(PRESS RELEASE) The MJSA Education Foundation, a nonprofit supporting career and training initiatives in jewelry manufacturing and design, has announced a new slate of officers and trustees who have been appointed to its board.
Lee Krombholz, the Foundation’s former vice chair, will step into the role of chair. The CEO and visionary of Cincinnati-based Krombholz Jewelers, he has also served on MJSA’s board of directors and frequently contributes to the alliance’s publications and seminar programs. He succeeds Joseph Esposito, vice president of the National Chain Group in Warwick, Rhode Island, who had served as chair since 2024.
Michael Coan, a longtime member of the Foundation board, will now serve as vice chair. He is an assistant professor of jewelry design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, where he served as chair of the jewelry department from 2001 to 2015.
Another longtime board member, Donna DeLucia, will become secretary. A business development executive with M. Schamroth & Sons in New York City, she is also the vice president of inclusion and belonging for the Women’s Jewelry Association.
The Foundation’s new treasurer is Joanna Joy Seetoo, a jewelry designer and consultant based in San Diego. She formerly managed GIA’s Jewelry Manufacturing Arts program in Carlsbad, California, and was assistant director and an instructor at the Revere Academy in San Francisco.
In addition, four new trustees have joined the board:
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- Amanda Gizzi, senior vice president of corporate affairs at Jewelers of America in New York City.
- Chris Ploof, owner of Chris Ploof Designs, a brand based in Leominster, Massachusetts, that’s renowned for sustainability, innovative designs, and the use of uncommon materials.
- Jason Chandler, founder of Portland Jewelry Academy in Portland, Oregon, where he teaches foundational and advanced bench skills.
- Karen Smith, a metal artist and founder of We Wield the Hammer, a training program in Oakland, California, that teaches metalsmithing to young women and girls of African descent.
The Foundation’s executive director, Rich Youmans, will continue to serve on the board and implement its initiatives.
A 501(c)3 subsidiary of Jewelers of America, the MJSA Education Foundation supports career and training programs for students and workers throughout the jewelry industry. Its initiatives include the annual “Future of Jewelry Making” scholarships and the nationally recognized MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program, which provides the tools to train aspiring jewelers. To learn more, go to MJSA.org
