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Meeting new people and forming meaningful business relationships is the hallmark of the Women's Jewelry Association and its world-wide network of members.
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Jewelry Night Out
Join us for the Women's Jewelry Association's annual Jewelry Night Out! For one night, WJA brings together industry professionals for an inspiring evening of community, connection, collaboration, and celebration!
Tickets
Members: $60 early bird now until 8/26 | $75 after 8/27
Non-Members: $75 early bird now until 8/26 | $90 after 8/27
**includes 3 hours of wine, beer, select cocktails, heavy appetizers and desserts
To order, click on the buttons to the right.
Guest are encouraged to come dressed in the color of their favorite gemstone!
Register here
Guest Speaker | Talk begins at 7:45pm
Hayley Henning is the former Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Greenland Ruby
She has been responsible for global client relationships, prospects, communications, branding, and marketing and has led many tours of the mine in Greenland for customers, journalists, gemological laboratories, and others.
Now based in Miami, she has more than twenty years of marketing and corporate social responsibility (CSR) experience in the gemstone and jewelry industry. Her experience spans from retail to wholesale, diamonds to colored gemstones, literally from mining operations to retail floors, as well as an online presence and TV retail channels;, understanding the full customer experience and supply chain.
Hayley has developed many successful and unique marketing strategies, concepts and events and is well-known in the international jewelry industry from mine to market as well as with important stakeholders; designers, wholesalers, retailers and media. She is a regular speaker at industry events and webinars.
Previously, Hayley was the Executive Director of the Tanzanite Foundation at TanzaniteOne Mining Ltd., which was well-known for bringing tanzanite to the forefront as one of the most important colored gemstones in the global marketplace.
She is also the co-author, with jewelry journalist Didier Brodbeck, of “Tanzanite: Born from Lightning,” a coffee table book published in 2016.
Hayley has served on both the Metro and National boards of WJA. Hayley is here to tell us how Colored Gemstones link people with places!
Register here
Thank you to our proud sponsor, Stuller
Join or Renew online at time of ticket purchase. New and renewing members receive a 10% discount.
1. You can only join or renew for the individual who is logged in at the time of purchase.
2. You must check the checkbox at the top right of the first screen during the checkout process.
3. Use the following promo codes based on your membership type when you check out:
SEPT23NEW - New Member
SEPT23RENEW - Renewal
To register and join/renew memberships for groups of 2 or more, learn more about corporate or student membership, contact Rachel Jurisz, WJA Membership and Operations Manager, at 845-473-7324 or rachel@womensjewelryassociation.com.
Event Highlights
Networking Opportunities with local industry professionals
Pani Bistro
Avenutra Mall
19501 Biscayne Blvd
Suite 940
Aventura, FL 33180
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Parking and Public Transit
- Ample parking available at Aventura Mall
- Blocks away from the Brightline- Avenutra Station
Register here
WJA Miami | Friday, August 11th, 2023 | 7 pm
WJA Miami Chat 'N Chill Happy Hour!
Join us at Don't Quit Your Daydreams Studio in Boca Raton, Fl located at: 1580 NW 2nd Ave Suite 3, Boca Raton, FL 33432 for an evening of networking. Connect with WJA's members and industry professionals and learn more about the organization and upcoming events in 2023.
This event is FREE!
You're invited to a special educational event hosted by the WJA Miami Chapter and MadeTruly!
This program will dive into manufacturing best practices, processes and opportunities inside and outside of the MadeTruly ecosystem. Refreshments will be served.
Event Takeaways:
- Attendees will learn solutions for solving manufacturing challenges and the tactics and technology for deepening direct-to-consumer business opportunities
- Designers will leave with a better understanding of how to build the foundation of their businesses for scale.
- A summary will be shared of what technologies are being developed to support jewelry brands and designers.
ABOUT MADETRULY
MadeTruly is more than a platform, MadeTruly is a partner. Our aim is to solve any back-end challenges a jewelry brand or designer may face when it comes to sourcing, sampling, manufacturing, and distribution. We work collaboratively with businesses of all sizes to create custom solutions for increased revenue and high quality products.
