The 2019 Conference Schedule


Friday, October 25

Morning Sessions

8:00 - 9:00 AM

Registration Open

Continental Breakfast and Networking

9:00 - 9:15 AM

Susan Wheeler and Andrea Hill

Opening and Welcome

9:15 - 10:00 AM

Dax Lovegrove | Global VP of Sustainability, Swarovski

Keynote Dax Lovegrove will present the sustainability challenges facing businesses and jewelry companies, and share the approach to sustainability at Swarovski. Read more

10:05 - 11:00

Paul Tullis, National Geographic | Brian Cook, Nature's Geometry | Kai Kresek, World Resources Institute | Jen Marraccino, Pure Earth | Moderated by Luis Fernandez, Center for Amazonian Scientific Innovation

PAUL TULLIS, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC | BRIAN COOK, NATURE'S GEOMETRY | KAI KRESEK, WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE | JEN MARRACCINO, PURE EARTH | MODERATED BY LUIS FERNANDEZ, CENTER FOR AMAZONIAN SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION

Global Mining, Deforestation & Animal Extinction: How and Where Mining Contributes to Forest Loss and a Model on Forest Secure Mining Communities.
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11:05 - Noon

Perry Gottesfeld, Occupational Knowledge International

The leading authority in silicosis and tuberculosis across the mining and cutting sectors talks about public health impacts of the jewelry supply chain.

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Brown Bag Lunch & Breakout Sessions

Breakout 1 | 12:15 - 1:15

Christina Miller, Christina Miller Consulting | Jen Marraccino, Pure Earth

Better Without Mercury. Why even small companies can both contribute and benefit from custom projects. A case study exploring the environmental clean up of a small gold mine in Colombia, owned by Rolberto Alvarez.

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Breakout 2

12:15 - 1:15

Sara Yood, JVC | Elizabeth Orlando, US State Department

Do you know your Legal Obligations in the Jewelry Industry? Reporting Suspicious Activity, Know your Refinery, Anti Money Laundering. The US Government wants you to be a partner in having a clean global supply chain.

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Afternoon Sessions

1:30 - 2:30 PM

Joanne Lebert, IMPACT | Kesha Frank, FTJ Co.

Just Gold: How conflict free gold, exported from the Democratic Republic of Congo, addresses UN Sustainable Development Goals.

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2:40 - 3:55 PM

DOCUMENTARY SCREENING | US PREMIERE

Shadow of Gold: A Global Investigation of the Ultimate Talisman of Wealth, Beauty, and Power.

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4:00 - 5:00 PM

Moderated by Christina Miller | ALYSSA NEWMAN, GOOGLE RESPONSIBLE SUPPLY CHAIN PROGRAM MANAGER | MARIANNA SMIRNOVA, RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS ALLIANCE | BETSY ORLANDO, US STATE DEPARTMENT

Risks in the Gold Supply Chain Including Illicit Gold: What and Where are the Issues, How Can We Stop its Flow, and How to Source Responsible Gold. This panel will observe Chatham House Rules

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Moyo Gems Launch Celebration Party!

Champagne, Cake, Networking! This evening's cocktail party will be the grand celebration of the launch of Moyo Gems - a Mine-to-Market initiative that had its beginnings in the networking of the CRJC 2017.

Saturday, October 26

Morning Sessions

8:00 - 9:00 AM

Registration Open

Continental Breakfast and Networking

9:00 - 9:15 AM

Andy Lowrie | Sarah Parker

An introduction of the So Fresh + So Clean competition by Ethical Metalsmiths students.

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9:15 - 10:10 AM

MERI GERALDINE, GARDENS OF THE SUN | DANA BRONFMAN, DANA BRONFMAN JEWELRY | Deborah Spencer, Trios Studio | Mariele Ivy, Young in the Mountains | MODERATED BY BRANDEE DALLOW, RESPONSIBLE JEWELRY COUNCIL

Jewelry Designer Panel. How Responsibility Became a Passion.

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10:15 - 11:00 AM

Enrique Arizmendi, Cortez Pearls

What Makes a Sustainable Pearl Farm? One of the founding partners of Perlas del Mar de Cortez shares their philosophy and core sustainability practices.

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11:05 AM - Noon

JAGDISH PATEL, PEOPLE'S TRAINING & RESEARCH CENTER | JO BECKER, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Human Responsibilities in the Jewelry Industry. Jo Becker will discuss human rights responsibilities for jewelry industry, and will have a discussion about gem cutters in Khambhat with Jagdish Patel.

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Brown Bag Lunch & Breakout Sessions

Breakout 1 | 12:15 - 1:15

Emily Phillipy, Emily Chelsea Jewelry | Erin Daily, Brooklyn Metalworks | Jay Moncada, Perpetuum Jewels | Jared Holstein, Perpetuum Jewels

Jewelry Glossary Project.

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Breakout 2 | 12:15 - 1:15

Carrie George, Everledger | Monica Gichuhi, AWEIK | Salma Kundi, TAWOMA | Rebecca Villalobos, PACT

Workshop to Design an Online Marketplace for Rough Stones. 

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Afternoon Sessions

1:30 - 2:45 PM

MODERATED BY MONICA STEPHENSON, ANZA GEMS | ERIC BRAUNWART, COLUMBIA GEMHOUSE | CRISTINA VILLEGAS, PACT WORLDWIDE | EUNICE NEGELE, TAWOMA | Monica Gichuci, African Women in Mining Association | ALEXANDER RIASCOS, COODMILLA EXPORTS | Conny Havel, Fairmined

Building Mine to Market Strategies that Work. An essential part of bringing fair trade opportunity to ASMs is creating economic models. This session will focus on mining co-ops, and how single source models are furthering transparency and responsibility in gems and gold.

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2:45 - 3:30

Chie Murakami, Diamonds for Peace

Diamonds for Peace. Building a NGO in Liberia where diamonds are mined, cut and processes with humanitarian and environmental considerations

3:45 - 5:00

CHIEF MIGUEL AND CHIEF LUCAS

Why do two chiefs from the Brazilian Amazon want to speak to the jewelry industry? Why do their land rights matter for the preservation of the Amazon forest? Hear what they have to say in this session.

Cocktail Party Hosted by Steve & Melissa Quick | Steve Quick Jeweler

2019 Speakers

  • Alexander Riascos

    Alexander Riascos

  • Alyssa Newman

    Google

  • Andy Lowrie

    Andy Lowrie

    Ethical Metalsmiths Students

  • Betsy Orlando

    Betsy Orlando

    US State Department

  • Brandee Dallow

    Chief Communications & Sustainability Officer | Grandview Klein Diamond

  • Brian Cook

    Brian Cook

    Nature's Geometry

  • Eric Braunwart

    Founder | Columbia Gem House

  • Susan Wheeler

    Susan Wheeler

    Founder | Responsible Jewelry Transformative | Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference | Susan Wheeler Design

  • Carrie George

    Carrie George

    Everledger

  • Chie Murakami

    Chie Murakami

    Diamonds for Peace Initiative

  • Chief Lucas

    Chief Lucas

    Tukano, Amazon

  • Chief Miguel

    Chief Miguel

    Paiter-Surui, Amazon

  • Christina Miller

    Christina Miller

  • Conny Havel

    Conny Havel

    Fairmined

  • Cristina Villegas

    Cristina Villegas

  • Dana Bronfman

    Dana Bronfman

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