Kate Avruch is a seasoned cannabis manufacturing specialist with over a decade of experience spanning extraction, operations, compliance, and workforce training. As the founder of Operator Academy, she leads the development of technical education and safety-focused training programs designed for licensed cannabis manufacturers and processors. Her work emphasizes GMP-aligned practices, lean manufacturing principles, and scalable systems to support both startup operators and established brands across the U.S. and beyond.
Kate has consulted for cannabis businesses nationwide, offering operational audits, SOP development, and efficiency optimization with a focus on product safety and regulatory compliance. She is trained in Six Sigma and Kaizen methodologies and is deeply committed to practical applications of quality assurance in real-world production environments.
In Massachusetts, Kate helped design and deliver the first cohort of the Cannabis Control Commission’s Social Equity Training Program, creating a curriculum that supported entry into licensed operations through hands-on, compliant skill-building. She also has extensive experience developing and teaching undergraduate and graduate-level cannabis education programs, as well as community-based workforce training initiatives.
She currently serves on the Board of the Institute of Cannabis Science and actively contributes to technical standards development through ASTM International and the American Chemical Society. Her work combines a deep understanding of manufacturing and plant science with a passion for improving industry-wide safety and education standards.
