Recipients

Encompassing both style and brains, Elyssa Jenkins holds many titles. She is the Vice President and Co-Founder of Black in Jewelry Coalition —the first non-profit international membership organization for the advancement of Black professionals in the gem, jewelry, and watch industry. Elyssa also serves as Chapter Liaison for the Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA) National Diversity Committee and the President for the WJA NY Metro chapter. And if that isn’t enough, her day job includes serving as the Director of Membership and Digital Content at the Jewelers Vigilance Committee. A long-time New York resident, Elyssa first established herself in the fashion industry, working and attending over 10+ seasons of New York Fashion Week as Head Editor for a prominent hair and beauty magazine. Elyssa is passionate about creating a more inclusive environment for all and uplifting aspiring entrepreneurs by providing resources and connections.Elyssa holds a Masters’s degree in Biomedical Science from Rutgers Graduate School, a Bachelors’s degree in Biology, and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Spanish from the University of New Mexico.​

Delphine Leymarie  

 

Junebug Jewelry clients remind me of the women who raised me. They’re all bold, beautiful, independent queens who decorate the world with regal and warrior vibes.
 
I like to celebrate them with empowering and intricate jewelry designs created in my small-batch home studio in Cincinnati, Ohio. Each timeless piece has meaning to help immortalize the moments when they feel their strongest, most accomplished, and best selves.
 
There’s a story behind every Junebug piece, and I like to think that it calls out to the woman who was meant to wear it. I enjoy creating one-of-a-kind and limited-edition designs to complement the uniqueness of those who’ve come to love my jewelry.
 
I am a mostly self-taught designer who fell in love with creating mixed-metal jewelry using both ancient and modern metalsmithing techniques. After absorbing countless books and YouTube tutorials, I took classes with master metalsmiths to hone my skills. It’s been just over ten years since I designed my first necklace and earring set.
 
Today, I work primarily with Copper, Argentium Silver and semi-precious gemstones to deliver a signature look that embodies both strength and femininity. I love to contrast the metals against one another to give my pieces depth and interest.
 
A wise person once said that wearing jewelry is how you express the woman you are without ever saying a word. Every piece I create makes a statement and is a work of wearable art made for women who were born to stand out.
 
You can find my work at Junebug Jewelry Designs, my jewelry boutique. Visit Junebug online at https://junebugjewelrydesigns.com or stop by the brick-and-mortar store in the heart of Over-the-Rhine at 1327 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Hours of operation are Thursday through Saturday from noon to 6pm.
 

Currently, Rikiesha Metzger is a Ph.D. student at the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts. She received Sylvia Grandstaff is a US Army combat veteran, helicopter and fixed-wing aviator, competitive sailplane pilot, motorcyclist, and lover of wilderness.  Her work is inspired by WWII sweetheart jewelry and trench art, her Slavic Polish heritage, the beauty of the natural world, and the machines that carry us through it.
Grant quote:  I am deeply grateful for the generosity of this grant and the energy others put forth to make it happen. The grant will allow me to purchase pneumatic engraving equipment and attend two courses at the GRS Training Center to continue to develop my jewelry and bright-cut engraving skills. 
 

2021 MEMBER GRANT RECIPIENTS

The Women's Jewelry Association (WJA) announced that it has awarded approximately $20,000 in member grants to women around the country. Member Grants are awarded to professional-level, WJA members in good standing, in increments of $500 to be used toward professional growth.

Funds for WJA Member Grants are raised by the national organization, as well as by WJA chapters around the country. All applications are reviewed by the WJA Member Grant Committee, chaired by Lauren Johansen, Directory of Membership Strategy and Experience at the American Gem Society. All qualified applicants are entered into random drawing to determine the winners.

A portion of the proceeds from WJA's Conversations in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion series helped to fund six additional WJA member grants this year to specifically support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color) and LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, +) applicants. 
 

Grant Winners are listed by the WJA Chapter that submitted their names:

• Austin: Cara Shackelford, Jennie Bennett
• Boston: Lori Magno, Andrea Price
• Dallas: Cassidy Swanson
• DMV: Cindy Liebel*
• Las Vegas: Linda Jochimsen
• Los Angeles: Kailin He, Radhika Gandhi*, Soonjin Kim*
• Louisiana: Shelby Brignac
• Miami: Trisha Bruno
• New Mexico: Kimberly Thompson
• Northern California: Kathy DeWeese, Jennifer Hanox, Lindsay Knox*
• NY Metro:Olivia Rosenberger, Alanna Campbell, Barbara Novak, Joanne Simmons, Nancy Ross, Jenith Gomez, Christina Malle
• Ohio/Kentucky: Christina Brandewie, Meghan Carroll, Laurie Watt
• Philadelphia: Kathryn Kelly
• Providence: Kristen Romans
• San Diego: Aurora Mazzei, Kathryn Timmerman-Susak, Judy Colbert, Ashley McGinty*
• Seattle: Morgaine Faye
• Twin Cities: Kelly Williams, Laurie Kottke (Janel Russell Grant)
• No Chapter Nearby: Sabrina Lin, Michaela Farkasovska, Patricia Carruth*, Kouali Ando-N'Guessan*
  

*Indicates recipient of WJA DEI Member Grant
 

2022 RADIANT MINDS SCHOLORSHIP

                                         
Brittany Ylanan

 

There was never a time where jewelry was not a part of Gabrielle's life. As soon as she was able to walk, she could always be found going through her mother’s jewelry box, piling on the clunky bangles to her tiny elbows and stacking the bauble necklaces to her chin. Her preschool teacher would greet her in the mornings asking about each piece, and just like that, the way she adorned herself became the favorite part of her day.

After working for many influential jewelry houses from Alexis Bittar to Harry Winston, and almost a decade in the jewelry industry, Gabrielle Nicole set out on her own to create Ruveil - adorning and empowering women with unexpected and personal designs. 

Gemstone healing properties and the power of adornment inform Gabrielle’s imaginative designs, as she draws inspiration from how jewelry should make the wearer feel – empowered, confident, and fearless.

Gabrielle enjoys the exploration of alternative materials, as well as combining unexpected and unique design elements to bring her visions to life. Through her travels around the globe, she is continually inspired by bright colors, textiles, and modern architecture.

Gabrielle Nicole earned her BFA in Jewelry Design from Pratt Institute, and participated in Fashion Institute of Technology's Creative Business Ownership program. She earned her Graduate Diamonds, Colored Stones, and AJP diplomas from GIA, is a certified Cultured Pearl Specialist (CPAA) and is currently a Graduate Gemologist candidate. She's an active member of The Women's Jewelry Association and an Assistant at Gem X, a private social club for jewelry enthusiasts. She lives in New York City with her husband David, and their Alaskan Klee Kai, Meiko.