Ogden FamilySearch Library 2017 Conference Biography

This page is associated with the Biographical Sketches of the presenters at the 2017 Ogden FamilySearch Family History Conference For a link to the home Conference WIKI page click HERE

Camille Andrus
Camille graduated from BYU with a BA in Family History/Genealogy and a minor in German. She has lived in Armenia and cataloged microfilmed Armenian records as a volunteer. She is currently a board member for the Foundation for Eastern European Family History Studies and works as a project manager for Legacy Tree Genealogists.

Amy Archibald
Amy Archibald is a family historian and reunion organizer with a passion for teaching others. She has researched her own family for more than 33 years and taught others for nearly 25 years. She lives in Clearfield, Utah with her husband and two children and blogs on family history topics at http://revealingrootsandbranches.blogspot.com/

Armel O. Beardall
Armel O. Beardall is a Utah native, returned missionary from Japan, Degrees from BYU in Sociology, History, Curriculum and Instruction. Married to Sheri Marziale Beardall, father of six children and grandfather of 27 grandchildren, Served on High Councils, as Bishop, Stake President and Mission Presidency in the Family and Church History Mission in Salt Lake City. Currently an Ogden Utah Temple Sealer, Gospel Doctrine and High Priest group instructor. Retired Seminary Teacher, Institute Director and Human Resource Director for the Church Educational System.

Brandon L. Baird, M.Ed, AG®
Brandon L. Baird, M.Ed, AG®, started learning about genealogy when he was 8 years old. He started by creating a pedigree chart and when he entered BYU continued his education. In 2013, he graduated with a degree in Family History - Genealogy. After graduation he started working at the Family History Library as a Latin America research specialist. His interest in Spanish research lead him to learn the research process for France, Italy, Portugal, and Latin America. He has spent time in Europe researching and touring in various archives, including the Archivio Segreto Vaticano. In an effort to become a better educator and develop better instruction he graduated in Instructional Design and Educational Technology from the University of Utah in 2017. He enjoys being able to help teach people how-to do genealogy and researching throughout the world.

Careen Barrett-Valentine, AG®
Careen Barrett-Valentine, AG® has been doing professional European Family History research since 2007. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Family History from Brigham Young University, and is accredited for research in the Germany region by the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). While most comfortable researching in 15th to 20th century German language documents, her research experience extends to most of Central and Eastern Europe.

Don Koldewyn
Don Koldewyn graduated from Weber High School, Weber State College and the University of Utah. After retiring seventeen years ago, he has been “anxiously engaged in a good cause,” which is family history research, specializing in the Netherlands. He is a ward Family History Consultant and a volunteer at the Ogden Family History Center, where he is always excited to help people learn how to use the online Netherlands databases. He also conducts the Netherlands Research Society meetings where those involved with Dutch Family History meet and help each other with research.

Doris Bateman
Doris Bateman is a family historian who has been involved in researching and teaching family history since 1991. She has served on the staff of the Ogden FamilySearch Library, where she has taught many classes. She has served as the curriculum chair for this conference for several years. She is a graduate of Brigham Young University and is a retired Social Service Worker. She is married to Douglas Bateman and makes her home in North Ogden, where they raised 6 children, and now enjoy their 11 grandchildren.

Mike Booth
Michael T. Booth is vice-president of RootsMagic, Inc. He is an accomplished trainer, having given hands-on entertaining presentations to thousands of individuals. With over 35 years of computer programming experience, Michael's latest creations are "Personal Historian" and "Family Atlas". He is also a developer of the popular RootsMagic genealogy software. Michael lives in Ogden, Utah with his wife, Sandy and their six children. Presentation Titles:. Personal Historian: Software to Bring Life to Your Life Stories. What’s New in RootsMagic 7. RootsMagic: FamilySearch Made Easy

Kathleen Buckmaster
Kathleen Buckmaster works at the Ogden FamilySearch Library, helping patrons one-on-one and teaching a popular FamilySearch Family Tree Basic class. She has worked extensively adding sources and correcting problems in her own family tree as well as that of her husband and a neighbor. She enjoys helping people see how mastering FamilySearch Family Tree can enrich their lives and extend their families. Presentation Title:. LAB FamilySearch for Beginners. Repeat LAB FamilySearch for Beginners

Linda Dursteler
Linda has an M.Ed. in curriculum development. She has spent most of her life researching her own family and helping others find theirs. She currently serves as a missionary at the Ogden FamilySearch Library. She and her husband Bruce reside in North Ogden.

