Mr. Neftali “Nef” Alberto has enjoyed public service, entrepreneurship, and athletics success. He is a seasoned business development professional, skilled negotiator, urban planner, real and rental property manager, and cannabis subject matter expert.

Neftali holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business with a Minor in Public Relations/Image Management from CSU Stanislaus. While in college, he interned with the City of Modesto, California, in public relations and image management with City Manager’s office. While serving in that role, he assisted in all public relations for Amgen Tour, the only road cycling event on the top-level World Tour in the United States.

While at the city, Neftali also started working for a commercial real estate brokerage and helped to establish Neighbor-Helping-Neighbor, connecting families who were losing their homes with investors willing to help. While there, one day, he had the opportunity to substitute for the brokerage buyer at the trustee sale and was hooked on real estate. While achieving a broker’s license at one point, he still maintains an active realtor’s license.

As President of Area X Inc, Neftali has revitalized over 450 residential and 35 commercial properties in underserved, blighted, and distressed communities, where he managed a construction workforce of more than 70 workers. Neftali owns three cannabis dispensaries; two are Cookies franchises, and the other is The People’s Remedy (TPR) in Northern California, which totals over 40,000 sq. ft. of canopy cultivation space. He holds three cultivation, two distribution, and two manufacturing licenses. Additionally, Neftali serves as a senior advisor to the CEO on business development for Cookies on domestic and international expansion, genetics, and strategic cultivation initiatives. He is a very well-respected cannabis subject matter expert.

Neftali grew up playing baseball and football and was a two-sport All-Star in high school. After high school, he went to Modesto Junior College, where he was recruited to play middle linebacker at Fresno State.

He was born and raised in Modesto, California, with two younger brothers and family roots in Guanajuato & Michoacan, Mexico. Nef still lives in Modesto, California, with his wife, Michelle Alberto, and their children, Leyla, Hayden, Cayleb, and Brady.