Ultimately, MadeTruly’s all-in-one service is built to give you back what’s most precious to you, your time to create beautiful designs and connect with your consumers. With over 50 years of experience in the industry, we have a pulse on what’s needed and what’s missing. From organization tools to drop-ship capabilities, MadeTruly takes your business to a new level.
ABOUT GUEST SPEAKER OWEN DE VRIES
Owen Quentin de Vries is a creative thinker and visionary with over a decade of entrepreneurial experience. Since his early career, Owen has been a pioneer at the intersection of luxury and technology, launching digital first, direct-to-consumer jewelry brands that have been featured everywhere from Vogue to Cosmopolitan, with distribution in the likes of Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf’s, and Bloomingdales.
Over the past eight years, he’s used his two robust backgrounds to bring two previously disconnected industries together, jewelry and technology. Along his entrepreneurial journey, he has consistently identified areas of opportunity and improvement based on conversations with designers, creative directors, and their production teams. Out of this, MadeTruly was born — a revolutionary product aimed at ushering legacy and nascent brands into the next evolution of the digital age, starting with interconnected systems, one-stop supply chains, and customized user experiences.
WJA NY Metro + WJA Miami + Queer Metalsmiths present Conversations on Diversity: Deconstructing Gender in Jewelry Part III
Care for Creators
Join the Women’s Jewelry Association on June 28th at 7pm EST for our third year of Conversations on Diversity: Deconstructing Gender in Jewelry: Care for Creators, a virtual event hosted by WJA New York Metro, WJA Miami, and Queer Metalsmiths, continuing the conversation on how gender impacts the jewelry industry. Moderated by Tracey Carswell (they/them) of Powerful in Pink, we are excited to welcome Naomi Johnson (she/they) of Metal Petal Jewelry, Samonte Cruz (they/them) of Samonte Cruz Studios, and Jen Lorang (she/her) of Alchemilla Jewelry.
This event is about prioritizing the mental and emotional well-being of LGBTQIA+ jewelry creators, makers, and industry professionals in the current environment. Together, we'll embark on an evening of conversation, reflection, and community. No matter your gender or identity, we are committed to providing a safe(r) and inclusive space for everyone.
We will begin with a grounding exercise to help create balance and focus, and then explore the important connection between creative practice and overall well-being during our conversation about self-care. Come together and connect with other jewelry professionals, cultivate relationships, and show our unwavering support for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Whether you're an artist, designer, bench jeweler, or industry leader, this event is for you! Join us in prioritizing your mental and emotional well-being while embracing and celebrating diversity. Together, we can create a space where everyone feels welcome and valued.
This event is open to members and non-members. Tickets are FREE!
Zoom link will be sent via email upon registration.
Register Here
About the Panelists:
Naomi Johnson, Metal Petal Jewelry
Naomi Johnson (she/they) is a Chicago based Black queer metalsmith. Naomi draws inspiration from nature, as well as architectural elements like tile work and stained glass, and infuses their designs with afrofuturism. After starting metal smithing as a way to create the adornments they dreamed of, Naomi created Metal Petal Jewelry as a way to share their work with others and has been honored every time they have seen someone else wear their jewelry and make it their own. They balance creation and their small business alongside a full time job as a researcher at a nonprofit.
Follow Naomi on Instagram at @metalpetaljewelry and visit their website at metalpetaljewelry.com
Samonte Cruz, Samonte Cruz Studios
Samonte Cruz (they/them) is a mixed-race, mixed-gender, Filipinx goldsmith, multi-media artist, performer & educator, with 20+ years of experience as a community organizer. Originally from the Seattle area, Samonte now lives & creates on unceded Sinixt Territory, in the beautiful mountains of British Columbia [BC]. Samonte’s passion is making custom jewelry & amulets; specializing in culturally inspired work like, Filipino Tattoo (Batok) wedding bands. They also design pronoun pins, stickers & apparel, while running their own online shop.
