By: | March 10, 2026 | Local |
by Emma Sylvia
A business's success is rooted in something simple: a team that genuinely cares about the people they serve. One example is NJ Leaf, a local medical and recreational dispensary that has expanded from its original location in Freehold to locations in North Brunswick, Keansburg, and one opening soon in Aberdeen. Co-owner and founder, Ritesh Shah, is eager to discuss the new location – but even more so, he’s elated to discuss the hard work of his staff, whom he credits with all of NJ Leaf’s immense success.
Meet the Team
Victoria “Tori” Losurdo is NJ Leaf’s Director of Media and Marketing and a resident of Holmdel. She joined the team in July of 2023, shortly after its grand opening, aligning with a transitional period in the company’s timeline. NJ Leaf was in the process of going from purely serving as a medical dispensary to a combination of medical and recreational,making it one of approximately 49 dispensaries in the state to be such a hybrid.
Losurdo started as a wellness advisor, which NJ Leaf calls its budtenders. “I was always infatuated with being in this position,” Losurdo relays. “I was involved in the cannabis culture, and there was something around the culture that I loved so much. NJ Leaf is a place of growth.”
Losurdo, surrounded by an encouraging workplace environment, took it upon herself to help cultivate NJ Leaf’s social media content, eventually growing into the role she holds today. It’s this environment that has also helped foster a familial relationship between budtender and client, where customers’ names are known the moment they walk in. “We do it with such love because we love what we do. We’re so proud to tell our parents or family friends – it used to be something to be ashamed about, and now we’re advocates for it in our personal lives, and now on a grander scheme as the store has grown. That’s been an unmatched experience.”
Likewise, Natalia Garcia, a resident of Rahway and NJ Leaf Operations Manager, lauds both NJ Leaf’s culture and the medicinal properties of cannabis for the average patient. She initially became interested in cannabis as a remedy for frequent migraines and anxiety, but was put off by the industry after a negative experience at a different dispensary. “It was almost serendipitous to find NJ Leaf,” she recalls. “I feel like I’ve found a home in a really awesome place, especially coming from a disillusioned place in the industry.”
She emphasizes NJ Leaf’s educational and family-driven approach, aiming to breed responsibility, offering a goal-oriented, responsible manner for a green industry. “I’m very proud to be part of a company that’s growing substantially, responsibly, and ethically. I have strong people standing by me that make NJ leaf what it is.”
Meanwhile, Luke Lieberman, Senior Vice President of NJ Leaf and Brick resident, was approached by the founder, Ritesh Shah, in 2023 to join the team when NJ Leaf first opened. “[Shah] knew my experience. What really made me dive deeply into cannabis to begin with is medical necessity. I dealt with epilepsy for a while, and very high-quality CBD truly changed my life.”
Lieberman learned that the way cannabis is grown is what makes the difference in the product, leading him to spend eight years in Maine to learn how to cultivate the best product. “It’s really patient-focused up there [in Maine]. I’ve always held onto that kind of mentality.”
Lieberman, like the rest of the NJ Leaf team, aims to educate and demonstrate to the public the plant’s medical importance, which, as it has for Lieberman, can make a true difference in someone’s life.
“I’ve tried to bring the importance of having organic cannabis and educating people on how the medical side of it is something that can change someone’s life if used properly,” he explains. “Really teaching our budtenders how to grasp, voice, and translate that message to the end user. That’s always been my ultimate goal for NJ Leaf.”
2025: Wrapped
2025 turned out to be another fantastic year for the company, with the new Keansburg location holding its grand opening in December and already showing exceptional growth. Located on Rt 36 right across from the CVS, NJ Leaf is happy to serve the Bayshore area. Now, residents in northern Monmouth do not have to drive more than half an hour to Freehold to get the best product.
NJ Leaf’s menu is a full-spectrum offering with a huge inventory including: flower, carts, edibles, pre-rolls, concentrates, topicals, tinctures, and accessories. The new Keansburg location (recreational only) is wellness-first, honors medical patients’ tax status, and offers exclusive NJ Leaf products. And, at this location, and all newer storefronts, customers can use Loyalty Program points from location to location.
Garcia notes that NJ Leaf serves a wide array of customers of all ages. “Being able to give education and translate it to other people [is imperative]. The youth might receive things differently than the elderly community would.”
NJ Leaf is eager to engage in community events, from Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day, and summer-themed events. They also offer special discounts to veterans, senior citizens, new customers, and more.
“My community knows me there,” Shah says. “The community is going to be thrilled to have my diamonds in my team that I have.” The diamonds, of course, are Shah’s stand-out staff. “We’re growing because the customer appreciates us. They love us, want us, and they’re asking, ‘Why don’t we have an NJ Leaf our town?’”
The Heart and Soul of NJ Leaf
NJ Leaf today, as Shah puts it, is a big name – but community is its heart and soul. They aim to provide a safe place to the community. Losurdo acknowledges that some of their patients, due to medical situations, may be more introverted. It’s NJ Leaf’s goal to connect those patients to the community they’ve fostered and stop the stigma around cannabis usage.
“You see the industry mature when operators realize why cannabis matters in the first place,” Lieberman adds. “When the operator doesn’t remember that? Access, quality, integrity – that’s what we stand for.”
According to Shah, community engagement is NJ Leaf’s bread and butter. Some of the nonprofits and organizations that they’ve partnered with include: 180 Turning Lives Around, the Stephanie Parze Foundation, the Vin Gopal Civic Association, and their own Ritesh Shah Charitable Pharmacy. They support Monmouth’s veterans and police departments, and keep their support of the LGBTQ+ community as a banner to wave.
“We’re a dispensary that has open arms and shows that love,” says Shah.
For more information, visit NJLeaf.com, NJ Leaf on Facebook, and @njleaf_keansburg on Instagram
Visit their Keansburg location at 77 NJ-36, Keansburg, and their Freehold location at 546 Park Ave., Freehold
