SHF, d/b/a Safe Harbor, a fintech company in providing banking, lending and financial services to the regulated cannabis and hemp industries, added two key executives to its leadership team. Stephen La Rosa joins Safe Harbor as senior vice president, lending strategy and partner development, and Cassandra Douglas as senior manager client experience and onboarding.
“Safe Harbor is evolving alongside the cannabis industry to meet the growing needs of operators,” Terry Mendez, CEO of Safe Harbor Financial, said. “With the addition of leaders like Cassandra and Stephen, we’re scaling our capabilities in lockstep with our clients’ success, from daily banking to long-term capital access, reinforcing our commitment to scaling client experience and capital solutions with purpose, precision and care.”
La Rosa is leading the expansion of the company’s lending platform, providing solutions designed to meet the evolving capital needs of clients. With more than 20 years of banking experience across large and smaller financial institutions, his strengths include small business lending, relationship management, business development, portfolio management, credit analysis and risk management.
“Safe Harbor is uniquely positioned to redefine how cannabis operators access capital at every stage of growth,” La Rosa said. “By expanding access to capital beyond traditional banking channels — through private equity, family offices and institutional partners — we’re building a more flexible, responsive lending platform. Our goal is to meet cannabis operators where they are and provide the financial tools they need to scale, invest and compete in a rapidly evolving marketplace.”
Douglass brings a decade of hands-on cannabis banking leadership from within regulated financial institutions, positioning Safe Harbor to scale onboarding, compliance and relationship development with greater consistency and depth as client needs grow more complex. In her role, she will support client onboarding, relationship development and the delivery of compliant cannabis banking solutions.
Prior to joining Safe Harbor, Douglass served as vice president and regional manager at Herring Bank, where she ran the cannabis banking program, worked directly with cannabis banking clients and led regional program operations. Throughout her career, she has managed onboarding teams, reviewed documentation for new banking relationships and ensured alignment with evolving state and federal regulatory requirements. Her experience spans compliance, operations, product development, fraud prevention and risk, with deep expertise in state-specific licensing frameworks.
“I’m honored to join a company that has helped define the gold standard in cannabis banking and financial services,” Douglass said. “Safe Harbor has a long-standing commitment to compliance, transparency and innovation and I look forward to helping scale that legacy while building meaningful relationships with cannabis businesses across the country.”
