Gem Legacy Is Expanding Its Advisory Council
The nonprofit, which works to support and give back to gem mining communities in East Africa, has added seven new members to the council.

The new advisory council members are: Meghan Margewicz, event director of JCK Luxury; designer Lika Behar of Lika Behar Collection; Kate Donovan, executive director of the Accredited Gemologists Association; designer Jennifer Maxwell of Leigh Maxwell Jewelry; Elle Hill, founder and CEO of Hill & Co.; designer Debra Navarro of Debra Navarro Jewelry; and Michelle Graff, editor-in-chief of National Jeweler.
They join the six existing members of the advisory council: Niveet Nagpal of Omi Gems and Omi Privé; Jonathan and Brecken Farnsworth of Parlé Jewelry Designs; American Gem Society CEO Katherine Bodoh; Stuart Robertson, president of Gemworld International; and Sumit Dangi, chief financial officer and treasurer at Jewelers Mutual.
Gem Legacy’s advisory council members serve as ambassadors for the nonprofit and advocates for its initiatives.
The expanded council will endeavor to enroll new partners and collaborate with industry organizations and businesses to form alliances with Gem Legacy.
“The expansion of the Gem Legacy advisory council is an exciting step forward for our industry, for Gem Legacy, and for the communities and businesses the organization supports,” said Ben Smithee, who serves on Gem Legacy’s board of directors, which is responsible for day-to-day decision-making at the nonprofit.
“Our new advocates will lead the charge for a unified movement to support the communities that serve as the foundation of our industry.”
For more information about Gem Legacy, email rachel@gemlegacy.org or visit the organization’s website.
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