Arlene Eakle, Ph.D
Arlene Eakle, Ph.D. is president and founder of The Genealogical Institute, Inc. Dr. Eakle is a professional genealogist with more than 30 years experience in genealogy research: tracing hard-to-find ancestors for clients in New York, Virginia, the Southern U.S. including the Scots-Irish and those of Native American background. She holds a PhD in British History and traces ancestors from the British Isles (including Ireland). She claims a 96% success rate. Arlene has addressed more than 600 genealogy seminars in the U.S., Canada, and Europe including Family History Expos and Research Retreats. She is the author of more than 90 books, 7 blogs, scholarly articles, and family histories. With a specialized team of genealogy writers, Arlene has contributed chapters to more than 25 different Genealogy Research Guides and Family History Expos Webinars--January 2015-July 2017.

Melissa Corn Finlay
Melissa Corn Finlay is a genealogist, entrepreneur, mama to 7 fantastic children, and wife. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Family History-Genealogy from Brigham Young University. She has been researching her own family lines for over 26 years. Connect with her at www.finlayfamily.org

Melissa Francis
Melissa Francis has lived in various places around the country, but currently resides in Brigham City. She has worked in the Weber State University Stewart Library for 17years and enjoys exploring and sharing the stories of Ogden’s unique past.

Francis graduated from Weber State in 2011 with a degree in English and public history and has been trained through the Society of American Archivists in preserving photographs and manuscript collections. She is currently a member of the Conference of Intermountain Archivists and has also taught classes in genealogical research.

Holly T. Hansen
President and Founder of Family History Expos, Inc. She has been instrumental in helping thousands understand the principles, strategies, and sources they can use to trace their roots in today's ever-changing technological environment.

She is the mastermind behind more than 50 Family History Expos, held across the United States, and numerous Retreats at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah and other repositories in diverse cities. She is dedicated to helping individuals and families, one-on-one, with their personal research needs. Currently, she is involved creating podcasts, webinars, and video presentations to help people move forward in their family history endeavors with the comforts of home.

Holly's titles include author, lecturer, editor, and publisher. She has produced more than 100 unique syllabus and class handout books for Family History Expos attendees. She is a former editor of Everton's Genealogical Helper magazine, and editor of the 10th and 11th editions of The Handybook for Genealogists, with more than one million copies sold. She has also authored The Directory of North American Railroads, Trekking for Ancestors, and co-authored a series of 16 family history interview books entitled Celebrating and Capturing the Memories and 20 in-depth Research Guides for many aspects of family history research.

Holly and her husband, Chris P. Hansen, have been married for 38 years and are the parents of five remarkable children. Holly received an Honors BA in History from Weber State University and continues to dedicate time to education on a daily basis.

Joanne and Emil O Hanson
Joanne Hanson - A missionary and then a volunteer and teacher since1997. Still teaches two classes each month; American Research and Tracing LDS families. Now serves as a Family History Consultant at the library.They raised six children, have 19 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.

Emil O. Hanson - Began his service at the Ogden Family History Center/ Ogden FamilySearch Library in 1997 as a missionary. In 2001 he became the director while teaching writing your personal history classes. After serving as Director for 15 years he retired in 2015 and now serves as a family history consultant at the library.

Peg Ivanyo
Peg Ivanyo is the Director of the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and an office in the Utah Genealogical Association. She has also served as a family history consultant for the past eight years. She is an active member of the National Genealogical Society (NGS), the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History (ISBGFH), the Leicestershire and Rutland Family History Society (LRFHS), the Czechoslovak Genealogical Society International (CGSI), and the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG). She loves technology for genealogy, and helping new researchers get started on the right foot.

Robert A. Ives, M.Ed.
Bob Ives, COO for the Family History Guide, L3C, has teaching and technology in his blood. He received a Master's Degree in computerized curriculum design and went to work as the Director of Instructional Technology for the Utah State Office of Education. Bob was instrumental in the spread of technology in the state and the development of cutting edge programs such as satellite distance learning with IBM.

He later formed his own technology consulting and training company, Educational Renaissance, Inc. and worked as an IBM business partner for 15 years. He has travelled across the US and Pacific as a trainer for IBM Educational Systems, as well as McGraw-Hill and Allyn & Bacon. Bob has served on state and national committees such as the NCTM Technology Committee and the Governors' Computer Literacy Task Force. He has given presentations across the United States, Canada, Singapore, Australia and Malaysia. He has managed a number of other companies and has a rich business background.

