GeneaBloggers

Below is a list of GeneaBloggers members who regularly lecture and speak on a variety of genealogy and family history-related topics.*

If you are a GeneaBloggers member and you’d like to be listed here, contact geneabloggers@gmail.com and send us your information (name, blog or website, location and travel availability, topics and a list of presentations) and how people can contact you to engage your services.

Lisa A. Alzo, M.F.A.

E-mail: lisa@lisaalzo.com
Website:  http://www.lisaalzo.com
Location: Ithaca, NY, available nationwide
Topics: Eastern European Research (esp. Slovak), Writing Your Family History, Finding Your Female Ancestors, Immigrant Cluster Communities, Genealogy on the Internet/Genealogy & Technology, Specialty Research (Ellis Island, 1930 Census), Organizational Techniques
Presentations:

• Demystifying Eastern European Research
• Crossing the Pond: Techniques for Finding Your Elusive Eastern European Ancestors
• Write Your Family History Step by Step
• Murder, Mayhem and Town Tragedy
• The ‘A’ Article, Writing for Genealogy Magazines
• Identifying Immigrant Cluster Communities
• Researching Your Roots in the 21st Century
• The Evidence: Following Online Clues to Solve your Family History Mysteries
• Virtual Reunion: Connect Your Family Online
• Find Your Slovak Roots Online
• Finding Your Immigrant Ancestors in the Ellis Island Database
• Silent Voices: Telling the Stories of Your Female Immigrant Ancestors
• Three Slovak Women: Telling the Story of One Slovak-American Family Using Oral & Social History
• 365 Ways to Discover Your Family History
• Confessions of a Genealogist
• 20th Century Desperate Housewives

Blaine Bettinger

E-mail: blainebettinger@gmail.com
Website: http://www.thegeneticgenealogist.com
Location: Syracuse, NY, available throughout Northeast and nationally
Topics: genetic genealogy
Presentations:

• Using DNA to Explore Your Ancestry

Ruby Coleman

E-mail: rcoleman@inebraska.com
Website: http://www.incolor.com/rcoleman
Location: North Platte, NE, available locally and nationwide
Topics: Library Research, Courthouse Research, Census, Nebraska, Female Ancestors, Networking, Land Records, Motivation
Presentations:

• After the Library . . . Using Courthouse Records
• When the Census Taker Came Grandpa Was in the Outhouse
• Census Between:  Iowa and Nebraska Territorial and State Censuses
• Roots in Nebraska
• Nebraska Trails Across and Research Through
• Motivation, Evaluation and Action
• Making Interlibrary Loan Work for Genealogists
• Don’t Look Now … Your Genealogy is Showing
• Land Records and Human History Kith and Kin
• Networking Your Research
• Lonesome Wives, Wanton Women and Prairie Mothers
• Dot to Dot … Effective Research

Lisa Louise Cooke

Email: genealogygemspodcast@gmail.com
Website: http://www.GenealogyGems.TV including:
The Genealogy Gems News Blog
The Genealogy Gems Podcast
The Family History: Genealogy Made Easy Podcast
Location: San Ramon, CA, available nationwide
Topics: Google, Online Research, Technology, Podcasts, Blogs, Creative Projects, Newspaper, Immigration & Naturalization, Research Preservation, Living Relatives
Presentations:

• Google: A Goldmine of Genealogy Gems Part I
  Turn Google into your own personal genealogy assistant!
• Google: A Goldmine of Genealogy Gems Part II
  Taking Google to the next level!
• Genealogy Podcasts and Blogs 101
  Demystifying the fantastic free educational resources of genealogy podcasts and blogs.
• Sharing the Joy – Projects That Will Captivate the Non-Genealogists in Your Life
  Inspirational projects anyone can do that will captivate interest and generate family history conversation.
• How to Save Your Research from Destruction & Ensure It’s Future Survival
  Everything you need to know to ensure your research for generations to come including Deeds of Gift to Genealogical Materials Directives.
• Newspaper Research: Getting the Scoop on Your Ancestors
  Everything you need to know to find you ancestors in online and archived historic newspapers.
• Unleash Your Inner Private Eye: Strategies for Finding Living Relatives
  To find living relatives you need to think a little less like a genealogists and a little more like a private detective. Learn 7 key strategies used by real gumshoes.
• The Journey of Your Ancestors – Immigration and Naturalization Research
  An introduction to Immigration and Naturalization records.

