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2007 FGS/ACPL Conference Speakers

Janet A. Alpert is president of NGS, and a past president of the Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia. A researcher for more than 20 years, she is a member of many genealogical associations including NEHGS, the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Andy Anderson, Ph.D., is chief historian of Wells Fargo & Company, and has built the Wells Fargo Archives, and several Wells Fargo history museums. He is author of Stagecoach, Book two: Wells Fargo and the Rise of the American Financial Service Industry, and taught history at Ohio State, Arizona State, and Stanford Universities.

Russell P. Baker is a nationally known teacher of family history theory and practice. He is a Board member and a past president of the Arkansas Genealogical Society. He is Archival Manager of the Arkansas History Commission and an award-winning historian with several publications in print.

Martha Gee Barnhart is currently Vice Regent of the Indiana State DAR and active in NSDAR activities on the local, state, and national levels. She is a former president of the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana and an advocate of open access to governmental records.

John D. Beatty has served as Reference Librarian and Bibliographer for the Genealogy Center of the Allen County Public Library since 1984. He is the author of several books and numerous articles, and served as co-editor of the new Allen County, Indiana history, published in 2006.

James M. Beidler writes a syndicated newspaper column, contributes to several magazines and edits the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society journal, Der Kurier. He is FGS VP/Development and VP for Pennsylvania Pal-Am. Beidler is a Pennsylvania Humanities Council Commonwealth Speaker and sits on Pennsylvania’s State Historic Records Advisory Board.

Delia Cothrun Bourne has been a Genealogy Center reference librarian at the ACPL since 1983, and an avid researcher since 1978. A past editor of Indiana Genealogist, she also indexed the first ten years of that publication, has written numerous articles, and has lectured on a local and national level.

Charles F. Bragg, Ph.D., is a retired school administrator with 50 years of genealogical research experience. He has held several national SAR offices, and is now Genealogist General of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Jana Sloan Broglin, CG, is Vice President of Membership, FGS, and an Ohio Genealogical Society Trustee. She is a member of NGS, FGS, OGS, APG, GSG and ISFHWE.

Tony Burroughs, FUGA, teaches genealogy at Chicago State University and lectures throughout the United States and Canada. He is author of Black Roots: A Beginners Guide to Tracing the African American Family Tree. He was featured in the PBS production African American Lives and has received the Distinguished Service Award from NGS.

Starr Hailey Campbell is a former FGS board member, a recipient of that society’s George E. Williams Award, and chair of the FGS Youth Committee known as Future Genealogists. Active in UGA, she and her daughter continue to serve FGS in a number of capacities.

Karen A. Clifford, AG, FUGA, is first vice-chair of ICAPGen, president of Genealogy Research Associates, Inc., author of The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Genealogy, The Internet and Your Genealogy Computer Program, and Becoming an Accredited Genealogist.

Sandra MacLean Clunies, CG, is a professional genealogist, author, and lecturer. Current President of the National Capital Area Chapter of APG, she has served on the adjunct faculty of NIGR and IGHR and is a past winner of the NGS Family History Writing Contest.

John Philip Colletta, Ph.D., teaches at the National Archives, Smithsonian Institution and universities in the Washington, D.C., area. He also lectures nationally and is a faculty member of the IGHR at Samford University and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. His publications include: They Came in Ships, Finding Italian Roots and Only a Few Bones.

Carrie Ann Cook is Vice President and Webmaster of Gregath Publishing Company, holds a B.S. in Education, and is a published author, illustrator and photographer. She conducts genealogical tours, and lectures on genealogy, writing and computers at Vo-Tech. Her historical interests include cultural events and educational opportunities like NIGR and area Pow-Wows.

Jim Corridan is Indiana state archivist, director of the Indiana Commission on Public Records, and associate director of the Indiana State Library. He serves on the board of governors of the Vincennes Historical & Antiquarian Society, and as a director of the Vincennes/Knox Preservation Foundation.

