Steve Little is the AI Program Director for the National Genealogical Society and has lifelong passions for language, technology, and genealogy. He completed graduate-level courses in applied linguistics, specializing in natural language processing and computational linguistics, two pillars of today’s large language models of AI; his first career was spent […]
Speakers
44 posts
Heather Oakley has been an active volunteer in the Ottawa genealogy community since 1988. She has been a board member of the Ottawa Branch most of that time, holding the position of Secretary, Chair, Past Chair, Director at Large, Program Committee and now acting Vice Chair. Heather has also assisted in the […]
Claire Smith-Burns became intrigued with family history in her teen years when she was tasked with sorting through boxes of old letters and photographs after the death of her favourite great aunt. And she has been happily involved in genealogical research ever since. Her long experience with Canadian, United Kingdom […]
Karlee Twiner is a graduate of BYU with a Bachelors degree in Genealogy. She specializes in Irish and Southern US research. She currently works for FamilySearch correcting image data. She also is the co-founder of Family Tree Travels, a company that takes people to their ancestral home to do research […]
Roslyn Torella specializes in Italian and immigrant genealogy through her business, Mahoning ValleyRoots. She wrote a monthly Italian genealogy column for La Gazzetta Italiana for many years and is treasurer and newsletter editor for the Mahoning County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society. She was recently published in the National […]
Michelle L. Spencer, owner of RomaMaryGrace, is an historian and professional genealogist specializing in family business research. Michelle has more than twenty-five years of experience speaking on subjects including small towns, unusual military and government records and how to unite records with ephemera and photos to create a compelling family […]
Lianne Kruger is a professional genealogist and speaker specializing in Canada, homesteading (U.S. and Canada), OneName Studies, OnePlace Studies, family history videos, and using technology in all aspects of genealogy such as Google Maps, Google Drive, Word, and Evernote. She is a member of the board and CFO for mitoYDNA.org. […]
Sarah J. Makowski is a learning and development professional with a passion for continuing education. At age fifty, she completed her PhD in cognitive narratology at the University of Aachen in Germany. She regularly gives talks at Austen-related conferences and festivals on her dissertation-based book, Bitches in Bonnets: Life Lessons […]
Gordon McBean is a retired Educational Technologist from Red River College. He supported college staff’s use of Microsoft Office products and ran training courses for staff on MS Office and other technologies used in the educational environment. He has been a member of the Manitoba Genealogical Society member since 1996, […]
David Ryan is a professional genealogist and historical researcher based in Cork, Ireland. He has worked as a professional genealogist for the past decade and is a member of the executive board for the Association of Professional Genealogists. He is currently undertaking a Masters in Public History and Cultural Heritage […]
Pam Vestal is a professional genealogist and speaker who got hooked on genealogy when her daughter grew curious about her wacky paternal ancestors. To advance her research, Pam took classes, attended conferences and genealogy institutes, watched innumerable lectures, and exchanged information with her peers. Eventually, after a 20-year writing career, she decided […]
Linda Yip is an author, researcher, and storyteller who has been invited to speak in Canada and the United States. She is a professional genealogist and expert in Chinese Canadian genealogy. She is a member of the Ancestry® Advisory Board of Genealogists and the Association of Professional Genealogists. She has […]
Canadian stage and screen actor RH Thomson was awarded the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award and is a Member of the Order of Canada. He has appeared in theatres across Canada and has filmed in Canada, the US, Greece and the Czech Republic. He has earned multiple awards for his […]
Paul Jones has been researching his own and others’ families for more than 30 years. He is a regular speaker at Toronto Branch events and has been the “Roots” columnist for Canada’s History magazine for the past decade. He is a graduate of the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, a former chair of […]
Sher has been researching her family for about 45 years, since long before Find My Past and Ancestry were ever thought of. She has written many books about the history of the area where she lives (and other places), as well as a family history for one branch of her […]