Luckie Daniels

Email: luckiedaniels@gmail.com
Website: Our Georgia Roots, Our Alabama Roots, Low Country Africana – Coordinator of Georgia Records
Location: Atlanta, Georgia; available nationally
Topics: Slave Ancestry, African-American, LowCountry (SC, FL and GA), Social Media + Genealogy, Utilizing technology to support genealogy research, SEO for genealogy websites/blogs
Presentations:

• From Roots… Come Branches: A Beginner’s Guide To African American Genealogy Research
• Unlocking The Door To Your Nameless Ancestor: Keys to Researching Your African American Ancestor Before 1865
• Come Out Of The Archives: Taking Your Research Online
• Blogging, Tweeting and Social Networking ~ African-American Research for the New Millennium

Stephen J. Danko, PhD, PLCGS

E-mail: stephen@stephendanko.com
Website: http://www.stephendanko.com/
Location: San Francisco, California, available locally and nationally
Topics: European genealogy, immigration, methodology, technology
Presentations:

• A Brief History of Germany for Genealogists
• A New Look at Immigrant Passenger Manifests
• Canadian Immigration Records
• Choosing a DNA Test for Genetic Genealogy
• Genealogy and the Changing Map of Eastern Europe
• Genealogy Blogs: New Ways to Disseminate Genealogy
• Genealogy Gadgets and Gizmos: New Technology to Help in Your Research
• Polish Court Records
• Reading German Gothic Handwriting
• The Genealogical Proof Standard
• Understanding the Slownik Geograficzny Krolestwa Polskiego
• Understanding Meyers Orts- und Verkehrs-Lexikon
• United States Immigration Records
• United States Naturalization Records
• Using DNA and Indirect Evidence to Establish Family Relationships

Schelly Talalay Dardashti

E-mail: schelly@tracingthetribe.com
Website: http://tracingthetribe.blogspot.com/
Tracing the Tribe: The Jewish Genealogy Blog
International Jewish Graveyard Rabbi
MyHeritage Genealogy Blog
Location: NewYork/Israel, available internationally
Topics: Jewish Genealogy, Sephardic Genealogy, DNA, Creating DNA Projects, Wonderful World of Genealogy Blogging, Iranian Jews, Sephardim in Eastern Europe
Presentations:

• IberianAshkenaz Project: From the Administrator’s Viewpoint
• Wonderful World of Genealogy Blogging
• Creating a Genealogy Blog: Personal, Name or Geographic Location
• Creating Hope: How writing on genealogy for wide audiences creates hope
• The Jews of Iran

Elyse Doerflinger

E-mail: GenealogistElyse@gmail.com
Blog: Elyse’s Genealogy Blog at http://elysesgenes.blogspot.com/
Location: Lomita, CA, available locally and nationwide
Topics: U.S Research, Genealogy on the internet, using technology and genealogy, Organization techniques, Census research, research in California, Genealogy on a budget
Presentations:

• Using Social Networks For Genealogy
• Organizing The Paper Mountain
• Understanding the U.S. Census
• Genealogy on a Budget

Mary Clement Douglass

E-mail: mdoug_hm@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.historical-matters.com
Blog: Notes That Matter at http://www.historical-matters.com
Location: Salina, KS, available nationwide
Topics: preservation of archival collections, lineage societies, genealogical methods, research in Kansas and Iowa
Presentations:

COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION

• “Cheating Time” Methods for preserving family heirlooms, papers and photographs for the next generation
• “Help! I’ve Fallen Under My Genealogy Notes and I Can’t Get Up”
  Organize your notes so you can find what you need, when you want it