In 2018, Samonte began working as an apprentice to award-winning master goldsmith, Paul Durkin at Lauener Brother’s Jewellers in Trail, BC, in addition to teaching beginner jewellery courses at Kootenay School of the Arts, Selkirk College. Fueled with a desire to support other queer & trans artists in their community, Samonte founded the Bent On Art Festival, a series of events designed to promote the work of LGBTQ+ artists in the Kootenay region of British Columbia. In their spare time, Samonte enjoys playing music, performing drag & spending time with their dog-kid, Bruno.
Follow Samonte on Instagram at @samontecruzstudios, and visit their website at www.samontecruzstudios.com
Jen Lorang, Alchemilla Jewelry
Jen Lorang (she/her) is the designer behind Alchemilla Jewelry, working with a small team of three incredibly talented jewelers in her backyard barn studio on occupied Nipmuc and Pocumtuk land (Amherst, MA). She designs, fabricates and finishes each Alchemilla piece by hand with great care, joy and a love for the magical feeling that adornment brings to its wearer. Alchemilla is proudly Queer, DIY and sells with primarily woman owned and small local shops. As a white owned business, Alchemilla is committed to anti racist practices and is constantly working to be better at eradicating racism, sexism, classism and all other violent colonialist capitalist oppressions- as they show up in ourselves and the systems that engulf us.
Follow Jen on Instagram at @alchemillajewelry and visit her website at thealchemilla.com
About the Moderator:
Tracey Carswell, Powerful in Pink
Tracey Carswell (they/them) is a queer non-binary artist, educator, coach, and curator dedicated to empowering leaders and building inclusive communities. They are the founder of Powerful in Pink, a creative brand that offers coaching, small business support, curation services, and community building opportunities for artists and entrepreneurs.
Tracey also co-founded Queer Metalsmiths, a community space that honors, centers, and uplifts 2SLGBTQIA+ jewelers and metalsmiths. Through their work as the founder and former President of the Miami chapter of the Women’s Jewelry Association, as well as Powerful in Pink and Queer Metalsmiths, they invest in the growth and success of women, femme, queer, transgender, and gender non-conforming leaders in the jewelry and craft industries.
Follow Tracey on Instagram at @powerfulinpinkbytlc @queermetalsmiths and visit their website at powerfulin.pink
Register Here
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Send us an email!
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PAST EVENTS
Broward Members! You asked, we listened! Join WJA Miami at The Wharf Fort Lauderdale in Fort Lauderdale for our first Broward event, conveneiently located 0.2 miles from the Brightline Station! Meet and network with other S. Florida women and men in the jewelry industry! The event is FREE to attend, both Members and non-members are welcome to attend.
Register Here!
Join us at Higher Ground at the new Arlo Hotel in Wynwood for an evening of networking. Connect with WJA's members and industry professionals and learn more about the organization and upcoming events in 2023.
Jewelry Night Out
Join us for the Women's Jewelry Association's tenth annual Jewelry Night Out! For one night, WJA brings together industry professionals for an inspiring evening of community, connection, collaboration, and celebration!
Tickets
Members: $25.50 early bird | $30 after 8/25
Non-Members: $38.25 early bird | $45 after 8/25
To order, click on the buttons to the right.
Location:
Bulla Gastrobar
2500 Ponce de Leon
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Join us for cocktails and bites (included with price of ticket) and an educational presentation on Platinum hosted by our friends at PGI (Platinum Guild International)! Network with Miami jewelry professionals on this special night!
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WJA Miami and ASBA Pearl and Fine Jewelry Present:
Pearls 101
Hosted by Jae's Fine Jewelers
Refresh your Pearl knowledge or learn something new!
Thursday August 18th
6:30- 8:00 pm
Light bites and refreshments included!
Jae's Fine Jewelers
237 Miracle Mile
Coral Gables, FL
33134
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REGISTER HERE
REGISTER HERE
Lunch & Learn- Derius Carruth and NFTs In the Jewelry Industry
Join Us Friday, April 22, 2022 from 12:30-1:30 pm EST on ZOOM.