Amy Johnson Crow, CG, is an author, editor, and lecturer. She is the creator of DeafBiographies.com. Amy is the co-author of Online Roots. She serves as third vice president and webmaster of the Ohio Genealogical Society, president of ISFHWE, and is a member of APG and numerous state and county societies.

Denis W. Daly holds a BA and MA in American history and has been a Reference Librarian in the History and Genealogy Department at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County since 2001. He has a background in African-American history and lectures widely on the subject.

Alvie L. Davidson, CG, is a Florida certified investigator and a former district director for the Florida Association of Licensed Investigators. He is author of Florida Land Records, 1826-1892 and an alumnus of both the National Institute on Genealogical Research and the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University.

Richard M. Doherty is a professional genealogist and lectures in the U.S., Canada and Ireland. He is president of three genealogical societies and trustee of Friends of the Burton Historical Collection. He has made 23 research trips to Ireland, written on Irish research, and is a director of Celtic Quest.

Wendy Bebout Elliott, Ph.D., FUGA, has served on the FGS Board of Directors for more than ten years, currently as President. She is a university professor in U.S. history and a nationally known speaker. Wendy authored five chapters in Redbook: American State, County, and Town Sources, 3rd edition.

Diane VanSkiver Gagel, M.A., is a college instructor, freelance writer, and professional genealogist. She has an M.A. in American Studies and lectures nationally and locally. She is immediate past president of OGS, and the author of three books including: Ohio Photographers, 1839-1900 and Windows on the Past: Identifying, Dating, and Preserving Photographs.

Frederick W. Graham has worked for the Family and Church History Department for 28 years. He is currently an instructional designer in the Worldwide Support Division. He holds a Masters in Library Science and a Masters in Family and Community History, both from Brigham Young University.

Jim Greene has over 25 years experience in the computer industry, having worked both at IBM and Novell before coming to FamilySearch.org five years ago to work as a Product Manager on the new FamilySearch. Jim has been responsible for researching, gathering and communicating user requirements for the design of the new FamilySearch.

Shirley Gage Hodges has been actively doing genealogical research since 1967, and is currently president of GSG. She is an online columnist for The Global Gazette and has presented lectures, seminars and workshops locally and regionally both in the United States and Canada since 1994.

Birdie Monk Holsclaw, CG, is a genealogical researcher, writer, lecturer, and editor. She was winner of the 2003 NGS Family History Writing Contest, the 2004 NGS Quarterly Award for Excellence, and the 2000 Smallwood Award. She has served in leadership positions for APG and FGS, and was a member of GENTECH’s data model group.

John T. Humphrey is an award-winning author and currently president of the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society, and vice president of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania. He was formerly Director of the NGS Learning Center. His principal genealogical publication is the 16 volume set of Pennsylvania Births covering eastern Pennsylvania counties.

Dean J. Hunter, AG, CG, FUGA, is Group Manager for English Language Collection Management, Family and Church History Department in Salt Lake City. He is immediate past president of FGS and a nationally known speaker. Accredited in English, Scottish and Irish research, he has made sixteen genealogical trips to the British Isles.

Sherry Irvine, MSc, CG, FSA Scot, author and lecturer, has coordinated and taught courses on English and Scottish genealogy at Samford since 1997 and led British IGHR study tours 1996-2006. She is author of books on Scottish and English research methods, regular articles in Ancestry Weekly Journal, and is a past president of APG.

Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, is co-editor of NGS Quarterly, trustee and past president of BCG, and past board member of APG. With over forty years of research and teaching experience, he frequently teaches genealogical research methodology, and has authored a series of articles using case studies to demonstrate genealogical problem solving.

Susan D. Kaufman, MLIS, is manager of the Clayton Library, Center for Genealogical Research, Houston (TX) Public Library. She is an FGS Board member and was FGS national conference co-chair in 2006. She has served as a board member and speaker for national, state and local societies.

