The doors to the Tri-Area will open at 9:30 to allow you to sign up for the event on-site, get a name tag, coffee or tea, and find a seat. You will have an opportunity to meet and mingle with old friends and fellow genealogists in the large dining room until the first presentation begins at 10 am. All attendees should bring their own lunches. Snacks and some drinks will be available at no charge — but, of course, donations will be welcome.

Michelle Leonard, our speaker, is a Scottish professional genealogist and expert DNA detective. She will be speaking about tools for Researching your English and Scottish Ancestors, as well as how to solve ancestor mysteries with help from DNA. We will have a short break between the two presentations.

First Presentation: Begins at 10 a.m.: Tools for Researching Your English and Scottish Ancestors

If you are researching ancestors of English or Scottish descent, here is a chance to learn from a well-known professional genealogist with boots on the ground. Presenter Michelle Leonard, who hails from Scotland, has expertise in all aspects of family history research in these two countries. (Learn more about Michelle’s many genealogy interests and projects below.)

Second Presentation: Begins at 11:30 a.m.: Case Studies: Solving Ancestor Mysteries with Help from DNA

In recent years, DNA testing has revolutionized the options available to people dealing with mysteries related to unknown parentage or an unknown ancestor. It is now the key tool for solving these previously unsolvable conundrums. In order to successfully use DNA testing to solve family mysteries, however, it’s essential to combine it with traditional research techniques. Michelle will provide practical demonstrations of the most important techniques, describe pathways to successful outcomes, and include genuine success stories that show how combined DNA testing and traditional research can provide much sought after answers.

Michelle Leonard is a Scottish professional genealogist and expert DNA detective. She runs her own genealogy and DNA consultancy business, Genes & Genealogy, and specializes in DNA Detective work, particularly the solving of adoption, unknown parentage, and all manner of ancestor mysteries. She is a regular speaker at major genealogy events such as RootsTech, The Genealogy Show, Family Tree Live, Back to Our Past, and Who Do You Think You Are?. She co-authored “Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA: A Guide for Family Historians”, published in 2019.

Michelle is also the official genetic genealogist for ancestryhour.co.uk, as well as one of its hosts. She worked for several years on the ground-breaking Fromelles Genealogy Project, tracking down appropriate DNA donors to identify WWI soldiers buried in a mass grave in France. She also served as the Genealogical Consultant for the official Fromelles documentary.

Michelle holds an M.A. in English and Modern History from the University of St Andrews and a Post-graduate Certificate in Genealogical, Paleographic and Heraldic Studies from the University of Strathclyde. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), the Scottish Genealogy Network (SGN), the Society of Genealogists (SOG) and the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG). You can find out more about Michelle on her Genes & Genealogy Facebook page, and you can follow her on Twitter.