022** — Closed more than $7 million in Series A financing, including an oversubscribed $320,000 SPV of strategic women and BIPOC angel investors.
- **2024** — Garden Society acquired craft cannabis brand Chemistry in an all-equity transaction.
- **2025** — Appeared on HumanizeHer and Yahoo Finance’s The Big Idea to discuss her corporate-to-founder path and building in a young industry.
- **2026** — Continues to be identified by Garden Society and LinkedIn as the company’s founder and CEO.

## Achievements

- Built Garden Society from a 2016 Sonoma County launch into a licensed consumer-products and manufacturing company.
- Raised more than $7 million in Series A financing in 2022.
- Created a $320,000 Series A SPV designed to include strategic women and BIPOC angel investors.
- Completed Garden Society’s first acquisition, the craft cannabis brand Chemistry, in 2024.
- Received a 2021 North Bay Business Journal Women in Business award.
- Was included by Forbes among powerful and innovative women in cannabis.
- Helped lead Garden Society products to GreenState’s 2018 Best New Edible recognition.
- Served in elected community governance through the North Sonoma County Healthcare District.

## Latest updates

- **2025-05** — Joined Yahoo Finance’s The Big Idea podcast to discuss building a company in an industry whose operating rules were still developing.
- **2025-05** — Appeared on the HumanizeHer podcast for a career-spanning conversation about engineering, corporate leadership, manufacturing, financing and Garden Society.
- **2025-02** — Garden Society publicized hiring for New Jersey manufacturing leadership and work toward a Massachusetts launch through company and personal LinkedIn activity.
- **2024-02** — Announced Garden Society’s all-equity acquisition of Chemistry, adding tinctures, cartridges and other product categories.
- **2024-01** — Addressed the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission as founder and CEO of Garden Society NJ, a women-owned manufacturer planned for Passaic.

## Links

- Website: https://thegardensociety.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekjohnson2
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/grdnsociety
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grdnsociety/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrdnSociety

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/erin-gore
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-18