How I got started…
My interest in genealogy and family history began at the age of ten when I was given a document about my maternal grandfather’s mother’s family. I was intrigued by all of the old names and dates from early U.S. history and I knew I wanted to learn more. A few years later another document came into my possession that chronicled this same grandfather’s paternal line. This family came from Germany (Bavaria) and settled in the Finger Lakes. Despite each new morsel of family history fed to me by my elders, my appetite for finding more remained insatiable. It was no coincidence when I started working part-time in the Local History & Genealogy department of my public library; I was meant to be there! With access to thousands of records in print, on microfilm, and later digitally, my passion for and skills in genealogy research grew exponentially. In addition to making progress on my own family, I helped hundreds of patrons uncover their family histories.
My Credentials…
- Master’s Degree in Library Science.
- 25+ years working in libraries, helping patrons with research, document analysis, and citations.
- 25+ years researching my own family, my husband’s family, and helping friends advance their research
- Certificate in Mastering Genealogical Proof
- Certificate in Mastering Genealogical Documentation
My Specialty Areas…
- New York State (mainly Central NY counties)
- Northeastern Pennsylvania
- Italian Dual Citizenship (evaluation for eligibility and consultation on documents)
My Memberships…
- Association of Professional Genealogists (APG)
- APG New England Chapter
- APG Writer’s Special Interest Group
- Central New York Genealogical Society, Newsletter Member
- National Genealogical Society
- Virtual Genealogical Society
Standards and Ethics…
- I follow the Genealogical Standards as defined by the Board for the Certification of Genealogists
- I adhere to the Association for Professional Genealogists Code of Ethics