irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $0TO PROMOTE OPPORTUNITIES AND EDUCATE WOMEN IN THE JEWELRY AND WATCH INDUSTRIES THROUGH MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS, MENTORING PROGRAMS, TRADESHOWS, NEWSLETTERS, NETWORKING, AND RESEARCH RELATED TO THE JEWELRY AND WATCH INDUSTRIES.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Jewelry Loupe Project
Nationwide incubator program for emerging women jewelry designers, providing training, mentorship, and showcase opportunities at trade events.
March is Me Month
Annual campaign promoting self-purchase of jewelry by women, supporting empowerment and retail engagement across the industry.
WJA Foundation Scholarships
Provides financial awards to women pursuing education and careers in jewelry design, retail, media, and technology, including specialized scholarships in partnership with industry leaders.
WJA Mentorship Cohort
Partnership with Mentoro to connect emerging talent with industry leaders through structured mentorship in the jewelry and watch fields.
Women’s Executive Leadership Forum
Annual forum in partnership with Citizen Watch to advance leadership development for women executives in the jewelry industry.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Jewelry and Gemstone Industry Advancement 2 activities
- Run the Jewelry Loupe Project to support emerging jewelry designersOperates the nationwide Jewelry Loupe Project, which graduated 18 emerging designers in 2024 and selected 14 for the 2023 cohort. Includes an inaugural showcase at JCK Las Vegas featuring six designers.
- Support student members with career exploration and educational resourcesProvides early access to the WJA community, educational resources, virtual programming, scholarships, grants, mentorship, and leadership opportunities for students pursuing careers in the jewelry and watch industries, with a pathway to Professional Membership.
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Professional Certification and Continuing Education 1 activity
- Deliver educational programming and virtual learning for membersProvides access to industry courses, expert-led virtual learning series, educational panels, webinars, and free virtual panel discussions with industry experts to grow professional expertise. Programming is available to members globally and includes complimentary online pearl courses.
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Women's Educational Advancement 1 activity
- Fund scholarships and grants for education and professional growth in the jewelry industryProvides scholarships and grants through the WJA Foundation to support education, business growth, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and inclusion in the jewelry and watch industries. Awarded over $1,000,000 in grants and scholarships to date, including $63,000 in 2024–2025 and $30,000 in 2021.
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Professional Membership and Association Benefits 1 activity
- Offer tiered business and corporate memberships with expanded benefitsProvides Business Membership with full Professional Membership benefits for multiple team members, Small Business Membership (up to six members), Growth Member (up to twelve), and Corporate Partner (up to twenty-four) levels, including enhanced directory listings, e-blasts, social media features, and branded content hosting.
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Regional Chapter Network Support 1 activity
- Operate regional and global member networks with local chapters and virtual engagementSupports over 1,500 members across more than 15 communities in North America and globally, offering local events, networking opportunities, inclusion in the WJA Member Directory, and access to virtual networking, programs, and events. Organizes gatherings at major trade shows and WJA-hosted events.
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Women's Leadership & Career Advancement Networks 1 activity
- Provide professional development and leadership programs for women in the jewelry and watch industriesOffers leadership development, board leadership opportunities, mentorship programs, and national recognition through the Awards for Excellence to advance women in the jewelry and watch industries. Programs include mentorship cohorts in partnership with Mentoro and initiatives like the Shining Star Awards.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$724K
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$712K98%
Investment income$12K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$768K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$52K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineOther
balance sheet
Total assets$652K
Cash$470K
Investments$139K
Liabilities$161K
Net assets$491K
Liquid reserves9.5 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +2.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JACQUELINE CASSAWAY | PAST PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 20 | $38K |
board members · 24
- AIDA ALVAREZ — BOARD MEMBER
- BRITTANY MERRILL — BOARD MEMBER
- DONNA DELUCIA — BOARD MEMBER
- ELDA FISTANI — BOARD MEMBER
- GABRIELLE GRAZI — PRESIDENT ELECT
- IVETTE STEPHANOPOULOS — BOARD MEMBER
- JACQUELINE RAFFI — SECRETARY
- JENNIFER BROCK — BOARD MEMBER
- KENDRA BRIDELLE — VP OF CHAPTER AFFAIRS
- KRISTIE NICOLOSI — BOARD MEMBER
- LILLY MULLEN — BOARD MEMBER
- LOTANNA AMINA OKPUKPARA — BOARD MEMBER
- MARIEL DIAZ — TREASURER
- MARK SMELZER — BOARD MEMBER
- MATTHEW TRATNER — BOARD MEMBER
- MELISSA RODGERS — BOARD MEMBER
- MICHELE LAU — BOARD MEMBER
- MONICA ELIAS — BOARD MEMBER
- MONICA STEPHENSON — BOARD MEMBER
- MORGAN MILLER — BOARD MEMBER
- RACHEL GOLDFLAM — BOARD MEMBER
- REBECCA BOYAJIAN — BOARD MEMBER
- ROBERT GOLDBERG — BOARD MEMBER
- SARIN BACHMANN — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 26
Who they work with
- Black in Jewelry Coalition Partner — Collaborates with WJA Foundation on the Radiant Minds Technology Scholarship initiative.
