Editorial Staff

Alice Keller has directed Gems & Gemology since 1981 and served as editor-in-chief since 2002. Under her leadership, G&G became a full-color, peer-reviewed professional journal. She has spoken at gem conferences internationally, co-chaired GIA’s 1999 and 2006 International Gemological Symposiums, and received the Women’s Jewelry Association’s Award of Excellence. In 2003, GIA awarded Keller its highest honor, the Richard T. Liddicoat Award for Distinguished Achievement. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a master’s from Georgetown University.

Brendan Laurs joined Gems & Gemology as senior editor in 1997 and was named editor in 2002. He has also been editor of the Gem News International section since 2001. A frequent traveler to global gem sources, Laurs has published numerous articles and spoken at technical conferences and gem and mineral gatherings. In 2006, he co-chaired GIA’s first-ever Gemological Research Conference. He holds a bachelor’s in geology from U.C. Santa Barbara and a master’s in geology from Oregon State University.

Tom Overton has been managing editor of Gems & Gemology since 2002. Overton is a frequent speaker and author on topics in science editing and legal issues in the gem and jewelry industry. Formerly a nuclear engineer in the U.S. Navy, he is also an active member and past president (2009) of the Association of Earth Science Editors (AESE). He holds a bachelor’s in English from USC and a law degree from UCLA, where he was executive editor of the UCLA Law Review.

Stuart Overlin joined Gems & Gemology in 1997 and was named associate editor in 2002. He has written feature articles, book reviews, and web content for the journal and managed projects such as the G&G in Review book series. Overlin holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.