Jaime Lewis, has more than 13 years of experience managing the production of medical/adult use marijuana-infused products and leading dispensary & cultivation operations in regulated markets across the US. A California Culinary Academy graduate, she’s worked in highly acclaimed kitchens, including serving as the executive chef of a Michelin-rated 3-star restaurant in San Francisco. Jaime began creating medical marijuana edibles for HIV/AIDS patients in California in 2006 for the Elmar Lins Compassion Co-op and advised the San Francisco health department on proper food handling procedures for marijuana edibles manufacturing in the City/County of San Francisco.
In 2009, Jaime founded Mountain Medicine, a medical marijuana-infused product manufacturer which supplied medical and recreational marijuana edibles to licensed Colorado Dispensaries. Founder and executive chef, Jaime designed the commercial kitchen and supervised its construction. She developed recipes for products to meet patients’ needs and developed product packaging that favors discreet design on behalf of patient confidentiality and safety. Jaime was also the Chief Operating Officer of a large Colorado dispensary operation, where she was responsible for operations, strategic planning, business development, branding & marketing, governmental affairs & community relations. She created education initiatives for patients, physicians and customers, and analyzed patient and customer surveys to compile information on medicinal and recreational characteristics and the efficacy of marijuana strains.
Jaime is a founding member/former chair of the Cannabis Business Alliance, a trade organization that functions as the Colorado industry’s chamber of commerce. Ms. Lewis also served as a long-term member and chair of the National Cannabis Industry Association, functioning as a national spokesperson for the regulated cannabis industry. Lewis has effectively supported business involvement and trade group engagement. To ensure NCIA’s federal representation, Lewis strengthened its lobbying efforts, launching NCIA’s infused Products Council which was instrumental in collaborating with the Council on Responsible Cannabis Regulation on a new Packaging and Labeling Standards Committee. She has provided guidance to legislators & regulators across the U.S., supporting the creation of responsible regulations.
Ms. Lewis now operates Coldwater Consulting, a multi-disciplinary Cannabis Consulting firm that provides end to end solutions for the medical & recreational cannabis industry, the emerging CBD markets and ancillary businesses looking to expand into these markets. Ms. Lewis serves her clients in a multitude of regulated markets by sharing her firsthand knowledge of what it takes to navigate the Cannabis Industry and forge forward onto success by facilitating market entrance, improving business performance, turning risk and compliance into opportunities, developing strategies and enhancing value.
