The High Road Design Studio

Megan was born in Scottsbluff, NE and raised in the small farm town of Fairmont, MN. From a young age, Megan had an interest and passion for architecture and design. Whether she was rearranging furniture or rearranging her bicycle routes to go past the large, beautiful homes in her town, there was always a natural attraction to good design in her soul. After graduating from high school, Megan earned her Bachelors of Science degree in Marketing at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. Upon earning her degree, she accepted a territory sales job with a high-end window and door manufacturer and was relocated to Palm Springs, CA at the age of 23. Megan immediately fell in love with Palm Springs and its abundance of great design and architecture. The change of environment and culture caused Megan to realize her true passion was not only in business, but also in interior design. She knew that creating unforgettable spaces that evoked emotional and psychological impacts on those who experience them would be the way she left her mark on the World. Upon leaving her sales position, she migrated to Orange County, CA to enroll in school at the Interior Designers Institute in Newport Beach, CA. While going to school, she picked up a part-time budtending job at a new dispensary, Orange County's Patient Care, in Santa Ana, CA. Being a part of the medical marijuana industry was something Megan had never considered before and she quickly learned how expansive the industry was. She worked part-time within the interior design industry as well, increasing her skills and gaining knowledge in the operations of successful design firms. Megan worked side-by-side an award-winning and many-times published designer, as well as for a mid-sized architectural firm. During this time, she also designed and lead the remodeling of the showroom at OCPC. However, by the summer of 2012, an opportunity arose and she began a full-time position as General Manager for OCPC. The coming weeks would bring the opening of a second location, which involved an overnight make-over followed by months of renovation. As her presence at the store was now full-time, she was able to implement display and merchandising techniques that helped the dispensary grow and brought many record-setting sales days to the business. As the dispensary grew, the business developed a reputation for being the nicest, most professional, and best ran shop in Orange County. Patients admired the display and arrangement of products, and often mentioned how they felt "safe," and "like they weren't doing anything wrong." They also very frequently said, "This is the only shop around like this and that is why I come back." The importance of design for cannabis businesses only continued to make itself known to Megan. As the nation, for the first time, had more people in favor of legalizing marijuana than were against it, when two states voted to legalize recreational marijuana use in 2012, and when 19 states had passed medical marijuana laws, things felt hopeful. But as the stereotypes and negative publicity seemed to continue on in step with these gains, Megan realized she wanted to find a way to change people's opinions about the industry she loved and believed in. After seeing how positively her designs had impacted OCPC's business, she knew this was something that more businesses could benefit from. With the expertise of an industry insider, the knowledge and vision of a strong designer, and the attitude of a true believer in the potential and importance of the legalization movement, Megan looks forward to working with cannabis business owners across the country to bring about the new look of the cannabis industry. Megan is actively involved in the Orange County Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) as an Allied Member. She is a faculty member of the Cannabis Career Institute, where she teaches future dispensary owners about the value of interior design. When not pursuing her career interests, Megan enjoys being active outdoors, traveling, cooking, and keeping up with friends and family.