Rebecca Pignato

I attribute my success to creativity, discipline, adaptability, and a strong commitment to building systems that help organizations and people succeed. I began my career as a sparkle artist, designing pageant and ballroom gowns with intricate crystal detailing that required precision, patience, and a strong sense of presentation. That experience taught me that excellence is built through focus on the details, structure, and persistence. Today, I serve as a Facility Manager in Arizona’s cannabis industry and as a leader at Nirvana Center, where I have advanced through operational roles including genetics scheduling, clone management, and facility operations, learning every aspect of the cultivation process from soil to system while developing a leadership style centered on clarity, accountability, and team empowerment. What I enjoy most is building structure where complexity exists, including developing a comprehensive cultivation dashboard that tracks production, compliance, and operational performance across departments, as well as implementing a QR-based tracking system to improve data management, increase accountability, and enhance efficiency. In an industry where compliance is critical, I take pride in being recognized by compliance leadership as a standard-setter for documentation accuracy and operational integrity, helping our facility achieve strong compliance performance through disciplined processes and teamwork. I currently oversee employee relations, inventory control, accounting oversight, department coordination, and large-scale cultivation operations, balancing strategic leadership with detailed problem-solving. I am especially proud of earning my role as the only female candidate called back for a facility manager interview, proving my qualifications through preparation and results in a traditionally male-dominated industry, and I remain committed to contributing to Arizona’s evolving cannabis industry by focusing on long-term sustainability, team development, and operational excellence.

I would say probably one of the biggest things is that the cannabis industry, even though it's a vast industry, is also very tight-knit. Doing something like quitting a job without giving notice or not putting that care into it can really affect you later on. There are companies that won't work with you again. Whether it's a disagreement of how we did something or an employee disagreement, if you don't behave correctly and give the notice and give the care and respect that that business deserves, then they're not going to want to work with you. People talk, and it really could just limit what you're capable of. So I feel like if you're professional and you're ambitious and you're willing to put in the work, there is nothing you can't accomplish.

The biggest challenges and opportunities in my field right now revolve around breaking barriers in leadership, navigating strict regulatory environments, and scaling operations while maintaining quality and compliance. Working in a traditionally male-dominated industry has required me to build credibility through consistent performance, confidence, and measurable results, ensuring that my contributions are defined by operational excellence and strong leadership. At the same time, operating within Arizona’s highly regulated cannabis market presents the challenge of maintaining flawless compliance, where there is little margin for error and success depends on building systems that can withstand audits, inspections, and evolving regulatory standards. These challenges also create opportunities to innovate through data-driven processes and structured workflows. As facilities continue to scale, the complexity of managing genetics scheduling, clone tracking, inventory, employee coordination, and compliance documentation increases, making it essential to build sustainable systems that support growth without sacrificing quality or accountability. I see these challenges as opportunities to strengthen operational standards, advance industry professionalism, and lead through technology, organization, and team development.

I work with a different glue now, but on my own time, I still do sparkle art. My hobbies include spending time with my wife and my dogs, sewing, and crafting. I love anything crafting - the more sparkle, the better. I always wear a ton of color. I look like a walking box of crayons at all times. I don't like having the same shirt as everybody, and they're always so boring, so I actually do stuff to every single shirt. I've got one that's beaded, I've got one that's tie-dyed, I've got one that's bleached and blinged out. I have to make everything my own and express my creativity through what I wear and create.