Cristina Aranguiz is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cannabis & Glass and Iowa Cannabis Co., with 7 cannabis retail dispensaries across 3 states and a state-of-the-art cannabis manufacturing site. From growing up as a first-generation immigrant in a traditional Cuban household in Miami, FL, to building herself from the ground up with no outside investment funding, Cristina has established herself as a trailblazer in the cannabis industry. She is inspiring the next generation of Latinas to dream big and be confident that they too can become executives and entrepreneurs, build their own companies, and lead teams.

Cristina’s dedication to creating ladders of opportunity extends to her advocacy for effective social equity programs and cannabis lotteries done right. She champions pathways that empower others to benefit from her success, making her a valuable asset to the industry and a vocal advocate for equitable growth. This led her to become a Board Member of the National Hispanic Cannabis Council and to advocate on behalf of other women and minority groups in cannabis.

In 2014, Cristina co-founded Cannabis & Glass with one retail location, becoming one of the youngest recreational dispensary operators in the nation. Partnering with one of the initial winners of Washington State's cannabis lottery, she acquired additional licenses in 2016 and 2019. Her Washington locations are now ranked among the top 5% of cannabis retailers in the state by revenue. In 2018, she entered Iowa's medical cannabis market after successfully competing in multiple merit-based applications. Cristina has said, “If I can inspire even just one Hispanic woman to bet on herself, join the cannabis industry, or start her own venture, I’ve succeeded."