TRAITMARKER MEDIA
tell a better story
CROWNS to CANNABIS​
by Brooke M. Westlake, B.A., M.A.
Survival. Reinvention. Legacy.
CROWNS TO CANNABIS is the raw, redemptive story of Brooke Morgan Westlake—a single mother who refused to let trauma define her future. Raised amid addiction, incarceration, and instability, Brooke found her way out through education, earning multiple degrees and claiming 17 pageant titles along the way—not for applause, but for proof.
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Her faith was forged early by loss, her confidence tested by public divorce and near-death experiences, and her purpose reshaped through resilience. When life shattered her carefully built plans, Brooke chose connection over perfection and courage over comfort.
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Structured around crowns, career, cannabis, and charity, Crowns to Cannabis chronicles Brooke’s boldest risk yet: stepping into an industry no one expected—and leading with integrity anyway. This is a story of loss and resilience, grit and grace. Brooke’s hope is simple and radical: that her journey of connection, inspiration, and learning might help others find the courage to pursue their own purpose, even when the path looks nothing like the plan.
Purpose Reshaped Through Resilience.
Breaking Stereotypes. Building Empires.
BROOKE MORGAN WESTLAKE, BA, MA, is an entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, and author whose work is shaped by lived experience, disciplined curiosity, and a deep commitment to community. Born and raised in Reno— “the Biggest Little City in the World”—Brooke’s story is one of reinvention, resilience, and learning to belong across worlds that don’t always intersect. A first-generation college graduate, Brooke earned her Associate of Arts from Truckee Meadows Community College, followed by both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Brooke's professional career spans more than 28 years across healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, sales leadership, marketing, and entrepreneurship. From working with homeopathic physicians and neurosurgical groups to global pharmaceutical companies and telehealth manufacturing, Brooke has built a reputation for translating complex products into human connection. She has completed more than 70 trade shows worldwide, serving as a speaker, exhibitor, and relationship builder in high-stakes business environments.
Brooke’s philanthropic work has been both hands-on and leadership driven, supporting causes ranging from Alzheimer’s advocacy to national fundraising initiatives, including work connected to Hilarity for Charity. She has served in donor relations for RennerVation and currently works with Ronald McDonald House Charities, focusing on major gifts and donor development in the Reno community. Her civic engagement includes appointments by three Nevada governors, service on multiple governing boards, and campaigns for public office in both 2022 and 2026.
In Crowns to Cannabis, Brooke does not present herself as an exception or an expert above others. Instead, she offers a lived account of wins, losses, and recalibration, examining what it takes to build businesses, relationships, and identity without abandoning integrity. Her work emphasizes connection over performance, learning over certainty, and belonging without assimilation.