Rachel Chalik

Rachel Chalik is the Operations Director of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC). She received her BFA in jewelry making from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia and became a full-time goldsmith in NYC shortly after. She volunteered for New York City Jewelry Week and then joined the JVC team in 2019. She continues to work on her own jewelry business in Brooklyn, NY.

Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez

Encompassing both style and brains, Elyssa Jenkins holds many titles. She is the Vice President and Co-Founder of Black in Jewelry Coalition —the first non-profit international membership organization for the advancement of Black professionals in the gem, jewelry, and watch industry. Elyssa also serves as Chapter Liaison for the Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA) National Diversity Committee and the President-Elect for the WJA NY Metro chapter. And if that isn’t enough, her day job includes serving as the Director of Membership and Digital Content at the Jewelers Vigilance Committee. 

A long-time New York resident, Elyssa first established herself in the fashion industry, working and attending over 10+ seasons of New York Fashion Week as Head Editor for a prominent hair and beauty magazine. Elyssa is passionate about creating a more inclusive environment for all and uplifting aspiring entrepreneurs by providing resources and connections.

Elyssa holds a Masters’s degree in Biomedical Science from Rutgers Graduate School, a Bachelors’s degree in Biology, and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Spanish from the University of New Mexico.​

Miya Owens, Esq., CIPP/US, CIPP/EU

Miya brings years of experience in business and intellectual property litigation, corporate compliance and two information privacy protection certifications to her roles at the JVC.

Before joining the JVC, Miya worked with a diverse client base at two prominent law firms, both specializing in intellectual property matters. During her time at both firms, she received recognition for exceptional service to her clients and her dedication to pro bono advocacy. She then focused on broker-dealer and anti-money laundering compliance matters at a well-known multinational investment bank.

In addition to earning her JD from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Miya graduated with honors in Technology and Communication from Baruch College, where she minored in Journalism.

Sara E. Yood, Esq.

Sara Yood, Deputy General Counsel at the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC), is an attorney admitted in the state of New York with extensive experience in intellectual property law. Sara’s responsibilities at JVC include anti-money laundering compliance, FTC Jewelry Guides compliance, trademark litigation, copyright, advertising monitoring, creating legal compliance tools and publications, and advanced legal strategy. She has developed an additional expertise in U.S. and international laws concerning the importation and exportation of animal materials used in jewelry, and has authored multiple JVC publications illustrating the laws surrounding the jewelry industry. Yood came to JVC from a fellowship at the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham Law School, where she received her law degree. She is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. Yood also serves as the Treasurer and on the board of the Women’s Jewelry Association and is a member of the Fashion Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association.

Tiffany Stevens, Esq.

Tiffany Stevens is the President, CEO and General Counsel of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) and currently serves on the Boards of the USKPA, USJC and CIBJO.

She began her career as an attorney at Paul Hastings LLP, later moving to in-house legal & leadership roles in the private and public sectors, with a focus on health, the arts and the environment. Tiffany is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and NYU School of Law and is a member of the California Bar Association. She currently resides in Brooklyn, NY.