Gemological Institute of America’s (GIA’s) most experienced gemmological experts and industry leaders will share their expertise and insights with participants at Converge, a gem and jewellery industry event combining the unique expertise of the American Gem Society (AGS) and the GIA. The two panel discussions will open the second day of Converge, which takes place 7-10 September 2025, in Carlsbad, CA.
The first panel, titled Thriving Through Change: Strategies for What’s Next, will focus on the challenges and opportunities the industry faces in the current market. The panellists are Lisa Bridge, Governor, GIA Board of Governors; Martin Katz, Founder and CEO, Martin Katz, Ltd; Olivia Landau, founder and CEO of The Clear Cut; Colleen Rooney, Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer, Signet Jewelers; and Wesley Tucker, CEO, Tracr. Professor David Ager, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School, will moderate the panel.
The second panel, Legends of Gemmology, will feature a discussion between four of the leading gemmological experts at GIA – pioneering photomicrographer and author John Koivula; GIA Global Director of Colored Stone Services Shane McClure; GIA Chief Laboratory and Research Officer Tom Moses and GIA Senior Research Fellow Dr. James Shigley.
These four living legends will share what they have seen and learned in their nearly 200 years of combined knowledge and unique experiences at GIA. Susan Jacques, GIA Strategic Advisor, who has an additional 30 years of experience as a member and Chair of the GIA Board of Governors and as GIA President and CEO from 2014 to 2025, will moderate the panel.