Breaking Barriers: How Stevie Palmateer is Driving Change in Cannabis Technology with her Expertise and Passion

Stevie Palmateer, the chief technology officer at LeafLink, was recognized for her leadership in cannabis technology at the recent Green Market Report Women in Cannabis Awards in New York. Her contributions to advancing payment solutions and engineering excellence have been vital to the industry. With 15 years of experience in technology and computer science, Palmateer joined LeafLink in late 2020 with a passion for using technology to drive social and cultural change.

Motivated by a desire to work in an industry focused on helping people, Palmateer found a perfect fit at LeafLink. She has personal experience with the transformational power of plant medicine and wanted to be part of undoing the injustices stemming from the War on Drugs. As the head of a team of 50 full-time employees, she oversees enterprise, platform, and product engineering, as well as IT operations at LeafLink.

One of Palmateer’s key accomplishments at LeafLink was the successful rollout of the company’s Flex and Direct Pay payment products within a tight six-month timeline. Despite facing challenges with limited access to third-party resources, she and her team were able to meet their go-to-market plan. Her commitment to engineering excellence has resulted in notable improvements in LeafLink’s operations, including enhanced net promoter scores and faster cycle times.

While her journey has not been without challenges, Palmateer remains focused on steering LeafLink towards success. She believes that strong leadership involves making tough decisions, especially during challenging times. The company’s resilience during economic downturns has only made it stronger, leading to what Palmateer calls “LeafLink 2.0”.

Looking ahead, Palmateer is optimistic about the future of the cannabis industry, particularly in relation to the potential rescheduling of cannabis. She is eager to see the impact of rescheduling on industry practices and hopes it will pave the way for further reforms, especially around access to capital. As an industry leader, Palmateer is committed to driving positive change within the cannabis technology sector.

Palmateer’s journey began with a passion for using technology