Roberta “Bobbi” King writes and lectures on homesteading and public-lands settlement laws. She is a regular columnist for the APG Quarterly, with articles published in Genealogical Computing and NGS Newsmagazine. She has served as an officer for numerous organizations and on the board of FGS.

Echo King, AG, graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Family History and specializes in English research. She has worked in the Digital Preservation Department at Ancestry.com for more than six years, and currently serves as the ICAPGen renewal secretary.

Chuck Knuthson has taught genealogy classes for twelve years and been a researcher for more than for thirty. A retired police captain, he lectures widely, and serves as treasurer of FGS. He is also president of the 1,300-member Sacramento German Genealogy Society, and volunteer coordinator for the Sierra County, California GenWeb Project.

Elaine M. Kuhn, MLS, is the Kentucky History Coordinator for the Kenton County Public Library in Kentucky. She was formerly a reference librarian in the ACPL Genealogy Center for ten years. A native of Antwerp, Ohio, she is a member of OGS, its Paulding County chapter, and the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana. She is also a book reviewer for Library Journal.

Michael J. Leclerc is the director of Special Projects at NEHGS, contributing editor for New England Ancestors, and co-editor of Genealogical Writing in the 21st Century. He is a former APG and FGS board member and co-chaired the 2006 FGS/NEHGS conference.

The Hon. William C. Lee was appointed a judge of the U.S. District Court in Fort Wayne in 1981, and became a Senior Judge in 2005. He also served as president of the Allen County-Fort Wayne Historical Society. He has authored a history of Trinity English Lutheran Church and recently co-chaired the new Allen County History Book project.

Ruth Maness, AG, is manager of the Scandinavian/Hispanic Reference Unit of the Family History Library, an author and lecturer, and contributor to genealogical publications. She has field research experience in Germany, Scandinavia, and Poland as well as in the U.S. and other areas of the world.

Rhonda R. McClure is a professional genealogist specializing in celebrity and computerized genealogy. A past contributor to Biography Magazine and The History Channel Magazine, she is also editor of the UGA Crossroads, and an FGS Director.

David McDonald, CG, specializes in 19th century research, lineage society applications, church records, and Midwestern research. A genealogist since 1977, his areas of expertise also include the Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Durham regions of England.

Lance McIntosh has worked in software support and training for more than 18 years. He is currently the Area Manager for North America in the Worldwide Support Division and is assisting in the development of a plan to support family history applications and programs globally. He holds a B.A. in economics from Brigham Young University.

Donna Miller has worked closely with the family history center program during her 21 years in the Family and Church History Department. She is accredited in Eastern States research, and currently works in the Family History Center Infrastructure Unit as a resource support specialist, coordinating distribution of computers and Internet connectivity.

Julie Miller, CG, is a professional researcher, lecturer, and columnist. She is a director of NGS, APG, and ISFHWE, a member of the NGS/FGS Records Preservation and Access Committee, president of the Colorado Chapter of APG, and past president of the Colorado Genealogical Society.

Paul Milner is a native of England, a communication professional and national speaker specializing in British Isles research. He co-authored Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your Scottish Ancestors and Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your English Ancestors. He is product review editor for the FGS FORUM and a past FGS board member.

Roger P. Minert, Ph.D., AG, is an associate professor of family history in Brigham Young University’s Department of Church History and Doctrine. He specializes in family history research among German-speaking peoples and their descendants. He has published many reference works for genealogists doing work in German records, including a series of place-name indexes.

Gary Mokotoff is an author, lecturer, and teacher of Jewish and Eastern European genealogy, and the proprietor of Avotaynu, Inc. He is the production manager for the FGS FORUM and a former FGS board member. He is the first person to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies.

Sharon Tate Moody, CG, is president of the Association of Professional Genealogists. As retired law enforcement officer and a former investigative reporter, she applies her legal and research experience to genealogical research and problem solving. She writes a weekly column, Heritage Hunting, for the Tampa Tribune.

George G. Morgan is an internationally recognized author and the president of Aha! Seminars. He is a director of the Florida State Genealogical Society, and a member of APG, NGS, GSG, ISFHWE, and more than 20 societies worldwide.

