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WJA Foundation Announces Gabrielle Grazi as 2022 President-Elect of Board of Trustees February 02, 2022 (0 comments)
New York, NY—The Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA) Foundation has named Gabrielle Grazi, vice president of Retail Strategy & Partnerships at Natural Diamond Council (NDC), as the new president-elect of the WJA Foundation Board of Trustees. Grazi will take over from current president Brandee Dallow on January 1, 2023.
Joining Grazi on the 2022 WJA Foundation Board of Trustees is Emily Wisniewski, industry relations manager at Jewelers Mutual Group. Continuing board members include Brandee Dallow of SCS Global Services and Fine Girl Luxury Brand Building & Communications (president), Mariel Diaz of Accounting for Jewelers (treasurer), Isabel Cajulis of Shoptalk (secretary), Lauren Johansen of American Gem Society, Amy Levine of PD&M Productions, Belit Myers of Stuller, Susanne Siegel of Susanne Siegel Ltd., Tiffany Stevens of Jewelers Vigilance Committee, and Susan Wheeler Geraghty of Susan Wheeler Designs. Also serving on the board is WJA Association president Susan Chandler and immediate past president Jacqueline Cassaway (ex-officio).
The WJA Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation created to support WJA's mission of providing educational and business opportunities that help students, small business owners, and rising leaders in the industry reach their full career potential. The Foundation’s forward-looking vision and multidimensional framework focuses on three pillars of grant making: General Education & Business Development, Responsible Sourcing & Sustainability Education, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
“I’m sure I join our entire membership in warmly congratulating and welcoming Gabrielle to the 2022 Foundation Board of Trustees as our president-elect. Gabrielle brings a wealth of strategic expertise, strong leadership skills and the positive attitude so needed in our organization,” said Dallow. "I am confident that Gabrielle will continue to, and excel in, securing and advancing academic, leadership and economic opportunities for women in our industry (and those who will join in the future) and support the broad and diverse needs and responsibilities of our members."
In her role as vice president of retail strategy & partnerships at Natural Diamond Council, Grazi is responsible for leading the amplification around global campaigns, education, and marketing initiatives for retailers across North America. She works strategically across the trade to leverage the NDC’s dynamic content, tools, and resources that inspire and educate the consumer around the modern diamond dream. Prior to joining the NDC in June 2020, Grazi was with Signet Jewelers where she transformed operations, elevated talent, and led strategic initiatives. Together with her team, she maximized opportunities that enhanced both the consumer and team member experience, established brand recognition, and significantly increased both revenue and profitability across the brand.
As a champion of diversity, equity and inclusion and workplace culture, Grazi believes in the power of collaboration and has successfully mobilized diverse groups across and beyond organizations. She launched and served as chair of the 500+ member Signet Women’s Business Resource Group from 2017 until 2020, the largest ERG in the organization in addition to serving as an advisor on Signet’s Diversity Leadership Team. She was responsible for both identifying and launching impactful programming, one of them being an early adopter in 2018 of Google's global initiative #IamRemarkable which empowers women and underrepresented groups to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond.
Grazi has also been a member of the Women In Retail Leadership Circle since 2017, an exclusive community of women executives at leading retailers and brands whose mission is to foster leadership development and build strategic business acumen.
Prior to entering the jewelry industry at Signet, Grazi’s experience includes tenure with Liz Claiborne as director of retail, leading the outlet division at Juicy Couture, and as regional director at Limited Too, Tween Brands. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles with increasing span and responsibilities leading flagship stores and high-profile regions at best-in-class retailers across North America. Her passion for leading and inspiring high performing teams and developing talent legacies, combined with her commitment to a high level of execution and operating standards can be traced back to her early roots in the industry.
A New Jersey native, Grazi resides in Monmouth County with her husband, Victor, her daughter, Loretta, and their dog, Zen.
To learn more and to donate to the WJA Foundation: www.womensjewelryassociation.com/foundation.