Grab a bite and join us as Derius Carruth walks us through the basics of NFTs and how they are shaking up the Jewelry Industry!
Derius Carruth co-owns Your Personal Jeweler, a custom fine jewelry design studio. A self described NFT & crypto enthusiast Derius has combined his passions into creating fine jewelry NFT’s that are backed by physical jewelry pieces. He looks to bridge the physical & digital worlds by integrating jewelry design into web3.
Free for Members
$20 for Non-Members
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Register Here!
$10 for Members, $15 for Non- Members
Thursday February 10th from 6:30- 9:30 pm
Studio B
Register Here!
*WJA is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all event participants. As a preventative measure to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19 at our in-person events, all attendees are required to acknowledge and abide by the WJA Duty of Care policy when they register online.
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Learn how to pitch your brand with Cherell Gordon of Black Girl Ventures
Wednesday January 12, 2022
7:00 pm EST
Register Here:
https://www.womensjewelryassociation.com/ev_calendar_day.asp?date=1%2F12%2F22&eventid=984
This event is open to members and non members. Tickets are Free!
Zoom link will be sent via email upon registration.
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WJA New York Metro + WJA Miami Present Conversations on Diversity:
Deconstructing Gender in Jewelry PT. II
WJA Miami is teaming up with WJA New York Metro to continue the conversation focusing on how gender impacts the jewelry industry.
Join us on September 30th at 7pm EST / 4pm PT, as we welcome back Vanessa Miller (she/they) of Black Queer Magic and introduce Emily Phillippy of Emily Chelsea Jewelry to our panel! Hear about the challenges and opportunities directly as we gain perspective from designers, artists and retailers on how they are adapting their designs, product assortments and marketing to better foster genuine inclusivity and diversity.
This event is open to members and non-members. Tickets are FREE!
Zoom link will be sent via email upon registration.
Register Here!
We are excited to invite our community to a fun filled evening celebrating
WJA Miami's Jewelry Night In!
Join industry professionals on ONE NIGHT for an inspiring evening of community, connection, collaboration and celebration at JNO events hosted by WJA chapters in cities throughout North America.
Tickets can be purchased for our raffle, filled with great prizes from Celeste Sol, Underwood Jewelers, Emi Fine Jewelry and more!
Havana Cuban Link Neckalce. Retails for $61.50
18K Gold Plated with Stainless Steel base
0.55" width link
18” in length
Open Box closure with Celeste Sol logo stamp
Ships with custom La Havana box
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Erik Decanter with two Double Old Fashioned glasses by Orrefores. Retails for $130
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Silk Mask Chain with Sterling Silver Lobster Clasps and Sunglass Attachment
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- Sterling silver
- 7" L
- 4 mm
- Cubic Zirconia
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Also take advantage of the promo codes below to join or renew your WJA membership! New members receive a 25% discount and renewing members receive a 10% discount.
JNO21NEW - New Member
JNO21RENEW - Renewal
*WJA is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for all event participants. As a preventative measure WJA has been closely monitoring local COVID cases and has chosen to opt for a virtual event. We hope to all see you in person soon!
This event is open to members and non members. Tickets are Free!
Zoom link will be sent via email upon registration.
Register Here!
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WJA Miami Open Board Meeting | Mix + Mingle
Register Here
Join WJA Miami for our first in-person board meeting since 2020! We're inviting our new and returning WJA members as well as those who would like to learn more, to meet us and reintroduce our chapter, as we look to expand our WJA Miami team.
At 7:00pm we will be opening up our board meeting to share about the exciting events happening for the remainder of 2021 and early 2022. We will also be sharing about opportunities for our members ready to get more involved and be a part of our expansion in Miami and South Florida.
Please make sure to RSVP or contact us at miamichapter@womensjewelryassociation.com
WJA Norcal + WJA Miami Present Conversations on Diversity:
Deconstructing Gender in Jewelry
In honor of Pride month, WJA NorCal and WJA Miami are coming together for an important conversation focusing on how gender impacts the jewelry industry. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising which was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States.
