A graduate of the University of Houston with a career in finance, Vinh eventually found the kind of services he tailored within banking didn’t provide for the same creative thrill he discovered in designing tattoos for friends – and eventually in one-of-a-kind jewelry. He left a world of analytics in pursuit of artistry, finding at Green Lake an opportunity to create personal pieces that will be with his clients for a lifetime. He brings to his work a critical eye and keen ability to adapt to individual preferences, providing for stunning objects reflective of their owner’s unique style.

Did you know? Vinh is quite the cook, experimenting with techniques of haute cuisine and plating up works of art for week-day dinners.

Vinh K

Senior Designer | Diamond Specialist

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Repair Specialist

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One of the locals, Ellen grew up right here in Washington. Her artistically enriched childhood was spent surrounded by the natural inspiration of the mountains and water. With constant inspiration around her, it was easy to choose a career in an artistic field. In 2017, Ellen graduated from Cornish College of the Arts, where she received a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Visual Communication Design.

A lifetime of educational experiences has allowed her to work in a wide variety of mediums. From creating a 3D model of DNA out of stained glass, to designing an app to navigate Seattle's traffic, she has worked hard to build a breadth of knowledge from which to draw from when designing.

As a happy newlywed herself, Ellen knows the difficulties of finding the perfect ring. With thousands of options, it can feel impossible to sift through the possibilities to find the perfect ring for your intended. It is because of amazing direction from the team at Green Lake that Ellen was able to design the ring of her dreams; she is elated to be able to help others through the same process.

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An award-winning illustrator (Society of illustrators, American Illustration), Lena is an experienced designer with strong digital and hand illustration skills, and years of practical experience applying her skills to custom jewelry design.

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Erich is a freelance illustrator and exhibiting painter who started out as an expatriate living in the heart of Austria, before moving to the United States. His artwork has been exhibited in galleries across the United States, Europe, and Australia.

In 2011, he began pursuing a career in fine jewelry, beginning with an AJP certification from the Gemological Institute of America. Since then, he has applied his skills in art to designing custom engagement, wedding, and family jewelry. Drawing on multicultural inspirations from both sides of the Atlantic, his style combines unique blends of Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles with a focus on blends of colored gemstones.

Erich believes in the unique power of fine jewelry to tell the story of its owner, and approaches each piece as an opportunity to capture the personality and history of his clients.

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Christine has been with Green Lake Jewelry Works for ten years, helping guide clients through the ins-and-outs of our custom design process. Christine’s natural rapport with clients makes the experience fun and approachable for anyone new to the world of jewelry.

With a passion for collaborative theater, singing, and the art of storytelling, she understands how a custom jewelry design is a perfect match for those passionate about the arts and those with a story to tell. A unique design can not only encapsulate your own personal journey, the entire design process can marry a couple’s creativity in an exciting new way.

Sophia combines a flair for artistic design and technical expertise in jewelry creation, as well as client vision and taste to produce stunningly beautiful, unique pieces that will light up the room. She has examined and sourced thousands of gemstones, and her experience can both articulate exactly what clients are looking for in a gemstone as well as assess qualities often missed by the naked eye.

Throughout her studies in fine arts and metalsmithing at the University of Washington, she developed creative and professional skills that make her an invaluable asset to Green Lake—and a trusted designer to our clients. Sophia is a Graduate Gemologist through the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). 

Sophia Shen

Design Group Training and Development Director
Senior Designer
GIA Graduate Gemologist, GIA AJP

Since 1996, Green Lake Jewelry Works has been crafting custom engagement rings, wedding bands, and other jewelry. Schedule your free online custom design consultation today.

With her background in Art History, Sophie brings a wealth of artistic knowledge and storied motifs to each of her custom designs and the creative process with her clients. Beyond her knowledge of understanding visual culture and art, Sophie trained at Western Washington University to manage museum collections, records of works, and art preservation. 