Stephen P. Morse, Ph.D., is a computer professional and an amateur genealogist who researches his Russian-Jewish origins. His web-based aids for searching the Ellis Island database and federal censuses have attracted attention worldwide, much to his surprise. He was recipient of the IAJGS Outstanding Contribution Award in 2003.

Frederick E. Moss, LL.M, JD, is an advisor to the FGS board on legal and technological matters, a member of the NGS Genealogical Standards Committee, and a former associate dean and professor of law at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law. He lectures frequently on beginning genealogical research and society management topics.

Donna M. Moughty is a professional genealogist, chair of APG’s Professional Management Conference, and former regional manager for a national technology company. She teaches classes and lectures on a variety of subjects including the Internet, Irish research, and computer topics, and provides consultations and research assistance.

Steven W. Myers, MLS, has been assistant manager of ACPL’s Genealogy Center since 1988. In 1991, he received the FGS Distinguished Service Award. He edited and republished Musgrave’s Memoirs of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, and enjoys lecturing on Irish and medieval research. Steve was co-leader of the 2001 NGS Research Trips to Ireland.

Michael John Neill has been engaged in genealogical research for nearly thirty years. He has a master’s degree in mathematics and has conducted family history workshops and seminars for more than ten years. Michael also writes a regular column for Ancestry.com and is a member of the FGS Board.

John J. Newman is Director, Information Management Section, Indiana Supreme Court. Former Indiana State Archivist, he has served as President, Wisconsin Genealogy Society and Chair, Family History Section, Indiana Historical Society. In addition to lecturing widely, he has penned acclaimed works on American naturalization process and the WWI draft registration records.

Mary Penner began documenting her family history at age ten. A former college and high school English teacher, she now works as a professional genealogist and writer. Her weekly column “Lineage Lessons” appears on the Albuquerque Tribune website. She was awarded Kansas State Historical Society’s 2005 Edward Tihen Historical Research grant.

Tim Pinnick is an independent scholar, lecturer, and family historian with 17 years research experience including all major U.S. repositories. He has been active in African American coal miner research for more than 10 years, and has received a Formby Research Fellowship, and the Richard S. Brownlee Fund grant to research African Americans.

Pamela Boyer Porter, CG, CGL, is FGS FORUM Digitools columnist and co-author of Online Roots: How to Discover Your Family’s History and Heritage with the Power of the Internet. She is an instructor for the Genealogical Institute of Mid-America, a past FGS director, and past editor of the APG Quarterly.

Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, is the Professional Genealogy Course Coordinator at the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University; BCG booth coordinator; Western PA Genealogical Society book review editor. She was an APG director, past-president of two societies, co-editor of tombstone inscription books and appeared in the cemetery episode of Ancestors 2.

Laura G. Prescott is Marketing Division Director at Heritage Books. She attended Dartmouth College (History, 1980). Laura speaks to national audiences on the use of manuscripts in genealogical research, genealogy on the Internet, and computerized genealogy for Mac users. She writes for Ancestry, Genealogical Computing, and New England Ancestors magazines.

Dallan Quass, Ph.D., is a software engineer and chief technology officer for the Foundation for Online Genealogy, Inc. His research interests include handwriting recognition and digital libraries. With his wife, he has developed and launched WeRelate.org, a wiki-based website for genealogists to find data and collaborate on research.

David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FUGA, is director of the Records and Information Division of the Family and Church History Department in Salt Lake City. A professional genealogist since 1977, he is an Accredited Genealogist^CM with ICAPGen^SM in Ireland research and a Certified Genealogist^SM with the Board for Certification of Genealogists^®.

Michael Ritchey is a former family history center director, ward family history consultant, and professional researcher. He has worked for the Family and Church History Department for six years as a U.S. reference consultant, and is currently manager of the Research Support unit in the Worldwide Support Services division of the department.

