Kaitlyn Ward, Owner & Operations Lead
As the owner of our business, Kaitlyn brings unmatched dedication, focus, and heart to every part of the operation. From long nights refining processes to navigating the unexpected challenges that come with building something from the ground up, she’s been the steady hand keeping things moving forward.
Kaitlyn represents our brand with great ingenuity and care, ensuring that each product reflects the quality and consistency our customers deserve. As our content production specialist, she writes our story as you see it on tik tok etc. She also plays a key role in our finance and culinary research and development efforts, helping us test, refine, and elevate each recipe so that it arrives safely for your late night cravings!
Her work behind the scenes is foundational to everything we do. Kaitlyn’s passion, patience, and persistence make her not only the engine of this business—but one of its strongest creative forces and inspirations.
Joanne Russo, Supply Chain Manager
Overseeing product packaging, shipping/receiving, and Inventory Management, Joanne contributes her time to ensure that we fulfill your orders in a timely fashion. We couldn’t imagine our team without her nurturing, kind, and thoughtful attitude to keep product deliveries seamless!
We have seen Joanne’s attention to detail and aesthetics transform our customer experience and tailor it to our needs before our eyes!
Helena Robbins, Digital Design & Media Strategist
Helena brings our brand to life online. As our website designer and media collaborator, she shapes the digital face of our business—balancing aesthetic vision with functional design to create a seamless experience for visitors and customers alike.
With a sharp, critical eye and a unique storied lens through which she sees the world, Helena is also an integral part of our newsletter and content strategy. She works closely with the team to craft visuals and messaging that aligns with our mission and resonates with our audience. Whether it's designing graphics, brainstorming campaigns, or fine-tuning our digital presence, Helena helps guide the creative direction behind our brand's media presence.
Her thoughtful, modern approach ensures our work doesn’t just live online—it stands out.
From Us to You
The idea for Pot & Pan was discussed over a morning coffee at our kitchen table. If you know us, you know we’re never short on big ideas—especially when it comes to the things we’re passionate about. And few things bring people together quite like food.
Some of my most cherished memories are tied to the kitchen. There's something deeply meaningful about the act of preparing a meal—not just to nourish, but to excite, comfort, or connect. I often find myself revisiting these moments: the quiet love in my mother’s cooking after long days at work, the laughter during family meals with coworkers between dinner rushes, the way I nearly bankrupted myself cooking elaborate feasts for my college friends when I finally had a kitchen of my own.
This company is, in many ways, a long time coming.
When Pot & Pan was first imagined, I was working in an Aseptic manufacturing environment producing CAR-T therapies for cancer treatment. Kaitlyn, meanwhile, was working as a mental health specialist in a psychiatric facility. We are inspired to pursue our cannabis licensure foremost because we believe in how edible cannabis infusions can be transformative to the wellness of many disparate groups.
Our brand originates from witnessing the effects of cannabis medicinally as it was incorporated into our mother’s cancer treatments. Both of our mothers in part attribute their recovery to cannabis’ appetite stimulation, nausea suppression, and euphoric effects. Our goal is to make this type of wellness option more available, in as many options as possible, and as tasty as we possibly can. We’ve been working hard to create customizable white chocolate lettering, curate a collection of chocolate icons, and design custom stationery addons to boot— because we know sometimes special moments need a little extra sugar to top off the sweet stuff.
Pot & Pan is our leap. A way to bring people together. A love letter to the kitchen table; to our careers in research, healthcare, and science; to the family and friends who’ve uplifted us with their strength and lived experience, and to all of those we hope to connect with in the future.
Thank you so much for your time and support.
Warmly,
Gianfranco Altieri, April 20, 2025.
Gianfranco Altieri, CEO
As CEO of our microbusiness, Gianfranco is the initiating force behind our creations. What began as an idea to reimagine how cannabis gastronomy could meet the wellness needs of cancer patients has grown into a bold, collaborative venture under his data-driven mindset. With a passion for food science, biotechnology, storytelling and supply chain solutions, Gianfranco has led the charge from concept to execution: developing recipes, building company and regulatory infrastructure, and rallying a team of likeminded makers who share the same purpose—providing you the most elevated bakery experience possible.
Gianfranco’s professional training in operational excellence as a Car T Cell Therapy Manufacturing Operator has afforded great insights into highly regulated and complex pharmaceutical systems.
His focus is on capturing our share of an increasingly competitive market by setting us apart. For Gianfranco, this means coordinating appointments with attorneys, CPAs, and legislators to advocate for our business needs; developing all necessary and auxiliary systems for supply chain needs; and showing up every week at the community farmers market to share his work with the community.
Gianfranco is hands-on in every corner of the business, working closely with Kaitlyn to build a sustainable, imaginative, and profitable manufacturing site that serves those who need these therapies most.
Let’s work together.
Fill out the info below and we will be in touch shortly! We can't wait to hear from you!