METHODOLOGY

• “Introduction to Land in America”
• “Kinship Theory and Genealogy”
  Family is more than just a blood-line.
• “Women Homesteaders”
• “The Numerical Index”
  The other land record. Trace the land itself to find missing heirs and migration paths
• “Genealogy 101″
  A brief introduction to genealogy and family history for beginners
• “Best Sources for Civil War Research”
  Top Five places to find records on your Civil War ancestor, and a few more.
• “The Silent Stone Speaks”
  Learn what organizations your ancestor belonged to by the symbols on their tombstones
• “Portrait of an ancestor”
  Place your ancestors in their historical context.
• “More Than Just Pretty Pictures”
  Effectively use maps in genealogical research. Geography for genealogists.
• “Bring’ em Back Alive!: Capturing Ancestors Today”
  Tips for recording and transcribing oral histories of the living ancestors.
• “There’s No Place Like Home!”
  Find your ancestors without leaving the comfort of your hometown using home and local library resources.
• “Don’t Leave Home Without It”
  Prepare to take your research on the road and make your trip effective.
• “Getting Past Your Brick Wall”
  The clue you need may be buried in your notes. Learn the secret used by the professionals — the research report.
• “Read That Deed For All Its Worth”
  Are you using ALL the clues found in a deed, mortgage, lease, and other individual land transfers?
• “So you want to hire a professional genealogist”
  How to contact, evaluate, and engage a professional genealogist and get the best value for your money.
• “So you want to be a professional genealogist”
  Some things to think about before you “hang out your shingle.”
• “A Proud Heritage”
  Are you eligible for membership in one of the many hereditary societies? Learn how to submit a successful application.

REGIONAL SPECIALTIES

• “Genealogical Research in Iowa”
  An overview of the history, geography and settlement of Iowa with the major repositories for genealogical research
• “Historic Trails Across Kansas”
  Because of the state’s central location, Kansas was a pass-through area for many early trails. These included military roads, commercial trails and immigrant routes westward.
• “Genealogical research in Kansas”
  An overview of the history, geography and settlement of Kansas with the major repositories for genealogical research
• “Kansas on the World Wide Web”

Michael Hait

E-mail: michael.hait@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.haitfamilyresearch.com
Location: Washington, DC, metro; available East Coast U. S.
Topics:  U.S. Civil War, African-American Genealogy, Genealogical Proof Standard, Federal Census Records, Maryland Research
Presentations:

• Your Civil War Ancestors: A Guide To Research

Karen Krugman

E-mail: researcher@miprofgenie.com
Website: http://www.miprofgenie.com
Location: Franklin, Michigan, locally and available for travel
Topics: female ancestors, sourcing, Internet genealogy, long distance genealogy
Presentations:

• Extra Extra Read All About It
  There’s more to newspapers than obituaries.
• Chasing Your Elusive Ancestor On the Internet
  Hints & ideas for chasing grandpa down on the internet.
• Color Your Ancestor Alive!
  Bring your ancestors to life in color – add more than just names & dates to your genealogy files.
• Cemetery Records – Dying to get in there!
  Reasons you need to check out the resting place of your ancestors.
• Sourcing – Who Needs It, Anyway?
  Talk shows reasons why it is important for you to source your material.
• So Your Female Ancestor Has No Surname?
  Female ancestors are the biggest brick wall most researchers face. This talk could give you the tools to break down that wall.
• Researching There When You Are Here
  So All your ancestors aren’t in Michigan? This talk will show you how to work around that.
• STUMBLE – My Favorite Way To Find Ancestors
  How Stumbling helps me find my ancestors!
• Where Do I Go From Here?
  A Beginners Intro Genealogy Class.