Linda Corupe, U.E., has authored over 50 books on genealogy and history over the past 40 years. The descendant of a United Empire Loyalist from the Napanee, Ontario area, her early publications mainly concerned the Quinte area. More recently, however, she has expanded her focus to include records from all […]
Pooran Bridgelal is a Trinidadian born genealogist, researcher, author, and speaker residing presently in Toronto, Canada. He graduated from the University of Toronto with a B.A. (Hons) in Caribbean Studies, Religion and Aboriginal Studies. Pooran has spearheaded genealogy lectures in the UK, Toronto, and Trinidad. Several genealogy corporations such as […]
Lynn Palermo is a seasoned writing and accountability coach who specializes in helping family historians transform their research into engaging and shareable narratives. Known widely as the ‘Armchair Genealogist’, Lynn brings 15 years of rich experience in coaching countless students through her signature writing programs offered at the Family History […]
Gwyneth Pearce, BA, LLB, PLCGS (she/her) is an Ontario lawyer with a passion for family history. She has spent more than 30 years doing legal research and writing legal publications in the area of poverty law. Gwyneth has earned certificates through the International Institute of Genealogical Studies (formerly National Institute […]
Mark Thompson is a professional genealogist and educator who specializes in genetic genealogy and researching personal family archives. He uses genetic and traditional genealogical research methods, combined with a deep understanding of information technology and analysis, to help his clients shed light on their family histories and mysteries. Mark is […]
Pamela Vittorio is a historian, professional genealogist, and an Associate Teaching Professor (Research & Writing) in the English Language Studies Dept./Parsons School of Design, at the New School University, in NYC. She holds an M.A. from NYU, a genealogical research certificate from B.U. and a PLCGS in Canadian Studies and […]
Johanne Gervais worked for over 25 years at various large companies in Montreal, Québec implementing computer business systems. She has her own company, Quebec Family Search (www.quebecfamilysearch.com), providing research assistance in heir searches and tracing families in Québec back to their country of origin. She does contract work for various […]
Arun Konanur is an avid genealogist based in London, Ontario. In 2020 he founded Discovering New Ancestors (http://www.discoveringnewancestors.com/), to bring the methodologies developed in the course of his own investigations to bear upon the challenges faced by others, and to develop new tools to facilitate further investigations in genetic genealogy. […]
Jane E. MacNamara, Toronto, is a long-time member of the Ontario Genealogical Society. She teaches courses for Toronto Branch OGS and runs its websites. A familiar speaker at many OGS branches and other organizations, she also provides guidance through her blog wherethestorytakesme.ca. As a graphic designer, she helps others tell […]
Sunny Jane Morton is known internationally for her astute comparative analyses of major genealogy websites and inspiring historical storytelling strategies. She is a longtime Contributing Editor at Family Tree Magazine (US); Content Manager at YourDNAGuide.com; past contributor to Lisa Louise Cooke’s Genealogy Gems Podcast; and contributor to the blog at […]
Ken McKinlay’s foray into his family tree research started with three simple family stories that he wanted to confirm or refute. He has now been researching his family tree for over 20 years and discoveries are still being made. He has given talks for branches of Ontario Ancestors, the British […]
Dedicated to Genealogy since 1986, Daniel was the teacher and the study guide editor of the family history project “Searching for My Roots” in Venezuela for 15 years. He was a board member of The International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) for 10 years, now is involved in several crowdsource digitization […]
Dave Obee is the honorary librarian and archivist at the University of Victoria, which also awarded him an honorary doctorate for his work as a journalist, historian and genealogist. He is the editor and publisher of the Times Colonist newspaper in Victoria, and is the author of twelve books, including guides to […]
Dennis owns and operates a business-consulting firm where he provides consulting services for recruitment, executive coaching and strategic planning. As a principal in the firm, Dennis’ lifelong focus for finding the positive in all situations shines through with clients and colleagues alike. Dennis has applied this philosophy to his role […]
