SCHEDULE 2025

FRIDAY, October 17th

8:00 AM-8:30 AM CST

CONFERENCE CHECK IN AND COFFEE

8:30 AM-9:00 AM CST

Susan Wheeler and Brandee Dallow Welcome

9:00 AM-10:00 AM CST

MINE TO MARKET CONSEQUENCES OF UNDISCLOSED SYNTHETIC COLORED GEMSTONES

MODERATOR: Stuart Robertson, Research Director, Gemworld International

SPEAKERS: Eric Braunwart, CEO, Columbia Gem House Mkhu Mkhululi N (Nkosilamandla) Ncube | African Minerals Development Centre, African Union | Çiğdem Lüle, PhD, FGA, GIA GG, DGA Mineralogist and Gemologist

10:00 AM-11:00AM CST

NATURAL DIAMONDS AND COMMUNITY FUTURES: A SHARED GOAL OF BENEFACTION

MODERATOR: Elle Hill SPEAKERS: Thabo Lerotholi, Lesotho, Kimberly Process Civil Society | Stanley Zale, President President Zale Advisors LLC | Jay Moncada, Perpetuum Jewels

5 MINUTE BREAK

11:10AM-11:45AM CST

SILVER MINING IN BOLIVIA PERSPECTIVES FROM THE DEVIL’S MINER

SPEAKER: Basilio Vargas Altico, Featured in Documentary, The Devil’s Miner, Silver Miner Bolivia |

TRANSLATOR & PRESENTER: Carmen Cristina Capriles Flores, Engineer in Agronomy - Sustainable Rural Development Political Consultant - International Environmental Policy

11:45AM-12:PM CST

WOMEN GEM CUTTING AND JEWELRY MAKING IN PAKISTAN SPEAKER: Nida Jamal, Founder and CEO of ArHaz Jewels

12:00 PM-1:30 PM CST

LUNCH & MENTOR SESSIONS

1:30 PM-2:30 PM CST

THE TARIFFS AND CURRENT LANDSCAPE OF LEGAL COMPLIANCE IN JEWELRY INDUSTRY AND TRADE

SPEAKER: Sara Yood, President, CEO and General Counsel, Jewelers Vigilance Committee

2:30 PM-3:15 PM CST

SCALABLE RESPONSIBLE GOLD BEYOND TRACEABILITY

SPEAKER: Desirée Binternagel, CEO of Fairever

10 MINUTE BREAK

3:30 PM-4:30PM CST

MOVIE PREMIER: OUT OF OUR MINES

4:30 PM-5:15 PM CST

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND MARINE DIAMOND MINING: COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVES ON SOUTH AFRICAN’S WEST COAST

SPEAKER: Mike Schlebach, Co Founder & Managing Director Protect The West Coast | IN CONVERSATION WITH: Morgan Burger, jewelry retailer, investigative journalist, and the founder of FOR SEAS

SATURDAY, October 18th

8:30 AM-9:00 AM CST

COFFEE

9:00 AM-9:30 AM CST

COMMUNITY FOR ETHICAL JEWELRY EDUCATION PROGRAMING

SPEAKERS: Cole Eller, Artist Jeweler | Debra Dowden-Crockett, Artist Jeweler

9:30 AM-10:30AM CST

BALANCING CAPACITY NEEDS AND FAIR ACCESS: EQUITABLE MARKET PATHWAYS FOR RUBIES AND EMERALDS

SHORT FILM: ASM RUBY MINE TOUR VIRTUGEM

MODERATOR: Çiğdem Lüle, PhD, FGA, GIA GG, DGA Mineralogist and Gemologist SPEAKERS: Stuart Robertson, Research Director, Gemworld International | Mkhu Mkhululi N (Nkosilamandla) Ncube | African Minerals Development Centre, African Union | Susan Wheeler, Co-Founder VIrtuGem

10:30 AM-10:45 AM CST

REGENERATE: AN INDIGENOUS LED APPROACH

SPEAKER: Holly McHugh, VP Sustainability & Social Impact, Mejuri, Inc.

10 MINUTE BREAK

11:00 AM-12:00PM CST

MINING IN AMERICA, GOLD, SILVER AND PRESERVATION

SHORT FILM GOLD FOOLS by Marilena Marchetti

MODERATOR: Susan Thea Posnock, Director of Public Affairs & Education Jewelers of America SPEAKERS: Aaron Mintzes, Senior Policy Counsel Earthworks | Fermina Stevens, Executive Director of the Western Shoshone Defense Project | Marilena Marchetti, Jeweler and Social Impact Film Producer

12:00 PM-1:30 PM CST

LUNCH & MENTOR SESSIONS

1:30 PM-2:30 PM CST

REIPCROCITY JEWELS

2:30 PM-3:30 PM CST

PROTECTING THE ENDANGERED SPECIES IN THE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE WE SOURCE

MODERATOR: Elle Hill SPEAKERS: Dr. Luis E. Fernandez, Executive Director of the Wake Forest University's Center for Amazonian Scientific Innovation (CINCIA) | Kathi Lynn Austin, Founder and Executive Director of the Conflict Awareness Project

3:30 PM-4:30 PM CST

THE ROLE OF THE ARTIST TO MAKE THE REVOLUTION IRRESISTIBLE

SPEAKER: Viviana Langhoff

4:30 PM-5:30 PM CST

COCKTAIL RECEPTION FOLLOWING THE CONFERENCE ON SITE