Would you like to advance your DNA research skills, receiving expert guidance at each step?
No matter how confident we are with using DNA to break down our brick walls, we can always learn something new.
In this three-part, immersive workshop, you will work on DNA case studies from the first evaluation of the mystery to the conclusion.
Working with Michelle Leonard, you will gain hands-on experience in how to go about answering your DNA research questions and others put forward in the workshop. In each session, Michelle will demonstrate best practices for working on family history mysteries using DNA and provide her top tips and techniques. You will be taken through each step, working with Michelle as she guides you in solving the cases and getting answers. Each case study will present different challenges, increasing in difficulty over the three sessions, each of two hours.
If you have an adoption, unknown parentage, misattributed parentage or any other unknown ancestor mystery to solve, then this course will help teach you the techniques you’ll require in a practical and (we hope) fun way. Even if you don’t have a specific mystery to solve, working through these case studies will improve your understanding of how to identify your DNA matches and confirm your family tree.
This is a DNA workshop you won’t want to miss! Michelle Leonard has solved hundreds of DNA mystery cases and will share her expertise.
Join her for this immersive workshop and boost your DNA skills! You will be the DNA detective, and Michelle will be your guide!
Session 1: 14 November 2024 @ 3 PM Eastern US (2 hour session)
Session 2: 21 November 2024 @ 3 PM Eastern US (2 hour session)
Session 3: 26 November 2024 @ 3 PM Eastern US (2-hour session)
About the educator
Michelle Leonard
Michelle Leonard is a Scottish professional genealogist, DNA detective, freelance researcher, speaker, author and historian. She runs her own genealogy and DNA consultancy business, Genes & Genealogy, and specialises in DNA detective work particularly the solving of adoption, unknown parentage and all manner of unknown ancestor mysteries using a combination of DNA expertise and conventional research methods. She also undertakes traditional family history research, living relative tracing, historical and television research, media consultation, the creation of bespoke family history books, podcasts, article, blog and book writing, tutoring, lecturing, webinars and speaking engagements. 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? Live as well as a co-author of Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA: A Guide For Family Historians which was published in June 2019.
Additionally Michelle is the official genetic genealogist of ancestryhour.co.uk and is one of the hosts of the hour itself: #AncestryHour takes place on Twitter each Tuesday evening from 7-8pm GMT and Michelle is usually on hand to answer any #DNA queries that arise. She also spent several years working on the ground-breaking Fromelles Genealogy Project tracking down appropriate DNA donors to identify WWI soldiers buried in a mass grave in France and served as the Genealogical Consultant on the official Fromelles documentary. She regularly works on new historic soldier cases when battlefield remains are found and DNA testing is conducted.
Michelle holds an M.A. in English and Modern History from the University of St Andrews and a PgCert in Genealogical, Palaeographic and Heraldic Studies from the University of Strathclyde. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), the Scottish Genealogy Network (SGN) 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.