Christine Rose, CG, CGL, FASG, is a full-time professional genealogist, author, and lecturer. She is former vice president of APG, author of Courthouse Research for Family Historians, and Genealogical Proof Standard: Building a Solid Case. She co-authored The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Genealogy. She specializes in on-site research, military and federal land records.

Rich Running is an authority on global software marketing and product leadership. Employed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Rich works with a team that is reinventing genealogically related software.

George R. Ryskamp, JD, AG, FUGA, is Director of the Center for Family History & Genealogy as well as an associate professor of history at Brigham Young University. He is a renowned instructor, lecturer, and author in addition to being an expert in Hispanic genealogical research methods and sources.

Melinde Lutz Sanborn, FASG, is an archivist and cultural anthropologist by training. Since 1976, she has held state and regional genealogical offices and authored or edited numerous peer-reviewed articles and books. She is currently co-editor of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and editor of the New Hampshire Genealogical Record.

Rebecca Schipper has been the preservation technician at ACPL since 1991. She worked previously in the Conservation Unit at Heckman Bindery, in North Manchester, Indiana, specializing in fine bindings and restoration. A member of The Guild of Bookworkers, her training has included workshops and classes at Johns Hopkins University, Kent State University, and Indiana University.

George K. Schweitzer, Ph.D., Sc.D., distinguished professor at the University of Tennessee, is the holder of three doctoral degrees (History, Chemistry, Philosophy). Among his 220 publications are 19 genealogical guidebooks. He employs historical re-enactment as a vehicle for genealogical instruction.

Craig Roberts Scott, CG, is president and CEO of Heritage Books, Inc., a genealogical publishing firm. A professional researcher for more than 20 years, he specializes in records of the National Archives, especially those that relate to the military. He is author of The “Lost” Pensions and co-authored several books of Northern Virginia records.

Beau Sharbrough is currently senior director of content strategy and acquisition for Footnote.com, a division of iArchives, Inc. A former president of GENTECH, he founded the FGS and GENTECH websites, and the Lexicon Working Group. Beau writes regularly on technical topics in family history, and maintains the RootsWorks.com website.

Helen A. Shaw, MA, is a professional genealogist working as a researcher, teacher, speaker, and writer. She specializes in census research and cemetery research. As an anthropologist, her approach to genealogy is that of a community wide study.

Marjorie Sholes serves on the board of FGS and is immediate past president of the California African American Genealogical Society. She is an African American consultant at the Los Angeles Family History Center and a frequent workshop presenter. In 1989, she organized a family reunion that drew more than 350 attendees.

D. Brenton Simons is president and CEO of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Brenton is the author of Witches, Rakes, and Rogues, and The Langhornes of Langhorne Park. He is the originator and co-editor of The Art of Family: Genealogical Artifacts in New England.

Dawne Slater-Putt, CG, is President and Co-Founder of Heritage Pathways, Inc. She specializes in Indiana, Midwestern and environmental research, is a past president of the Indiana Genealogical Society and a former FGS director. She is a member of APG, BCG and NGS.

Diana Crisman Smith is a director of GSG, second vice president of ISFHWE, and chapter representative of the Great Lakes Chapter of APG. A columnist for the NGS Newsmagazine, she is also copy editor for the APG Quarterly. She writes for various other publications and is a frequent conference speaker.

Drew Smith, MLS, is an FGS director and an instructor with the University of South Florida School of Library and Information Science. He was a Genealogical Computing columnist and the technical editor for George G. Morgan’s book How to Do Everything with Your Genealogy. He is a member of APG, GSG, ISFHWE, and NGS.

Megan Smolenyak is chief family historian and North American spokesperson for Ancestry.com, co-founder of Roots Television, and a consultant for the U.S. Army’s Repatriation Project. Recipient of numerous awards, she writes for many family history journals and lectures widely. She was lead researcher for the PBS series Ancestors, and supports genealogical projects through her Honoring Our Ancestors Grants Program.