Join us on June 17th at 7pm EST / 4pm PT, as we welcome Sol Diaz (they/them) of Soelia, Mando Bee (they/them), and Vanessa Miller (she/they) of Black Queer Magic to our panel! Hear about the challenges and opportunities directly from queer designers and jewelers as they share their perspective and experiences in how they design, produce, and market their work. The panel will also explore barriers to entering the jewelry industry and discuss necessary changes that will foster genuine inclusivity and diversity for the LGBTQIA+ community within the jewelry industry.
This event is open to members and non-members. Tickets are FREE!
Zoom link will be sent via email upon registration.
WJA Miami Presents: Ethical Sourcing of Colored Gemstones!
Have you ever wondered where your gemstones come from? What was the pathway they took from the ground to your jewelry? Let's get some of those questions answered... We are excited to welcome the President of Ethical Metalsmiths + founder of Anza Gems Monica Stephenson, the founder of Columbia Gem House Eric Braunwart, and co-founder of Ethical in Action and designer + owner of jewelry brand Dally+Toil , Sabrina Hoffman!
Join us on May 20th at 7pm EST, as the panelists share their experience on sourcing ethical gemstones and ways to determine if your gemstones were mined ethically. There will be a Q+A, so bring your questions!
This event is open to members and non-members. Tickets are FREE!
Zoom link will be sent via email upon registration.
Register Here
About the Panelists:
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Monica Stephenson, Founder ANZA Gems
Monica Stephenson founded jewelry blog idazzle.com in 2008, and the responsible gemstone company ANZA Gems in 2015. ANZA Gems fuels development in Kenya and Tanzania through responsible gemstone purchasing and supports education initiatives in mining communities. She recently collaborated with NGO Pact, the Tanzania Women Miners Association, and Everledger on Moyo Gems, a traceable model to bring gems from women miners of Tanga, Tanzania to the international market. Monica is on the international Board of Directors of the Women's Jewelry Association and current President of the Board of Ethical Metalsmiths.
You can follow her adventures on Instagram: @idazzle @anzagems @moyogems
Eric Braunwart, Founder Columbia Gem House
Sabrina Hoffman, Co-founder Ethical in Action
Doing business in an ethical, honest, and transparent manner have always been cornerstones for Sabrina, who focuses on colored gemstone jewelry design. In some twist of fate, the first people that she sat next to at the first official jewelry conference she attended was Eric and Kathe Braunwart, of Columbia Gem House, who’s company is one of the OG’s in transparency and equitable supply chain work.
Sabrina’s mission has been to design jewelry in a manner that finds ways to support the whole supply chain, along with the bridging of old school and new school jewelers and bringing industry issues to a platform for conversation to move into a better future for the industry. She still works with Columbia Gem House on projects including the IG account Ethical in Action which finds ways to spotlight what companies and independents are doing to support an equitable supply chain, but also various aspects of social and environmental life along that chain. You can follow along @ethical_in_action or @dallyandtoil
WJA Miami Presents: Mix + Mingle Trivia Night!
We are excited to invite our community to a Mix + Mingle Trivia Night! Come share your knowledge on a variety of topics including some local Miami fun facts! All participants will be randomly assigned to teams to get to know each other and answer the trivia questions.
Join your fellow WJA Miami members, friends, coworkers, and other industry professionals in this online version of trivia. Prizes will be given to the winning team, so make sure you come ready to play!
Hosted by WJA Seattle’s very own Anna Samsonova, a trivia buff and hostess with the mostess!
This event is open to members and non members. Tickets are Free!
Zoom link will be sent via email upon registration.
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Anna Samsonova of Samsonova Consulting
Anna Samsonova is a Seattle, WA-based jewelry consultant with 16 years of luxury experience working with retail and wholesale companies in sales, merchandising, buying, branding, event marketing, upscaling and operations. She loves giving back to the industry and is a Seattle WJA, AGS & GIA past president and is currently the New Chapter Development Chair for WJA, as well as active mentor in the WJA Mentor Match Program. She started hosting trivia for the AGS Young Title Holders and to this day loves hosting for different chapters and organizations, while attending a local Trivia Tuesday to keep up!
