Jewelry Arts Instructors

Jewelry design instructor, Robert Ackerman earned his G.G. from GIA, after graduating from a formal four-year apprenticeship with Zurich’s Trudel Juwelier and The College for Art and Design Zurich as a goldsmith. An inspirational designer and impeccable craftsman, Robert is a two time First Prize winner of the AGTA Spectrum Award, a winner of many Canadian Jeweler Magazine Buyers Choice Awards, and first prize winner of La Griffe d’Or, Quebec’s highest recognition for excellence in the trade. He is often called to serve on the juries of design competitions, has authored various articles for both consumer and trade publications, and exhibits his work in galleries in Switzerland, Canada and the U.S.

Gavin received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara prior to earning his Graduate Jeweler Gemologist diploma from GIA.  Working in the trade, Gavin applied his skills in areas like client scheduling, retail sales, wax carving, and stone setting. Under the supervision of a master goldsmith, Gavin continued to fine-tune his bench skills, eventually leading him back to GIA as an instructor in the Applied Jewelry Arts (A.J.A.) diploma program. Since 2000, Gavin has been teaching students the fine art of jewelry repair and stone setting, casting, wax carving, and jewelry manufacturing arts.

Doug graduated over thirty years ago from the Jewelry Arts Program at George Brown College in Toronto, Canada. He has owned a wholesale trade shop, a design studio and worked as a designer/goldsmith for high end custom jewelry stores. Over the years Doug has learned from his own experiences and the generosity of other goldsmiths. He has enjoyed passing that knowledge on to apprentice goldsmiths and takes pride in the fact that many of them are working successfully in the industry today. For the past two years Doug has had the pleasure of teaching the Graduate Jeweler, Mold Cutting, Casting, Advanced Setting and Basic Repair courses here at GIA.

Jerry began his jewelry career in 1983 in sales and sales management, later moving into the  manufacturing sector, managing a regional repair shop for a national retailer. In 1985 he opened a custom jewelry shop in Canton, Ohio, where he specialized in designing and manufacturing custom jewelry, and in complex repair and restoration work. In 2005, he accepted a position teaching Jewelry Manufacturing Arts at GIA in Carlsbad, CA. Along with teaching the six month Graduate Jeweler program, he also specializes in mold making and casting. Jerry has a BA degree in English and Philosophy/Theology from Walsh University in Canton, Ohio, and is a GIA Graduate Gemologist.

More than 20 years ago, Don acquired the skills of a stone cutter and silversmith. After earning his a Graduate Gemologist and Graduate Jeweler diploma in 1983, he worked for Ben Bridge Jewelers and later started his own business; Don Hughes Jewelers, focusing on custom jewelry and repair work. In 1999, he moved to the San Diego area and began working for GIA as a resident grader for the Graduate Jewelry Program. He became a Jewelry Manufacturing Arts instructor in 2000, and now teaches the Graduate Jeweler Program and the Associate Jewelry Arts Program, as well as Lab classes.

Adam developed a love of metals while studying at the University of North Texas with well known enamellist and metal smith, Harlan Butt. He apprenticed at a local jewelry store to learn sales, office management and finishing jewelry, while creating custom jewelry on his own time. After earning his BFA, Adam ventured to Carlsbad to attend GIA’s Graduate Jeweler program. During the course of his career, Adam has been a production manager, master goldsmith, store manager, and custom designer, working for companies like Elizabeth Showers Design, Katey Brunini, and Ross Andrews Designer Goldsmith and Simply Platinum. He now teaches the Graduate Jeweler program as well as wax carving, casting, enameling, advanced stone setting, basic setting.

At nine, Steve started helping in his father’s jewelry store, and by high school, worked as a salesman, office clerk, designer, and jeweler. A drama scholarship got him to Bowling Green University, but after graduation, his love of jewelry design led him to the Bowman Technical School for a certificate in jewelry making and stone setting. He began his career as a designer-goldsmith in 1973 and for twenty-two years worked as a designer, bench jeweler, shop manager and owner of a studio in Santa Monica, California. He joined GIA in 1995, teaching Jewelry Manufacturing Arts, Jewelry Design, and presently CAD/CAM, the course he co-developed. The author of several articles on the subject, Steve is a sought-after speaker at industry events.