New York – The Black in Jewelry Coalition will have a new president and welcome new members to its board of directors next year, the organisation announced on Monday.
In 2024, current BIJC board chair and Jewelers of America chief financial officer Annie Doresca will become treasurer, and current BIJC treasurer Malyia McNaughton, a Gemological Institute of America certified gemologist and designer behind the Made by Malyia brand, will become BIJC board chair.
Doresca and McNaughton are co-founders of the BIJC.
“As we reflect on BIJC’s achievements in its first three years, I am deeply grateful for the dedication and resilience of our team. Together, we have achieved significant milestones in advancing diversity and equity in the jewellery industry,” said Doresca.
“I look forward to witnessing and being a part of BIJC’s continued growth under Malyia’s exceptional leadership. With her at the helm, I am confident that BIJC will reach new heights and have an even greater impact on our industry.
Also in 2024, three jewellery industry professionals will join the BIJC Board of Directors.
The new board members are: Jeffery Bolling, district manager at Signet Jewelers with more than 30 years of industry experience; Thomas Davis, director of business development at Select Jewelry Inc. who brings a wealth of experience in corporate management, specialty retail, manufacturing, merchandising, sales and celebrity branding; and Pat Dambe, director of marketing and brand development at Botswana’s Ministry of Minerals and Energy. Dambe has more than 30 years of leadership experience with corporate and luxury brands in the United States and Africa.
Bolling, Davis and Dambe join the remaining BIJC co-founders and board members in leading the organisation.
They are:
– Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez, Director of Membership and Marketing at the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, who will serve as Vice President of the Board;
– Lisa Jones, GIA’s vice president of human resources, who will serve as board secretary;
– Nellie Barnett, GIA’s Manager of Corporate Communications, who will serve as Communications Chair;
– Reginald Johnson, Signet Jewelers’ Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Vice President for Human Resources in North America, who will serve as Nominations Chair;
– Adrianne Sanogo, GIA G.G., who will serve as Education Chair;
– Miya Owens, corporate counsel at Amazon, who will serve as board member;
– Lisette Scott, founder of Jam + Rico, who will serve as a board member.
The BIJC 2024 Board of Directors is ready to lead the organisation into a future of increased inclusivity, educational initiatives and advocacy for black professionals in the jewellery industry, the organisation said.