Meet our staff.
Owner
Joined the Forsythe family: November 1985
Birthstone: Sapphire
Matthew Wahl
Location and the change of seasons
What’s your favorite thing about Rochester?
Creating memories to last a lifetime and making people happy
What’s the best thing about working at Forsythe?
Love Actually (same as Susie!)
What’s a book, show, or movie you never get tired of?
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
I love creating waterfalls
What’s your favorite jewelry fun fact?
Diamonds are 2.5 billion years old. Compared to dinosaurs that are 7 million years old.
Owner
Joined the Forsythe family: January 1975
Birthstone: Pearl
Susie Wahl
What’s your favorite thing about Rochester?
The Erie Canal
We are forever grateful that are customers share their special occasions with us. We are surrounded by love.
What’s the best thing about working at Forsythe?
What’s a book, show, or movie you never get tired of?
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
Love Actually (same as Matt!)
That walking is my least favorite form of exercise, yet walking long distance on vacation is a blast!
A diamond is like a snowflake, there are no two that are alike.
What’s your favorite jewelry fun fact?
Operations Manager
Joined the Forsythe family: April 2020
Birthstone: Peridot
Anders Wahl
Incredible restaurants and cozy coffee shops, craft breweries and cocktail bars, and a surprising number of amazing golf courses and hiking trails.
What’s your favorite thing about Rochester?
What’s the best thing about working at Forsythe?
What’s a book, show, or movie you never get tired of?
Getting to support our amazing team, especially working side-by-side with Ashley and both of my parents.
The Office
I ran away with the circus, literally. I worked for Cirque du Soleil for several years, in Las Vegas and on tour, it’s how I met Ashley!
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
What’s your favorite jewelry fun fact?
It takes roughly 250 tons of earth to find a single 1-carat, gem-quality diamond. It’s a reminder that every diamond is not just beautiful—it’s incredibly rare.
Sales Floor Manager
Joined the Forsythe family: April 2020
Birthstone: Emerald
Ashley Harman
Incredible restaurants and cozy coffee shops, craft breweries and cocktail bars, and a surprising number of amazing golf courses and hiking trails.
What’s your favorite thing about Rochester?
What’s the best thing about working at Forsythe?
Creating custom engagement rings for our couples is the most amazing way to get to know our clients. It's an honor to help them bring their vision to life.
What’s a book, show, or movie you never get tired of?
How are you supposed to pick one!? Impossible! The Lord of the Rings is always a classic, but I also love memoirs, historical fiction, and sci-fi/fantasy.
I was a theatrical carpenter/technician for touring broadway productions and for Cirque du Soleil. I toured through Rochester with 3 different productions that played at the RBTL and met Anders on my first Cirque du Soleil show.
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
What’s your favorite jewelry fun fact?
I love gemstones that display multiple colors. Alexandrite, shifts hues due to chromium and varying light wavelengths. Trichroic gems like Tanzanite show three colors from different angles thanks to their crystal structure. So much fun!
Jeweler / Gemologist
Joined the Forsythe family: August 1975
Birthstone: Aquamarine
Jan Robinson
How to pick one? Finger Lakes, Lake Ontario, and all the great places and cool thing to do close by.
What’s your favorite thing about Rochester?
What’s the best thing about working at Forsythe?
We have fun, working with beautiful,sparkly things and making people happy!
What’s a book, show, or movie you never get tired of?
Guardian's of the Galaxy
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
I have a tattoo
What’s your favorite jewelry fun fact?
Diamonds found in nature are formed in high heat and pressure over billlions of years. It will most likely be the oldest object you will ever hold.
Sales Associate / Designer
Joined the Forsythe family: August 2021
Birthstone: Amethyst
Linda Cass
What’s your favorite thing about Rochester?
I love the canal system and hiking trails. There is so much beauty in the Finger Lakes.
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
What’s a book, show, or movie you never get tired of?
Sharing my love of gemstones and jewelry design! I am surrounded by beauty and fun coworkers daily.
What’s the best thing about working at Forsythe?
Any Jane Austin or nostalgic movies from the 90's.
I love to travel and lived in Singapore and Southeast Asia for a few months in my 20's.
What’s your favorite jewelry fun fact?
Diamonds found in nature are formed in high heat and pressure over billlions of years. It will most likely be the oldest object you will ever hold.
Certified Sales Associate
Joined the Forsythe family: October 2022
Birthstone: Citrine
Adrienne Fleming
I love how active the community is, with festivals and events year-round. Growing up, my hometown didn’t really have that, so it’s great living somewhere that truly brings people together.
What’s your favorite thing about Rochester?
What’s the best thing about working at Forsythe?
The people I work with! Everyone’s vibrant personalities keep things fun, there’s never a dull moment. We laugh, share stories, and bring great energy to the store. They’ve become friends, and I look forward to seeing them every day.
Book: Pride and Prejudice or The Secret History
Show: Schitt's Creek, Gossip Girl, or Law & Order
Movie: Crazy, Stupid, Love or Midsommar
What’s a book, show, or movie you never get tired of?
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
I lived and worked in Yellowstone National Park for three summers after earning my first Bachelor's degree, managing a restaurant near Old Faithful. New York is great, but I sometimes really miss Wyoming!
The Victorians used to wear mourning jewelry with their deceased loved one's hair incorporated in the design. They thought the hair contained the essence of the person, giving it a sacred quality.
What’s your favorite jewelry fun fact?
Sales Associate
Joined the Forsythe family: November 2022
Birthstone: Aquamarine
Amanda Honeyman
What’s your favorite thing about Rochester?
The art, music and food scene!
Being encouraged to think outside the box to create truly one-of-a-kind pieces for our clients.
What’s the best thing about working at Forsythe?
What’s a book, show, or movie you never get tired of?
Absolutely Fabulous
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
I've lived in seven cities.
What’s your favorite jewelry fun fact?
According to legend, the marquise diamond originated in the 18th century, when King Louis XV of France commissioned a diamond cut resembling the lips of his famed mistress, Madame de Pompadour.
Sales Associate
Joined the Forsythe family: November 2022
Birthstone: Aquamarine
Laura Jensen
its unique mix of historic charm, fresh new businesses that keep the city vibrant, and easy access to nature.
What’s your favorite thing about Rochester?
What’s the best thing about working at Forsythe?
Forsythe lets me use both sides of my brain—the creative, people-focused side and the detail-oriented, analytical side… plus, all of my amazing co-workers!
What’s a book, show, or movie you never get tired of?
The Office, I’ve watched it more than I care to admit.
I grew up on a horse farm, then later moved to New York City to work in fashion.
What’s something people are surprised to learn about you?
Not necessarily a ‘fun fact,’ but what I love most about jewelry is how it holds deep sentimental value. The pieces we collect throughout our lives tell stories that are meant to be cherished and passed down through generations.
