Services
✦ Research • Stories • Connection ✦
Every family has a story, and most of them are scattered: a name in a census, a photograph nobody can identify, a shoebox of letters in the back of a closet. I help people gather up those pieces and find the people inside them.
I’ve spent more than twenty years following family connections, and I still can’t leave a good mystery alone. Whether you’re just starting out, stuck on a stubborn ancestor, or holding a collection you aren’t sure what to do with, I’d love to help.
Genealogical Research
Finding the people behind the names and dates.
Family history is more than filling in boxes on a chart. It’s getting to know the people who came before you: where they lived, what they faced, and how they’re connected to you and to each other. I help individuals and families explore their ancestry, answer long-standing family questions, and make sense of research they’ve already started.
Projects might include:
- Tracing a family line or exploring your ancestry
- Investigating a specific ancestor or family question
- Finding and evaluating historical records
- Reviewing an existing family tree and suggesting next steps
- Organizing research you or a relative have already done
Letters, Photographs & Family Collections
An entire world can fit inside a box of letters.
This is the work closest to my heart, especially when it comes to World War II correspondence. Letters, photographs, diaries, and keepsakes hold the everyday lives that history books leave out. I’ll help you organize what you have, research the people in it, and place their experiences in historical context, so the collection means as much to the next generation as it did to the people who kept it.
Projects might include:
- Organizing and documenting letter collections and family papers
- Researching the people who wrote, received, or appear in a collection
- Adding historical context to wartime letters and service records
- Identifying the people and places in old photographs
- Writing biographical sketches and family narratives
Writing, Education & Community Support
Helping good ideas reach the people who care about them.
My years in genealogy education and online community work have taught me that a great project still needs people to find it. I help genealogical societies, educational organizations, and history-minded groups create clear, engaging resources and reach their audiences.
Projects might include:
- Developing or revising genealogy courses and educational materials
- Writing articles, newsletters, and online content
- Planning and coordinating online events
- Supporting community outreach and engagement projects
How It Works
Get in touch.
Tell me a little about your project, your questions, or the collection you have.
Let’s talk.
We’ll have a conversation about your goals and what’s realistically possible.
Make a plan.
I’ll send you a proposal outlining the scope, timeline, and cost.
Down the rabbit hole we go.
I’ll get to work and keep you updated along the way.
My Approach
Curious. Careful. Collaborative.
The people in your family tree and your letters were real people, and I treat their stories with that in mind. I’ll be honest about what the records can and can’t tell us, I’ll keep you in the loop, and I’ll care about your project nearly as much as you do. (Possibly more. I’ve been known to get attached.)
Have a Project in Mind?
Every good story starts with a conversation. Tell me what you’re working on, and we’ll see where it leads.