Sophie’s passion for collaborating with clients and celebrating old-world artistic techniques will help you create your own meticulous collection of wearable art, personalized to celebrate your story and history.

A talented, experienced team of jewelers ready to help with all your repair and resizing needs!

With her Bachelor’s of Fine Art in Jewelry Design and Metalsmithing from Rhode Island School of Design, Rebecca spent her early years working with various high-end fine jewelers in Boston. After that, she moved to New York City, where she spent over a decade designing fashion jewelry for several global brands before joining the team at Green Lake Jewelry Works in 2017.  

Rebecca marries her passion for precious metals and gemstones with the creative process of concepting unique and different ideas, all while working within a team of master craftsmen on behalf of her clients.

With the technical knowledge necessary to design structurally sound pieces and a fashion background in translating drawings into beautiful jewelry, Rebecca can rapidly troubleshoot and create alternate ideas with excellence in communicating a vision.

Rebecca recognizes that starting the conversation around a custom jewelry piece and looking for ideas for that special piece of jewelry can be intimidating, but she has a firm belief that shopping should be fun! A design consultation with Rebecca is like shopping with a friend.

Having had the experience of concepting multiple collections per season, Rebecca has developed a strong sense for identifying patterns across different styles and can gain a good sense of her client’s sense of style and aesthetic at a glance based on the styles they gravitate towards. She loves when clients share their Pinterest boards, favorite personal jewelry pieces, and tidbits about their lifestyle and hobbies.  

Rebecca encourages her clients to call or video chat if they are unable to visit our shop in person.

She believes that hearing a person’s voice, or seeing their face, can go a long way towards assuring you that you are in the hands of a real person that really cares!

Rebecca Pappas

Senior Designer

Sasha was practically born into the jewelry industry! Growing up with a mom who was a designer specializing in pearl jewelry, she naturally developed a deep love for all things bejeweled.

Her path took an interesting turn in her college days, when she started buying and selling vintage gold jewelry. This ignited a passion that led Sasha to the prestigious Gemological Institute Of America, where she dove into the intricate world of Gemology and Jewelry Design and Technology.

But for Sasha, jewelry isn't just a job; it's her life! She loves collecting unique custom and vintage pieces, and mixing and matching metals and gemstones. To her, jewelry is meant to be fun! It’s a way to express yourself and show off your personality and style.

Sasha's inspiration comes from all walks of life – from people's stories and emotions to the beauty of nature, art, history, architecture and music. To her, jewelry is a canvas for self-expression, a reflection of personality, lifestyle, and taste. She understands that jewelry isn't just a casual accessory; it's a vessel of emotion and love meant to last for generations.

Sharing her passion and knowledge is important to Sasha. She is dedicated to helping turn a client’s jewelry dreams into reality, and making sure they feel heard, informed, and confident.

Beyond jewelry, Sasha is a creative soul. She dabbles in embroidery, singing, songwriting, drawing, fashion, and even interior design. So when you choose Sasha, you're not just getting a jewelry designer; you're welcoming a creative partner who's passionate about helping you express yourself through beautiful, meaningful jewelry.

Hannah is passionate about crafting enduring symbols of commitment for couples in love, taking immense joy in the unveiling of bespoke jewelry that brings unparalleled happiness to recipients! Her expertise extends beyond traditional bridal pieces, encompassing a fervor for distinctive, abstract, symbolic, and personal projects—a perfect fit for Green Lake's diverse jewelry offerings.

Hannah also boasts a distinguished educational background in the field. She pursued Fine Arts at Georgia State University, garnering recognition with the Charles Castro Memorial Award for Exceptional Studio Artwork. Her journey continued at the Gemological Institute of America, where she graduated from the Jewelry Design and Technology program, earning the esteemed Student Choice Award for her final design. As an engaged member of the Women's Jewelry Association and the GIA Alumni Collective, she stays knowledgeable of all industry advancements and trends.