Mary Crosby, MBA is the newsletter editor for the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society’s AAHGS News, a national quarterly publication. Mary is also the founder and editor of www.DetroitGospel.com, a gospel music industry website. She is active locally as a member of the Detroit-based Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society and […]
Stephen, a native of London, Ontario, has been actively researching his family history for 45 years in the province where his paternal lines resided for five generations, first arriving in Toronto in the 1830s. He earned a BA at Brigham Young University in Family and Local History (1985), and an […]
Drew von Hasselbach is a lawyer and journalist who has been doing genealogical research for more than 30 years. He received a Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Studies from the National Institute of Genealogical Studies in October 2022. Drew has experience researching records in Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Germany, and Eastern […]
Kelli Bergheimer is a writer, teacher, editor, and international genealogical speaker. Kelli holds a Bachelor’s in Biology, a Master’s in Education: Curriculum and Instruction, and a Master’s in Business Management. Kelli is the Director of Curriculum and Assessments for a K-12 textbook company. She also works as a DNA researcher and report […]
Michael Nettleton is an avid family historian with a flair for research and a penchant for storytelling. His forebears began migrating to North America over 400 years ago, blazing trails as pioneers, publishers, provisioners, publicans, postmasters, public officeholders and pot-stirrers. For more than two decades he has been following their […]
James Thomson has designed and led many Toronto Branch OGS courses, as well as giving presentations at workshops, conferences and meetings of Toronto Branch, the OGS (including five previous OGS conferences), BIFHSGO, JGS Toronto, and other organizations and groups. James is a University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies instructor, […]
Mags Gaulden is a genetic genealogist based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She has dedicated decades to researching family histories and exploring the role of genetics in genealogy. Born and raised in the United States, Mags developed an early interest in family history and genealogy. She started researching her own family […]
As a kid, Bruce McCowan enjoyed looking through his grandmother McCowan’s stash of Scarborough history – an old scrapbook, a family photograph album and so on. But he only took a history course up to grade 10. Sporting a Canadian flag on his backpack and hitchhiking in the UK in 1974, he told a […]
Diahan Southard knows firsthand what a difference it can make to know where you came from. What started off as an educational and career interest in genetic genealogy became deeply personal when she used DNA to discover her mom’s birth parents and connect with new relatives. Now she has 20+ […]
Professional genealogist Janice Nickerson loves a good challenge whether it’s identifying elusive ancestors, tracking disappearing descendants or telling richer family stories. In addition to helping her private clients discover the richness of their ancestral heritage, Janice does heir searching, writes and lectures on a variety of genealogical topics. Her specialties […]
Northern Irish born Chris Paton is a genealogist and writer based in Ayrshire, where he runs the Scotland’s Greatest Story research service at www.scotlandsgreateststory.co.uk. As well as contributing to the UK’s best known family history magazines, Chris also writes for his own Scottish GENES news blog at www.scottishgenes.blogspot.com, and regularly […]
Jonny Perl is a genealogist, DNA enthusiast and web developer based in Swansea, Wales. He is the creator and founder of dnapainter.com, an award-winning website offering chromosome mapping, inheritance charts and other DNA tools. Jonny enjoys collaborating with others in the field to create innovative and interesting tools that help […]
Over more than twenty years, Ron Arons has researched his roots to England, Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Belarus. Along the way he uncovered a deeply buried secret – one of his ancestors was a criminal! This new found knowledge changed his life forever, including turning Ron into a three-time author and a speaker […]
Paul Milner, FUGA, MDiv., a native of northern England, is a professional genealogist and international lecturer. He teaches English and Scottish research tracks at SLIG, IGHR and the British Institute. Paul is a recipient of UGA Fellow Award (2018) and the FGS David S. Vogels Jr Award (2019). He is […]
Blaine Bettinger, Ph.D., J.D., is a professional genealogist specializing in DNA evidence. He is the author of the long-running blog The Genetic Genealogist, and frequently gives presentations and webinars to educate others about the use of DNA to explore their ancestry.