MEET OUR ONLINE EDUCATION FACULTY

Francesca joined GIA as an instructor at the start of 2013. She started towards her career in gemology by first working as an exploration geologist in Australia. After three years she came back to London to become a GIA Graduate Gemologist® and then went on to work for a high end diamond jewelers before joining the GIA London team.

As Manager of Online Education, Heather Cason combines years of industry experience with a passion for gemology. Her journey began as a jeweler’s apprentice, inspired by her love of art and design. After attending the University of Arizona, she earned Graduate Gemologist and Graduate Jeweler diplomas at GIA and built a diverse career spanning wholesale gem sale, retail jewelry, and store management. Initially joining GIA to learn jewelry manufacturing and design, Heather discovered a deep interest in gemology, which continues to guide her work in Online Education.

Bethany’s love of jewelry began when she was very young, going through the jewelry collection her grandmother gathered on her world travels. Her father instilled in Bethany a love of art and antiques, and these interests often intersected. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Print Journalism from Utah State University. After learning of GIA and working in other industries for a time, Bethany knew that GIA was where she wanted to be to pursue her passion for gems and jewelry. After earning her GIA Graduate Gemologist and Applied Jewelry Professional diplomas, she worked in quality control and client services for several retailers. Bethany enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for gemology with students and friends alike.

Donald Hofler brings his curiosity and thirst for knowledge from a young age into the gem and jewelry industry. With a GIA Graduate Gemologist diploma and credentials in accounting, organizational leadership, and jewelry, he has a passion to research, acquire, and test a multitude of fine gems. He has worked in sales management, accounting, and aerospace inspection, combining precision requirements and drive with his love for gems and jewelry. Don specializes in minerals and colored stones, always looking for new and novel pieces. In fact, he considers one of his greatest accomplishments to be the introduction of a new purple pink color of diaspore to the GIA laboratory. The article was featured in the Summer 2020 Gems & Gemology issue.

Noah Leverton has journeyed from working in watch and jewelry sales at Fraser Hart in Edinburgh, Scotland to diamond grading at GIA in Carlsbad to teaching online gemology courses at GIA. During his seven years in GIA’s laboratory, he helped train new diamond graders and staff. He then earned the GIA Graduate Gemologist diploma through online education before joining GIA Education’s Online Division as an instructor. He loves explaining complex concepts in a way that sparks students’ interest, and his goal is to prepare students so that they’re confident and knowledgeable enough to succeed in their dream gemology careers. In his free time, Noah enjoys playing basketball and used to train new referees.

As Senior Manager of Online Education instruction at GIA, Paul brings a lifelong passion for gemstones and minerals along with more than 10 years of trade experience. Paul completed both the Graduate Gemologist and Graduate Jeweler diplomas, which he utilized extensively while working in retail jewelry sales and management selling luxury watches and owning a small boutique jewelry business that specialized in unique gemstones. With a background in web design and systems engineering, Paul is savvy about using technology to help students learn.

Michele’s fascination with jewelry began while working for a local pawn shop. Over the next 23 years, she helped build the small shop into a corporation with multiple locations and business functions. Throughout this time, she also managed and trained the sales staff. Intent on learning more about gemstones, she pursued her Accredited Jewelry Professional (AJP), Graduate Pearls and Graduate Gemologist diplomas through GIA as an Online Education student. After graduating from GIA, Michele assisted other pawn shops with training staff, identifying gemstones and grading diamonds. When an instructor position became available at GIA Carlsbad, she knew instantly that helping students learn about gems would be a rewarding experience and the perfect fit for her interests.

Daniela’s interest in natural geological formations started in her youth. She followed it by earning the Graduate Gemologist diploma and Accredited Jewelry Professional credential while working as a GIA diamond grader from 2014-2017. Daniela also loves the visual arts, and completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts at BIOLA University in 2014. Her favorite part of being an instructor is witnessing the “aha!” moment when students understand the gem identification process.

Glenn’s passion for gems and jewelry started in grammar school when a family friend gave him a collection of rocks from around the world. He pursued his love of things gemological in his youth by working as a bench jeweler apprentice and earning a Bachelor of Arts in jewelry design from Montclair State University. Glenn went on to work in sales for Fortunoff and Tiffany & Co, and received his GG from GIA in 1995. On teaching at GIA: “It allows me to give back to students what I’ve learned about designing, selling and studying. I enjoy teaching and watching students grow and develop their skills.”

Dani’s interest in gemology began during her childhood in the Mojave Desert, where she searched for rose quartz, obsidian arrowheads and geodes. She went on to earn a B.A. in English and taught high school English for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Danielle later pursued her childhood passion, earning the Graduate Gemologist diploma. Before becoming an Online Education instructor at GIA, Dani worked in e-commerce diamond sales and at a brick-and-mortar jewelry retail store. She was also a diamond, colored stone and Swiss watch buyer. Gem Identification is her favorite part of the Graduate Gemologist program, because identifying a gemstone is like solving a small mystery. Dani says, “It’s fun and satisfying, and it’s a skill that makes a person valuable in the jewelry buying world.”

Alexandra’s interest with gems and jewelry started at young age and deepened after visiting the GIA Carlsbad campus to see a family member’s graduation from the Jewelry Manufacturing Arts program. She pursued her growing passion and enrolled in multiple on-campus and online programs at GIA. After graduating, Alexandra found employment within the GIA Laboratory working as a diamond grader, a jewelry verifier, and in colored stone identification before ultimately becoming an online instructor. Alexandra believes jewelry is timeless and every piece tells you a story and finds the unveiling of each story truly fascinating.

Growing up around gems and jewelry in a family business instilled Adam with a great passion for tiny treasures. After completing his bachelor's degree in business at CSU Fresno, Adam earned his GG as an on-campus student in Carlsbad. Shortly after, he accepted a job as a Diamond Grader in the Carlsbad Laboratory. He remained there for over seven years and achieved a specialist role where he worked in monitoring and ensuring laboratory quality standards. Now, he brings his knowledge and love of jewelry to the Online Education department.

Julie’s career in gemology began in the GIA Carlsbad Laboratory in 2007. While working as a diamond grader, she earned her Graduate Gemologist and Applied Jewelry Professional diplomas through GIA Online Education. During her time in the laboratory, she took on several roles, such as D-to-Z color grader and quality assurance gemologist. Her longest-held and favorite role was as a training specialist, training diamond graders of all levels, where she found a real love for teaching and helping others reach their goals. When the opportunity arose to become an instructor for GIA Online Education, it was a natural choice to follow her passion and expand further into supporting the next generation of gemologists.