Christina Ann Staley, CG, is a professional genealogist, lecturer and instructor with 26 years research experience. She has served as conference chair for the Florida State Genealogical Society, was exhibits chair at the 2003 FGS Conference and is a member of APG and GSG. She compiled an index to the Jacksonville Genealogical Society Quarterly.

Patricia Walls Stamm, CG, CGL, is a researcher, lecturer and popular St. Louis genealogical instructor. Pat writes for Genealogical Computing, NGS Newsmagazine, and APG Quarterly. She serves on the board of APG, chairs the St. Louis Genealogical Society’s Education Committee and is the St. Louis Institute’s program coordinator.

Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, is a full-time professional genealogist, writer, and lecturer specializing in U.S. research, American Indians, and research repositories. She is a course coordinator at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. Paula writes a column for Ancestry Daily News and is a contributor to many genealogical periodicals.

Loretto Dennis Szucs, FUGA, is executive editor and vice president of community relations for MyFamily.com. “Lou” has served on five genealogical society boards and is currently on the FGS board. She edited four genealogical publications, including FGS FORUM, before going to Ancestry in 1992. Lou won the first ISFHWE Award of Merit in 2006.

D. Joshua Taylor is a professional genealogical author, lecturer and researcher. He received UGA’s Distinguished Service Award in 2003 and 2004, and the NGS Rubincam Youth Award. He has served on FGS Youth, Website, and 2006 Conference Committees, the APG Web Enhancement Committee, and on the USGenWeb Project Election Committee and as its parliamentarian.

Maureen A. Taylor specializes in solving photo mysteries for clients and organizations. She is an APG board member and a contributing editor at Family Tree Magazine. Her numerous articles and books focus on New England research, photo history and scrapbooking.

Larry Telford has worked for FamilySearch/GSU for 29 Years. He began as a microfilm camera operator in Iowa. Since 2004 he has been the Technical Services Manager for the Acquisitions division of FamilySearch/GSU. His group is helping to convert from microfilm capture to digital imaging of important genealogical records.

Martin Tuohy serves on the staff at the National Archives and Records Administration-Great Lakes Region in Chicago. He earned an M.A. in U.S. history, has written several articles about research sources and historical topics, and is currently writing a book about African-American coal miners in the 1870s Midwest. He serves on the Illinois State Archives Advisory Board and the Illinois State Historical Records Advisory Board.

Jennifer Utley is the editorial director at MyFamily.com, Inc., supervising the creation of magazines, books, and newsletters. She has also been the managing editor of Ancestry Magazine for the past eight years. She worked previously for Gold Leaf Press/Aspen Books managing national, local, and children’s book lines.

Paul S. Valasek, D.D.S., is past president of the Polish Genealogical Society of America and founder of the Czech and Slovak American Genealogical Society of Illinois. A researcher for more than 30 years, and a popular speaker, he continues to labor on his database and history of the Polish Army in France 1917-1920.

Stephen J. Valentine is manager of the indexing operation for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has recently led the development of the new Internet-based FamilySearch indexing system.

Patricia VanSkaik manages one of the largest genealogy collections in the country, housed at the Cincinnati Public Library. An OGS trustee, author, and curriculum leader for genealogy distance learning classes, she lectures widely on the topics of urban and immigration research, as well as genealogical librarianship.

Curt B. Witcher, MLS, FUGA, IGSF, is manager of ACPL’s Genealogy Center, an FGS board member, and a director of the Indiana Genealogical Society. A former president of FGS, NGS, and IGS, he was also convener of ALA’s Genealogy & Local History Discussion Group. He is FGS/ACPL 2007 conference chair and a nationally recognized speaker, writer, and consultant.

Meldon J. Wolfgang III is the founder of Jonathan Sheppard Books and former director of Academic Programs for the State University of New York Urban Center. He has served as trustee of the Albany Public Library, and of the joint Albany City-County Archives. Mel writes a genealogical column for New York Archives magazine.

© 2006-2007, FGS/ACPL Conference
This site last updated 12 August 2007.