New CIE Michael Donahue’s experience spans cannabis safety training to local police and the DEA
With other concerns such as lab testing and the attempt to close dispensaries in Massachusetts getting most of the attention, headlines about human resources at the Cannabis Control Commission don’t register as loudly as they used to.
Still, staffing and particularly understaffing are important topics worth watching closely. In the past, mismanagement appears to have been driving problems in the HR department. At the same time, the CCC is criminally underfunded, leading to countless freezes and delays on this front.
The two positions that the agency filled this week are major operators of the regulatory machine—the chief of investigations and enforcement, and the director of testing compliance. They’re also both at the center of several pressing unsolved issues, such as lab testing integrity.
Both the new CIE and DOTC will surely appear in upcoming TJM coverage, and we look forward to reporting on their progress. In the meantime, here are their bios so that stakeholders can start to get acquainted …
Michael Donahue, Chief of Investigations and Enforcement (CIE)
Michael Donahue joined the Commission in August 2026 after a career in law enforcement, community affairs, and public safety training. Donahue began his career as an officer at police departments in New Hampshire and later joined the Drug Enforcement Administration as a task force detective. He most recently served as a leader in the Community Affairs Division of the Manchester, NH, Police Department and as an instructor in Maine for Dirigo Safety, which provides training for numerous agencies that deal directly with cannabis policy in New England. Donahue’s experiences in law enforcement and drug interdiction informed his view that the legal cannabis market is the most effective way to ensure public health and safety while diminishing the illicit market.
Andrew Dancoe, Director of Testing Compliance (DOTC)
Andrew Dancoe began as the Director of Testing Compliance in August 2026 after serving as the Associate Director of Lab Analytics at Curaleaf, and has served in similar roles inside and outside the cannabis industry. Dancoe has a BS and MS in Biology from UMass Lowell and has a master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Florida. He has over 15 years of experience with analytical chemistry and over 10 years in consumer goods research and development. He is also a member of the ASTM Committee D37 on Cannabis and Hemp, one of the leading scientific professional groups working to standardize cannabis testing.
