AGA Career Forum
Careers in: Gem and Mineral Museums
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
9:00 am (PDT)
The Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA) is excited to announce and invite you to our next gemological career forum, What Can You Do With Your Gemology? featuring a panel of esteemed gemologists discussing their careers as museum curators, directors, and researchers.
The online event, developed and hosted by AGA, is designed to showcase the diverse career paths available to gemologists. The interactive forum is open to anyone interested in gemology at no cost. All gemologists and those considering a career in gemology are encouraged to register and participate. We hope you can join us.
Gemologist panelists for this event include:
Dorothy J. Asher, GIA G.G., Director of the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art in Oak Brook, Illinois. Relying on more than 35 years of experience in the museum field, Dorothy is responsible for managing daily operations and staff, exhibit development and design, collection management, and exhibition loans, as well as the creation of exhibits and educational programs to promote public awareness of lapidary art, rocks, and minerals. Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art is known for its extensive collection of lapidary art and Qing dynasty jade.
Raquel Alonso-Perez, Ph.D., Curatrix of the Mineralogical and Geological Museum, Harvard University (MGMH). Her responsibilities include teaching, research, public education, and continued development of the Earth Science Collections. Dr. Alonso-Perez earned her Ph.D. in Earth and Material Sciences from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland, and FGA from the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (GEM-A). Her research focuses on developing an understanding of Earth’s forming processes and the origin of gem deposits through non-destructive analytical techniques. She is an Associate Editor for GIA and GEM-A and sits on the board of directors for several high-profile industry organizations.
McKenzie Santimer, GIA G.G., has worked as Manager of Museum Exhibits & In-Kind Gifts at GIA's World Headquarters in Carlsbad, California for the past 17 years. She oversees the GIA Collection and uses her creative exhibitions to educate, engage and inspire visitors and students through the lenses of gemology and jewelry arts. McKenzie earned a degree in business from Hawaii Pacific University and her Graduate Gemologist and Graduate Jeweler Diplomas from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
About AGA Career Forums:
Introduced in 2021, the Accredited Gemologists Association (AGA) launched AGA Career Forums. The online interactive forum is open to anyone interested in gemology at no cost and feature gemologists practicing their craft in various professions, sharing insights into their paths to success, and answering questions as attendees explore where their gemology might take them. Participants are encouraged to join in and learn more about opportunities for their gemological careers.
Providing insight and practical career experience these forums help us discover What Can You Do With Your Gemology?
2023 AGA Sponsors
Generous financial support from these organizations helps us deliver the superior level of education and participant experience attendees have come to expect from AGA Conferences and initiatives. Please consider AGA Sponsors for your professional needs.
To learn more about AGA Sponsorship opportunities, please contact Teri Brossmer, AGA President, teri@accreditedgemologists.org or visit our webpage.
