Our Team

William N. Burch is a consultant and legislative advocate.William is the 2020-22 Chairman of the Black Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurs of Illinois where he works alongside local chambers and business organizations to assist the Black business community grow and scale their businesses in the State of Illinois. At Greene Acres Consulting Group where he serves as CEO. He has been working with legislators and the Illinois community stakeholders to ensure the Adult Use Cannabis legislation includes measurable equity inclusion for communities harmed by the” war on drugs” with a goal to encourage, empower, assist, and sustain disadvantaged minority businesses and entrepreneurs looking to enter the adult use cannabis industry.

With years of career success in project management and business development, William’s business agility stems from working in industries that are rapidly growing and evolving. William received a Bachelor of Science degree, with a concentration in Business Management from Roosevelt University. He worked on his master’s degree Studies at the University of Illinois in Educational Policy Studies.

Known for applying proven business tactics to unchartered territory, William has created a diverse consulting network at Greene Acres Consulting Group with high-profile partners. William has been in the business development, communications, and nonprofit management industry for over fifteen years, and brings an extensive working knowledge of business and non-profit community. He has consulted a variety of businesses, entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, political candidates, and church groups with strategic planning, management, event planning, and youth organizing. As a consultant, his mission is to be the choice for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits in need by providing excellent services that support their efforts to develop, implement, and evaluate plans for growth. William has received multiple recognitions for his professional accomplishments.

He is the co-author of Illinois Public Act 96-1341 the African American Employment Plan Act and the Illinois Seal Bill Public Act 098-0399. William is also the organizer of the 2010 Title VI Civil Rights Complaint Training facilitated by the United States Department of Justice Department.

Community Outreach:

• Organized and facilitated summer community picnics and voters registration drive (West Lawndale, Lakeview, Humboldt Park)
• Serviced over 200 youth
• Organized winter coat drive for youth in West Lawndale and Englewood
• Organized partnership with Xerox Capital Services Employees to donate holiday turkeys to family’s in Humboldt Park and Englewood
• Organized and facilitated Christmas Toy drive for youth in Von Humboldt Elementary and Busy Bumble Bee Infant/Toddler Academy
• Serviced over 200 youth
• Organized Black History Month Essay Competition for CPS High School Junior and Seniors
• Organized and partnered with Maxamillion Promotion a book drive for Black Youth in Action
• Partnered with Englewood United Methodist Church to offer Youth programming in vacant space (Black Youth In Action)
• Awarded $165,000 grant from KaBoom to build safe play space in Englewood
• Partnered with Luster Products to provide Holiday Food Baskets
• Partnered with Englewood United Methodist Church to provide Thanksgiving Day Dinner to 300 Englewood residents
• Partnered with Beloved Community Family Services to offer Christmas party to youth in Englewood
• Serviced over 350 youth
• Partnered with House of Faith to offer Youth programming in vacant space (Gift of Dance Youth Services)
• Partnered with Southeastern Immediate Care Center to offer Youth programming in vacant space (Building Chicago’s Tomorrow)
• Partnered with Harmony Health Care to offer Health Insurance to Chicago residents
• Registered over 300 families for ALLKIDS Insurance
• Partnered with Mininite Baptist Church to offer summer programming
• Employed 15 summer youth employees of the Congressman Bobby Rush “Hope and Healing Initiative”
• Partnered with Passages Mentoring Program to mentor youth who have one or both parent incarcerated.
• Partnered with Real Men Charities and Organized Englewood World AIDS DAY Youth Summit Annual Event
• Partnered With Englewood High School & HIV/AIDS Activist’s Rae Lewis Thornton to facilitate youth forum about HIV/AIDS Awareness.
• Grant writing forum for perspective business owners

Awards:

• 2005 GE Imagine Award
• 2006 Presidential National Leadership Award Recipient (Pres. G.W. Bush)
• 2006 Black in Government Community Service Award Recipient
• 2007 Unsung Hero of Englewood Award

Member:

• Cannabis Equity Illinois Coalition (CEIC)- Founding Board Member
• Books over Balls- Board Chairman
• Mental Health and Cannabis Education (MHACE)- Chairman
• Black Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurs of Illinois (BCCEI)- Chairman

Sharon Burch is a Founding member and community organizer with the Cannabis Equity IL Coalition. Having been a part of the Coalition since its founding, Sharon has helped the Coalition develop from a community group into a 501(c)3 non-profit, and has been instrumental in the organizing efforts of the Coalition’s expungement and re-entry programming. Sharon is also the CEO/President of MHACE (Mental Health Awareness and Cannabis Education 501(c)3 Organization, where she assists citizens with Know Your Rights education, information about clemency, and resources on expungement and sealing. She provides education on cannabis to both adults and young people regarding Medicinal and Recreational benefits.

• Associates in Health Information Technology
• Certified Mental Health First Aid Responder
• Certified Opioid Overdose Prevention Trained
• Certified Dispensary Agent
• Certified by NAMI Mental Health training for Adults
• Certified by NAMI Mental Health training for Teens
• Certified by Erikson Institute for Mental Health Early Childhood
• Certified by Community Emergency Response Team on Resilience and Psychological First Aid Training
• Mental Health Awareness Training
• Certified by USA Youth Mental Health First Aid
• Executive Director of MHACE (Mental Health Awareness and Cannabis Education 501(3) Organization
• Magnificent Moms