David Baker began his jewelry career at the bench in 1972. Over the next five decades, he became a GIA Graduate Gemologist and an American Gem Society Certified Gemologist, taught gemology internationally for GIA, worked in retail and wholesale, and served as director of Cintrem, Ltd., a subsidiary of Leo Schachter, Inc.

He later owned David Baker Creative Jewelers/Baker Jeweler-Gemologist in Dublin, Ohio, while also providing appraisal services for 26 additional jewelry stores. After relocating to Houston, he established a trade appraisal business, joined the appraisal staff at Amber’s Jewelers in Katy, Texas, and served as Membership and Education Manager for the American Gem Trade Association from 2014 through 2024.

A noted public speaker at JCK, GIA Alumni, WJA, SNAG, and AGTA events, David is also an internationally published and frequently cited author. His seminal article, “Revolution in Diamond Cutting: Laser Sawing of Diamond Crystals,” was originally published in GIA’s Gems & Gemology and continues to be referenced today.

Of personal note, David has been one of the Top 100 Individual Fundraisers for Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure–Houston and a patient advocate for the National Cancer Institute/M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Specialized Program of Research Excellence in Breast Cancer. He has also served as an advocate for the Southwest Oncology Group, the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Consortium, the Susan G. Komen Tissue Bank, and the California Breast Cancer Research Fund.

Douglas K. Hucker, CG, has spent more than four decades in the jewelry industry, building a career as a respected leader, educator, and advocate for colored gemstones. He served nearly 25 years as CEO of the American Gem Trade Association and later as CEO of the International Colored Gemstone Association. Earlier in his career, Doug was an instructor at the Gemological Institute of America and worked extensively in the colored gemstone and estate jewelry fields.

A familiar and engaging speaker throughout the international gem and jewelry community, Doug has received some of the industry’s most prestigious honors, including the American Gem Society’s Robert M. Shipley Award, Triple Zero Award, Sallie Morton Award, and the Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California Lifetime Achievement Award. His depth of knowledge, years of experience, and genuine enthusiasm for colored gemstones have made him a valued educator and longtime friend of the industry.

Leela Hutchison, G.G. (GIA), is a gemologist, explorer, researcher, and author best known as one of the first explorers to enter the Giant Crystal Cave at Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico, in January 2001. During that historic expedition, she documented the world’s largest known selenite crystals and captured the first photographs ever released from the cave.

Her pioneering work in one of Earth’s most extreme environments has inspired more than two decades of research into the geology, history, and scientific significance of the Naica crystal caves, including their unusual microbial discoveries and potential astrobiological implications.

Leela has presented her work at the Smithsonian Institution, The Explorers Club, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, the American Gem Trade Association, and numerous scientific organizations. She is the author of Journey into the Giant Selenite Crystal Caves of Mexico, and her research has been featured on the History Channel, GAIA TV, and other national media.