Alaska’s Marijuana Regulator Resigns

Joan Wilson has officially resigned from her role and is set to take on a new position as a judge in the Office of Administrative Hearings. Her new agency will oversee disputes and challenges related to administrative actions across the state, according to the Alaska Beacon.

Wilson’s departure comes after serving as head of the AMCO since April 2022. She was appointed by Governor Mike Dunleavy, who praised her 25 years of experience as both a civil and criminal law attorney at the time of her selection. Wilson succeeded Glen Klinkhart, who had held the role permanently since March 2021 after serving as interim director beginning in late 2019. Before Klinkhart, Erika McConnell served as the AMCO director but was removed by the Alaska Alcoholic Beverage Control Board in late 2019, leading to a series of leadership changes within the agency.

At present, Lizzie Kubitz, a special assistant within the state’s Department of Commerce, is listed as the acting director of the AMCO. The state has not yet named a permanent replacement for Wilson, leaving the future leadership of the agency uncertain as they manage both alcohol and marijuana regulations in Alaska.