®

Why hire a Certified Genealogist   ?

"Board-certified genealogists (“associates”) know the records in their areas of expertise and demonstrate skill in using them. They are well grounded in the laws, customs, and terminology of the relevant time and place. They are able to research thoroughly, cite properly, analyze and correlate evidence efficiently, deal with conflicting evidence, and write a clear and convincing conclusion. These skills are enhanced by continued professional learning to keep up with new techniques and resources. Associates subscribe to a rigorous code of ethics backed by BCG’s mediation and arbitration services." ~Board for Certification of Genealogists

Education 

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• "How to Write a Case Study that Meets the New Standards for DNA: As Codified by the Board for Certification of Genealogists" - Melinda Henningfield, CG® - Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series; sponsored by the BCG®, Sept. 2019

• "Reasonably Exhaustive Research: The First Criteria for Genealogical Proof" - Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG®, CGL - Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series; sponsored by the BCG®, Sept. 2019

• "Basics of Land Platting - Part 1" - J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA - Legacy, 2019

• "A Practical Approach: Establishing Genealogical Proof with DNA" - Karen Stanbary, CG®, Blaine Bettinger, PhD, Melissa Johnson, CG®, Michael D. Lacopo, DVM, Paul Woodbury, MEd - SLIG, Jan. 2019

• "DNA Rights and Wrongs: The Ethical Side of Testing " - Judy G. Russell, JD, CG®, CGL - Legacy, 2019

• "Proving Identity and Kinship Using the GPS: Finding a Freedman's Family" - Nancy A. Peters, CG®, CGL - BCG, 2018

• "Obtaining and Using mtDNA and Y-DNA as Evidence" - Blaine Bettinger, UGA, 2018

• "Weaving DNA Into a Proof Argument, BCG, 2017

• "Mirror Trees Explained," - Institute for Genetic Genealogy, 2017

• "When Does Newfound Evidence Overturn a Proved Conclusion?" - BCG, 2017

• "MAXY DNA: Correlating mt-at-X-Y DNA with the GPS" - BCG, 2017

• "Digging Deeper with Autosomal DNA" - Institute for Genetic Genealogy, 2017

• "DNA Analytics" - Institute for Genetic Genealogy, 2017

• "Advanced Third Party Tools" - Institute for Genetic Genealogy, 2017

• "Reasonably Exhaustive Research of African American Families That Came Out of Slavery" - BCG, 2017

• National Genealogical Society Conference, 2016

• "Finding Evidence of Kinship in Military Records" - BCG, 2016.

• "FAN + GPS + DNA: The Problem-Solver's Great Trifecta, Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL" - 2016

• "Complex Evidence: What It Is, How It Works, Why It Matters" - BCG, 2015

• "Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analyses", Course Graduate - IGHR, Samford University, 2015

• "Verifying the Family Legend of Native American Ancestry," Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research" - 2015

• "Genetic Genealogy for the Professional Genealogist" - IGHR, 2015

• "Advanced Techniques for Use of Autosomal DNA Tests to Break Through Genealogical Brick Walls" -

       Southern California Genealogical Society Family History & DNA Conference, 2014

• "Writing Logical Proof Arguments" - Virtual Institute of Genealogical Research, 2014

• Certificate of Genealogical Research - Boston University, 2013

Professional and Association Memberships​

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• Board for Certification of Genealogists®

• National Genealogical Society

• Georgia Genealogical Society

• Utah Genealogical Association

• International Society of Genetic Genealogy

Community​​ Involvement

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• Past FamilySearch.org Family History Center Director

• Published author

• DNA Study Groups

• Presentations - Including Archives, Library, Historical Societies, Genealogical Societies, DAR, SAR, Veterans groups

• Bartow Library System (Cartersville, GA) partner

• Tattnall County Archives

• Ladson Genealogical Library