- Citizen Watch America Partner — Co-hosts the Women’s Executive Leadership Forum.
- De Beers Partner — Supports the expansion of the Jewelry Loupe Project nationwide.
- Fortunoff family Partner — Partners with the WJA Foundation to establish and fund the Helene Fortunoff Woman in Retail Scholarship.
- GIA Partner — Collaborates with GIA on education programs for members.
- GIA Partner — Funds diversity scholarships for students in GIA Education programs through a pledge to the WJA Foundation.
- Hamilton Jewelers Partner — Partner organization listing job opportunities for WJA members.
- JCK Industry Fund Partner — Supports the WJA Foundation’s annual March is Me Month women’s retail empowerment campaign.
- Jewelers Mutual Partner — Partners with WJA Foundation to launch the Radiant Minds Technology Scholarship for women of color.
- Julius Klein Diamonds Partner — Sponsors the Ella Klein Internship program in partnership with the WJA Foundation.
- LinkedIn Network — Platform used to connect with the WJA community for conversations, events, and industry insights
- LinkedIn Network — Shares community updates, events, and industry insights through its presence on LinkedIn.
- LinkedIn Network — Uses LinkedIn as a platform to connect with and engage its community around events, conversations, and industry insights.
- LinkedIn Network — Uses LinkedIn to connect with the community and share industry insights.
- LinkedIn Network — WJA maintains an official presence on LinkedIn to connect members with community discussions, events, and industry insights.
- LinkedIn Partner — Collaborates with LinkedIn to share community content, events, and industry insights.
- LinkedIn Partner — Partners with LinkedIn to share community updates, events, and industry insights with members.
- LinkedIn Partner — Platform used to engage the WJA community and share events and industry insights.
- LinkedIn Partner — Platform used to share community updates, events, and industry insights with members.
- London Jewelers Partner — Partner organization listing job opportunities for WJA members.
- Mentoro Partner — Collaborates on launching mentorship cohorts for the jewelry and watch industry.
- Mentoro Partner — Collaborates with Mentoro to develop mentorship cohorts for members
- Mentoro Partner — Partner organization for developing WJA’s mentorship cohorts
- Platinum Guild USA Partner — Sponsors the Responsible Business Education Grant administered by the WJA Foundation.
- The RealReal Partner — Partner organization listing job opportunities for WJA members.
- Tiffany & Co. Partner — Partner organization listing job opportunities for WJA members.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Career-Stage Adaptive Mentorship & Developmentmethodology: career-stage tailored supportBy offering tiered, structured support—including mentorship cohorts, leadership development, and education tailored to early, mid, and established career stages—the organization increases professional advancement because interventions are aligned with evolving needs and capacity.
- Digital and Geography-Inclusive Access Modelmethodology: digital-first community engagementBy leveraging virtual programming, digital engagement, and transferable membership structures, the organization enables equitable professional access across geographies because removing location and structural barriers increases inclusion and lifelong participation.
- National-Local Networked Community Modelmethodology: integrated national-local-philanthropic modelBy integrating national programming with localized chapter-based engagement and philanthropic investment, the organization creates a holistic support system that advances women's careers because alignment across scales amplifies reach, relevance, and impact.
- Peer and Allyship-Driven Empowermentmethodology: peer_support_networkBy cultivating peer support networks and intentionally including men as associate members to promote allyship, the organization drives industry transformation because collective identity and cross-gender advocacy strengthen systemic change.