Christina de Giovanni
Founder and CEO, Emerald Media Group (EMGC Inc.)
In 2012, Christina found herself a victim of Federal Asset Forfeiture when her then live-in boyfriend, a cannabis grower, was caught with bulk currency on an Amtrak train by the Reno Drug Task Force. After law enforcement was notified in Humboldt County, Christina fought the system for nine months until her charges were dropped and she was able to reclaim her seized assets.
Following her experience of civil injustice, Christina launched a print publication called the Emerald Magazine during her last semester at Humboldt State University, where she graduated with a degree in Journalism.
Initially a community and activities publication, she rebranded the magazine three years in, when her mother was diagnosed with cancer and was seeking information on treating with cannabis. Christina recreated the Emerald Magazine as a resource to demystify cannabis for non-traditional, new medicinal users like her mother. The Media Group perfectly positions itself to educate those entering the new market.
Emerald stands as the industry’s voice of cannabis for modern women. Designed to appeal to females and senior citizens, the channels of the EMGC eschew the dude-centric stoner culture and feature no scantily-clad women or bong adverts. Instead, Emerald readers are drawn in by the easy-to-navigate profiles of companies and product reviews.