Hannah is the ultimate creative force, adept in a range of artistic endeavors from jewelry techniques such as lost wax casting, stone setting, and CAD to large scale abstract paintings. From her roots as an apprentice jeweler in Atlanta to establishing her own studio in Berlin, Germany, her enthusiasm for unique projects and in-depth concept development is the driving force behind her dedication to this incredible craft.

I'm not working with any specific designer yet, or I have no preference.
I would love to work with any of your talented designers!

Jewelry as wearable art seemed to her the perfect combination of her interests.

She earned her bachelor's degree in fashion merchandising from California State University Long Beach and her Graduate Diamonds and AJP credentials from the Gemological Institute of America.

Chelsea worked for five years at Mark Schneider Design where she advanced from apprentice to Design Director. There she designed for the engagement ring and color gemstone jewelry collections, competitions, and custom requests. She has won three design awards: First Place Custom Distinction in the MJSA Vision Awards, a commendation and a First Place in the CPAA International Pearl Design Competition.

Since 1996, Green Lake Jewelry Works has been crafting custom engagement rings, wedding bands, and other jewelry. Schedule your free online custom design consultation today.

Marina is a talented jewelry designer with a passion for creating unique and meaningful pieces. Holding a bachelor's degree in environmental engineering, Marina's journey into design began with a focus on enhancing people's experiences through innovative solutions. After completing a diploma in Jewelry Design and Technology from GIA and earning a Graduate Gemology certification, Marina transitioned from a sales associate at a family-owned jewelry business in Chicago to a dedicated jewelry designer. Inspired by the emotional impact of jewelry on customers, Marina finds joy in bringing her customer's visions to life and witnessing their profound reactions to the finished pieces.

With a deep appreciation for family as a constant source of inspiration, Marina brings a sense of history and purpose to her work, citing Amber as a favorite gemstone for its fossil-like essence—a reminder to keep moving forward while carrying a piece of the past. As a certified SCUBA diver, Marina dives into both the artistic and adventurous aspects of life, creating a well-rounded and vibrant presence at Green Lake Jewelry Works.

Britt is a seasoned custom jewelry designer and CAD modeler with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jewelry Design and Metalsmithing from UGA. With over a decade of experience in the jewelry industry, including many years dedicated to CAD work, Britt brings a wealth of expertise to her craft. Initially drawn to jewelry by the allure of the beautiful materials and creative possibilities, Britt’s well-rounded experience allows her to seamlessly integrate her foundational knowledge of benchwork, Matrix/Rhino CAD training, and keen eye to ensure her creations are not only beautiful but also structurally sound.

As she describes "I believe jewelry design should be fun, not intimidating. I want clients to feel at ease asking any questions regarding the design process and I am happy to go into as many or as few nerdy details as they would like me to!" With her cheerful and knowledgeable approach, Britt is the perfect designer for those new to the jewelry design process and also for detail-oriented individuals who are interested in the "how" of making their special piece.

Maddie's lifelong passion for jewelry ignited during her childhood, where fond memories of accompanying her father to jewelry stores for special occasions fueled her fascination. Beyond her love for accessories, Maddie boasts a diverse background. Armed with double majors in Communications and Art History from the University of Washington, and a GIA Applied Jewelry Professional Degree, she has cultivated a robust foundation for her career.

With a path varying from luxury jewelry sales to appraisal and evaluation services as a professional numismatist (an expert who specializes in the trading of coins, currency, and related artifacts), Maddie's background is filled with versatility and expertise. Outside of work, she channels her creativity into digital art and painting, while also relishing in the beauty of her Seattle surroundings with her dog and fiancé, exploring nature, discovering cozy coffee shops, indulging in thrifting adventures, and expanding her personal crystal collection. She is thrilled to bring her background and interests to the forefront in her role as a designer at Green Lake Jewelry Works, where she looks forward to crafting unique future heirlooms.