JENNIFER FLANAGAN LONG

Jennifer Flanagan Long has over 25 years of experience in the Massachusetts Legislature and Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission. Jennifer represented the City of Leominster in the House of
Representatives and represented ten and a half cities and towns in North Central Massachusetts in the
Senate. In 2017 Jennifer was appointed by then Governor Charlie Baker to serve as one of the inaugural
Commissioners on the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, establishing the first adult-use
cannabis program on the East Coast.

Former Commissioner Flanagan has close ties to her community.  She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Fitchburg State University, the Executive Board and Board of Trustees for RFK Community Alliance in Lancaster, Massachusetts, the Advisory Board of Trustees for the Seven Hills Foundation in Worcester, Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Advisory Board for the ParentChild+ program, and the Advisory Board for the UMass Women into Leadership program at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. 

Prior to joining Vicente LLP, Jennifer served as the public health appointed Commissioner on the
Massachusetts Cannabis Commission, where she directed the administration of the laws enabling
consumer access to medical and adult use cannabis in the Commonwealth. As the public health
appointee to the Commission, Former Commissioner Flanagan played an extensive role in crafting,
implementing, and executing the regulations that guided Massachusetts’ nascent marijuana industry.
Additionally, she played an integral part in creating More About Marijuana, the public awareness
campaign used by the CCC to educate the public on cannabis in Massachusetts.

Prior to joining the Commission, Former Commissioner Flanagan served in the Massachusetts General
Court for over 13 years, including four terms as the State Senator for the Worcester and Middlesex
District and two terms as the State representative for the 4th Worcester District. Former Senator
Flanagan served on several key committees while in office, including as Vice Chairperson of the
Committee on Ways and Means, Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use
and Recovery; Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities;
Chairperson of the Special Senate Committee on Addiction Prevention, Treatment and Recovery
Options; and Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health.

Throughout her tenure in elected office, Former Senator Flanagan became a national policy leader
through her continued focus on mental health and substance use disorder policy. As Chair of the Senate
Special Committee on Opioid Addiction, former Senator Flanagan co-authored and shepherded
landmark legislation mandating health insurance coverage for substance abuse disorder detoxification
and post detox treatment for up to 14 days. In her role leading the National Task Force on Mental Health
and Substance Abuse Disorders for the Women in Government organization, former Senator Flanagan
co-authored a policy toolkit that has been used by local and state governments across the nation.
Jennifer was a leading voice in policy affecting mental health, substance use disorder, and persons with
disabilities.

Former Commissioner Flanagan has close ties to her community. She currently serves on the Executive
Board for the RFK Community Alliance in Lancaster, Massachusetts; the Advisory Board of Trustees for
the Seven Hills Foundation in Worcester, Massachusetts; and the Advisory Board for the UMass Women
into Leadership program at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Jennifer received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts
Boston and a Master of Science degree in Mental Health Counseling from Fitchburg State University.