WJA Miami Presents:
March Wellness: Yoga for Makers with Denisse Monge
This month we want YOU to celebrate yourself! Many of us work exceptionally hard in our respective careers with little time for a break. This month we invite you to stop for a moment and take one with us.
Join us virtually at 1 p.m. on March 10th as we celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day with artist and certified Yoga teacher Denisse Monge. Denisse will share yoga poses for makers and discuss ways to incorporate movement into our daily lives. She will also lead us in a short yoga session to recharge us for the rest of our day.
Take a few minutes for yourself and join us on March 10th, your body and mind will thank you!
Denisse Monge, Certified Yoga Teacher + Artist
Denisse Monge is originally from Miami, Florida, and attained a bachelor's degree from the New World School of Arts in conjunction with the University of Florida. During this time, she laid the foundation for her artistic base that is embodied in every piece of art she creates. Until about 5 years ago Denisse earned her yoga teacher certification from what was then Bala Vinyasa Yoga. She decided to take a leap of faith and moved to New York City equipped with a body movement practice through yoga combined with her art background.
In her practice, photography is the tangible agent used to reach the physical person; while yoga is the medium to harness the intangible aspects of the human soul beyond that of a physical lens. It is here where she came to self-reflect and pursue her passion for teaching/mysticism. Denisse envisions imprinting her mark on her spiritual and creative movement practice through photography/yoga and hopes you can join her on this journey of a lifetime.
She is currently based in Miami, Florida, and teaching at The Art of Movement Miami, HealHaus, and The Vilij.
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WJA Miami Presents:
Marketing Trends in the Industry with Rebecca Foerster!
Access to information and educational resources greatly improves the odds of success for those getting started in their business. This is why we are excited to speak with President of Alrosa USA, Rebecca Foerster. Foerster has years of experience in marketing, diamond supply chains, and luxury goods make her a wealth of knowledge on these subjects.
Join us for a virtual conversation at 7 p.m. on Feb. 16th, where Foerster will discuss a variety of topics related to diamonds. She’ll get into the impact both COVID-19 and lab-grown diamonds have had on the market, tips for those wanting to start working with diamonds, and how to market them to grow your business.
Don’t miss what will be an informative conversation on marketing within our industry as the world goes through many changes.
Rebecca Foerster, President ALROSA USA Inc.
Rebecca Foerster was appointed as President ALROSA USA Inc in 2019. In 2014-2018, Ms. Foerster served as Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning and Marketing at New York’s Leo Schachter Diamonds, one of the largest diamond suppliers in the United States. Prior to that (since 2007), Rebecca Foerster held the position of Vice President at the US Representative office of Rio Tinto, one of the three largest diamond mining companies in the world. In 1998-2007, she served as Vice President of marketing for Frederick Goldman Inc. (New York), a jewelry manufacturer, specializing in the bridal market and brand development. Prior to that, she worked at large advertising agencies and corporations such as Revlon, Unilever and Benckiser in strategic marketing and branding positions for over 15 years. In 2021, Rebecca Foerster became a president of Diamonds Do Good organization, which supports programs that develop and empower people in natural diamond communities and share these stories of positive impact.
In ALROSA, Rebecca Foerster is in charge of all the US office’s activities, such as auctions for rough and polished diamonds, marketing initiatives specific for the US market, communications with local retailers and manufacturers, as well as media outreach to inform the community about natural diamonds and protect the demand for them.
President: Jenna Ramirez
President Elect: Natacha Metayer
Treasurer: Trisha Bruno
Membership VP: Debra Ballard
Programming VP: This position is open, connect for more details!
Communications VP: Tiffany Joachim, Past President
Members at Large:
Denise Richards
Lorena Shaffman
Tracey Carswell
Linda Orlick