Renata Lafler is a gemologist, mineral enthusiast, and mom who has served as the Executive Director of Mines Museum of Earth Science since 2018.  Prior to her time at the museum, Renata was the Director of Gemstone Advancement and Education at Jewelry Television (JTV) in Knoxville, TN.  As a Fellow of the Gemological Association of Great Britain (FGA), she acted as the Executive Producer of, the Sisk Gemology Reference, a three-volume book series about gems, now in its third printing.  Renata achieved her Master’s degree in Geosciences in 2009 at the University of Arizona, analyzing the Raman spectra of gemstones.

rlafler@mines.edu

Samara joined Mines Museum in 2021 and brings extensive business and retail experience to her role.  Samara studied European history and art history at Boston University, and attended graduate school at Rutgers University for Library Science, with a focus in archiving. She has a deep appreciation for art, history, and museums. Her professional background centers on franchising, customer relations, sales, retail management, and museums. She’s passionate about education, developing productive teams, creating an incredible workplace culture, and building community.

srhett@mines.edu