Kathryn Lake

E-mail: looking4ancestors@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.looking4ancestors.com
Location: Windsor, Ontario, Canada, available locally, nationally and in U.S.
Topics: Canadian and English records, Loyalist research, methodology, social media including Facebook and Twitter, blogging
Presentations:

• Mapping Your Ancestor’s Footsteps
• Points of Entry: Canadian/U.S. Border Crossing Records, Immigration and Ship Passenger Lists
• 21st Century Genealogy – How to Use Social Media in Your Family History Research
• For King and Country: How to Research Your Loyalist Ancestor
• Digging Your Canadian Roots
• How to Get Started Researching US & Canadian Census Records
• How to Make the Most of Canadian Census Records
• How to Use Online English & Welsh Census Indexes

Thomas MacEntee

E-mail: tmacentee@gmail.com
Website: http://hidefgen.com
Location: Chicago, IL, USA, available locally, nationally and Canada
Topics: genealogy and technology, social media, blogging, Facebook, Twitter, wikis
Presentations:

Karen Packard Rhodes

E-Mail:  rhodes-karen@comcast.net
Blog: http://karenaboutgenealogy.blogspot.com
Location:  Middleburg, Florida (just south of Jacksonville) Available within 100 miles, northeast and central Florida and south Georgia
Presentations:

• Our Black Sheep Ancestors: How to Approach Them
• Quirks of the Florida State Census
• Navigating the National Archives Website
• Bare Bones: Getting Started in Your Genealogy
• Paleography: Interpreting Old Handwriting (covers Spanish and English colonial documents)
• Family Legends: Truth or Fiction?
• Using Blogs, Podcasts, and Twitter for Genealogy

Randy Seaver

E-mail: rjseaver@cox.net
Website: http://www.geneamusings.com
Location: Chula Vista, San Diego County, California.  Will travel to Southern California locations for negotiable expenses and honorarium.
Topics: Elusive Ancestors, Online Resources, Census Resources, Ancestry.com, Footnote.com, Genealogy Humor
Presentations:

• Finding Your Elusive Ancestors
• Doing a Reasonably Exhaustive Search
• Ancestry.com 101
• Exploring Footnote.com
• Genealogy Websites You Can Use
• Finding Elusive Ancestors in the Census Haystack
• Finding your Elusive Female Ancestors
• Genealogy is Fun! Seriously.
• Genealogy Vacations

Paula Stuart-Warren

E-mail: PaulaStuartWarren@gmail.com
Blog: http://www.PaulaStuartWarren.blogspot.com
Location: Minneapolis/St. Paul area, Minnesota; available for travel to any location.
Topics: Repositories, unusual sources, writing, methodology, geographic areas, manuscripts
Presentations (contact speaker for a complete list and Speaker Packet with fees and other info):

• Finding and Using Manuscript Repositories and Special Collections
• Railroad Records and Railroad History: Methods for Tracking
• Research Rewards in County Courthouse and Town Hall Records
• Tho’ They Were Poor, They May Have Been Rich in Records
• The U.S. Federal Government: Underutilized Research Sources
• NUCMC & Its Cousins: Keys to “Lost” Ancestral Records
• Where are Those Records They Told Me to Check?
• A Baker’s Dozen: Easy Ways to Begin Writing Your Family History
• Major Midwestern Archives & Their Records

Angela Y. Walton-Raji

E-mail: AngelaW859@aol.com
Blog: http://www.african-nativeamerican.com, http://www.beginninggenealogist.com, http://www.arkansasfreedmen.com
Location: Maryland.  Available for presentations nationwide.
Topics: Researching Native American Ancestors; Documenting Indian ancestors in African American Families; Community research thorough Civil War Soldiers; Methods of Research Slavery Era for Descendants of Slaves; United States Colored Troops; Black Soldiers of the Trans-Mississippi West; Telling the family story; Researching Online, Offline and Beyond; Civil War; Basic Native American Research
Presentations (contact speaker for a complete list and Speaker Packet with fees and other info):

• Basics of Researching Blended Families
• Researching Afr. Americans, Enslaved & Free
• Freedmen of the Frontier
• Finding and Telling the Story of a Community
• Documenting and Telling your Story
• Understanding DNA for African-American Research
• Researching Blended Families
• Native American General Research

* The above list is a way for GeneaBloggers members to advertise their services as lecturers and speakers.  GeneaBloggers does not represent these speakers, unless otherwise noted these speakers do not represent GeneaBloggers while they lecture, and you must contact them directly to engage their services.

© 2009, copyright Thomas MacEntee