Maggie Campbell Pedersen is a qualified gemmologist specializing in organic gem materials. Her work includes identifications, teaching, writing, and constant research into all aspects of the subject. Maggie is an accredited lecturer for NADFAS (the National Association of Decorative and Fine Art Societies) and a regular contributor to Gems and Jewellery, the journal of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain. She is the author of the book Gem and Ornamental Materials of Organic Origin (Robert Hale, 2004) and the editor of Organic Gems, an online reference source and information centre. Maggie is also a qualified commercial/industrial photographer, and through her love of animals has worked in many places, assisting in conservation, studying elephants, cheetahs and a variety of other animals.