Actress, model, author, TV celebrity, jewelry designer, wife, and mother Cristina Ferrare will speak about “following your passion” at the Women’s Jewelry Association’s annual summer breakfast, held during the Jewelers of America New York Summer Show at the Javits Convention Center (Room 1E03/04). The breakfast, which starts at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, July 30, is open to all WJA members and guests. Reservations, which are required, can be made through the WJA office at (973) 575-7190.

Ferrare has been in the spotlight ever since she became the Max Factor girl at age 16. Her life as a supermodel spanned 20 years, during which she graced the covers of Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and many fashion magazines. She was twice featured in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.

In the early 1980s, Ferrare co-hosted AM Los Angeles, which, during her five-year tenure, was the highest-rated morning TV show. In addition to hosting her own shows, Cristina and Friends and Home and Family, she has guest-starred on popular TV shows such as Live with Regis and Kathie Lee and appeared in several movies, including The Impossible Years with David Niven.

She is a talented artist and stylist who has developed a line of functional art for the home, including plates, bowls, teapots, and vases. In 2000 she and her mother, Renata, created a jewelry line, the Cristina Ferrare Collection, which she designs and manufactures. It is sold exclusively in several Neiman Marcus stores.

Her literary credits include The New York Times bestseller Okay, So I Don’t Have a Headache, Cristina Ferrare’s Family Entertainment,, and Cristina Ferrare Style. WJA, founded in 1983, is the preeminent association of professional women in the jewelry, watch, and related businesses. For more information visit www.womensjewelry.org or call (973) 575-7190.