At the Collector, customer satisfaction is our number one priority and our friendly staff are always ready to help you with your needs. Below are short biographies, including details about the expertise of each member of our sales staff.

The Collector’s Jeanne Larson.

Jeanne Hancock Larson
Executive Director of The Collector Fine Jewelry, Jeanne is the wife of Bill Larson, President of Pala International and The Collector. Jeanne, a graduate of Georgetown University, oversees the retail operations of the two Collector store locations. Jeanne’s expertise in color and design is exemplified by the Collector being named “One of America's Coolest Stores” by Instore Magazine. Jeanne is involved, at various levels, with many local charitable organizations such as The Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, The San Diego Zoo, and The San Diego Symphony. In 1998, she received the Excellence in Retail award from the Women’s Jewelry Association, based in New York. It was a national honor.

Sandy Youngdale
Sandy has worked for The Collector since 1987 and was made manager of The Collector’s Fallbrook location in 1996. She has been in the retail jewelry industry for over 20 years and has received her Diamond Certificate and Colored Stone Certificate from the Gemological Institute of America. Sandy is a former president and active member of the North County Networking Group, a referral organization in Fallbrook, and also enjoys her position as an ambassador of The Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce. Along with her managerial duties Sandy also handles the marketing and advertising side of The Collector and is responsible for the beautiful Collector brochure.

Kate Donovan
A graduate gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America in 1989, Kate is the manager of The Collector located at The Four Seasons Resort – Aviara. Her fashion savvy and insatiable quest for knowledge has led her to prioritized integrity, awareness, and education, since her involvement in the jewelry industry in 1986. Elected by her peers, Kate has held board positions in various industry organizations for over 10 years. Presently she serves as President of the GIA Alumni Association and as Secretary of the Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA), San Diego chapters. “My philosophy has always been to share my enthusiasm and to promote the appreciation of fine jewelry, gemstones, and minerals to others. After all, life’s not too bad when you get to play with ‘pretty things’ every day.”
     In 2002, Kate was awarded the American FGA Scholarship from the prestigious Gemological Association of Great Britain, the oldest gemological institute in the world.

Clara Dunitz
Clara is a sales associate at The Collector located at the Four Seasons Resort – Aviara. She has spent her entire adult life in retail jewelry, including owning stores in the Midwest for many years. Upon “retiring” to San Diego, she could not keep away from jewelry for long—and that is our good fortune. The Collector is happy to have her experience on our sales team. Always with a welcome smile and undeniable spirit, Clara assists clients with building their jewelry wardrobe. She enjoys meeting local and international clientele and says, “When you work with exciting gems and designs, it is not work. It has always been fun.”