About JM

Navy veteran JM Balbuena is an award-winning author, filmmaker, advocate, and entrepreneur committed to empowering aspiring leaders in the legal cannabis space. Her debut book, The Successful Canna-preneur, earned her “Cannabis Educator of the Year” (2021 Las Vegas Cannabis Awards) and inclusion in The New Latina’s “100 Latinas Shaping The World.” In June 2024, JM published Green Renaissance, exploring cannabis culture, history, and its potential for equity and economic growth, cementing her status as a thought leader in the industry.

JM directed and produced the award-winning documentary Roll Up for Equity, which examines diversity challenges in cannabis and San Diego’s efforts to implement a social equity program. The film won “Best Local Filmmaker” at the 2024 San Diego Short Film Festival and was officially selected for 14 other film festivals including the Culver City Film Festival, Athens International Art Film Festival, Indie Short Fest, Accolade Global Film Competition, San Diego Independent Cinema Awards, Cannabis Culture Film Festival, NewFilmmakers NY, and San Diego Movie Awards.

In addition, JM serves as the Executive Director of the Ryan’s Law Foundation, championing compassionate access to medical cannabis and advocating for patient rights. She also leads Synergy Studios, a multimedia organization providing filmmaking, content creation, and executive production to brands in the cannabis and Web3 spaces.

As co-founder of Prime Harvest Inc., JM drives innovation in cannabis, focusing on licensing, compliance, and direct-to-consumer operations. Prime Harvest is the parent company of Jaxx Cannabis, a San Diego retailer.

Outside the cannabis industry, JM co-founded Palenque Provisions, a thriving multi-million-dollar Latinx food corporation rooted in family heritage. A U.S. Navy veteran and recipient of the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal, she served as an Aviation Electronics Technician from 2010–2014. She holds degrees in marketing (Bachelor of Science), media production (Bachelor of Science), business administration (MBA), and information systems management (MIS).

From Green Renaissance to Roll Up for Equity, JM continues to champion cannabis, Latinx affairs, women’s empowerment, and wealth generation, redefining the narrative for a brighter future.