About Me

I became interested in genealogy in 1995 when my 75 year old father asked me if I could find information on his father. His father was born in Poland in 1871 and died when my father was only 5 years old. He knew nothing about him other than the area in Poland where he was born and that he had several brothers who came to the United States. My search began by gathering as much information as I could from cousins. By 1995, all his siblings were deceased and there was no one from that generation who could provide information. I found the research intriguing and became hooked on digging into the past. Gathering information on my ancestors and placing them in historical settings became a passion. I moved from my paternal line to my maternal family lines and then began doing side work for friends and family.

My educational background is in the accounting field and I have found that the analytical mind and attention to detail needed for my profession served me well in my genealogical pursuits. In 2001, I began taking online classes through the Institute of Genealogical Studies at the University of Toronto. I became certified in US Records and am currently one class away from certification in Irish Records.

I began accepting paying clients several years ago and have surprised clients by the information I was able to provide to them about their ancestors. I have written several family history books for clients and am in the process of completing a book on my father's family, with the expectation for publication in early 2014. The majority of my work has been tracing families back to the immigrant and determining their place of birth. I also believe in the importance of talking to elders about their life experiences and do provide videotaped interviews as part of my services.

Certifications from National Institute of Genealogical Studies

  • American Records - Basic Level Nov 6, 2002
  • American Records - Intermediate Level Nov 1, 2004
  • American Records - Advanced Level March 1, 2007
  • Certification in Genealogical Studies - American Records March 1, 2007
  • General Methodology - Basic Level Apr 22, 2003
  • General Methodology - Intermediate Level Nov 1, 2004
  • General Methodology - Advanced Level March 6, 2007
  • Certification in Genealogical Studies - General Methodology March 6, 2007
  • Irish Records - Basic Level May 25, 2006
  • Irish Records - Intermediate Level May 25, 2006

Associations

  • APG - Association of Professional Genealogists
  • NGS - National Genealogical Society
  • PGSA - Polish Genealogical Society of America
  • Genealogical Society of PA
  • Camden County Historical Society
  • Gloucester County Historical Society
  • Schuylkill County Historical Society
  • Lebanon County Historical Society