Bob is currently the Technology Coordinator for the Sandy Utah Granite Family History Center, the third largest Family History Center in the Salt Lake Valley. He and his wife Dawn have two sons and four grandchildren. Bob has a B.S. from Brigham Young University, an M.Ed. and Administrative Certification from the University of Utah. He has also served as an adjunct professor for Utah State University.

"Everything I have done in life has prepared me for what I am doing now with technology in the Family History Center and the development of The Family History Guide."

Mindy Jacox
Mindy Jacox, BA is from Kaysville, Utah. She recently graduated from BYU with a degree in Family History/Genealogy with emphases in Germanic research and computer science. She currently works for FamilySearch on the Content Development team preparing training and testing data for machine automated processes. As the co-director of the myFamily History Youth Camp she has a special interest in helping youth get excited about family history research. Family history is her passion and she loves sharing it with others!

Fritz Juengling Ph.D., AG®
Doctor Juengling received his Bachelor’s degrees in German Studies and Secondary Education at Western Oregon University, his Master’s and Doctorate in Germanic Philology with minors in both English and Linguistics at the University of Minnesota. Germanic Philology is a highly specialized field of study, combining languages, linguistics, paleography and history. For his graduate degrees, Dr. Juengling was required to demonstrate competence in English, German, Medieval Latin and two other modern languages. He chose Dutch and Norwegian. He also took courses in Old, Middle, and Early Modern English, Old and Middle High German, Old Norse (Old Icelandic), Gothic, Old Frisian, Old Saxon, and Middle Dutch. He has taught German, English, Latin and Old English (Anglo-Saxon) at the high school and university levels. He is an Accredited Genealogist® for Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Sweden through the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists, and certified by theVerband deutschsprachiger Berufsgenealogen. Dr. Juengling is a German, Dutch, and Scandinavian Research Consultant at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Don Koldewyn
Don Koldewyn graduated from Weber High School, Weber State College and the University of Utah. After retiring fifteen years ago, he has been “anxiously engaged in a good cause,” which is family history research, specializing in the Netherlands. He is a ward Family History Consultant and a volunteer at the Ogden Family History Center, where he is always excited to help people learn how to use the online Netherlands databases. He also conducts the Netherlands Research Society meetings where those involved with Dutch Family History meet and help each other with research.

Amber Larsen
Amber is a native of Farr West, Utah. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Family History - Genealogy with a Scandinavian emphasis. Amber has presented at the Federation of Genealogical Societies, and currently works for FamilySearch.org in Salt Lake City.

Sam Lower
FamilySearch Library volunteer for several decades who specializes in descendancy research techniques and has taught numerous classes on the Family Tree Descendant view, the Hope Chest interface software, Roots Magic and the Legacy interface software.

Bradley Marchant
Bradley D. Marchant, AG is an accredited Swedish genealogist. Having spent over half of his life in the pursuit of genealogical research, he has a lot of expertise, excitement and enthusiasm. Currently an employee of Familysearch, he organizes and catalogs newly digitized family history records from around the world. He is known for his odd sense of humor and no-nonsense approach to research. When not spending his time in research, he is found renovating his house, chasing after his dog, or restoring antique furniture. He is also working on becoming a foster-adopt parent in the great state of Utah. Presentation Titles:. How to Think Logically for Beginners and Intermediate Researchers: Work Smarter, not Harder! . British Descendant Research Part A: 1837-1911. British Descendant Research Part B: One-name studies and Pre-1837 Research

Gary Nelson
Gary Nelson’s publishing career spans 35 years and many publishers – including McGraw Hill, Harcourt Brace, ProQuest, Thomson Learning, Study.Net and Granite Mountain/Family Roots Publishing. Annette Nelson has been a Family History and Genealogical Research aficionado for over 30 years –  deeply immersed in UGA, DUP, A Billion Graves, South Davis Family History Library, Bountiful City Cemetery and her own wonderful family history. Together (mainly Annette), they have raised four sons and adore their four daughters-in-law and twelve perfect grandchildren.

Tom Perry
Tom Perry is Extreme Genes’ “Preservation Authority.”  He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and earned his Audio Engineering & Music Video Certification from Full Sail University in Florida. As a youth, Tom was deeply interested in family preservation and documentation, working with his mother doing genealogical research and assisting in his father’s love of photography. Following in his father’s footsteps in June of 1973, he launched TMP Productions, now know as TMCPlace.com. The enterprise has taken Tom across the United States and throughout Europe and South America consulting, documenting, and preserving memories in various formats as technology has changed and advanced. Tom loves to teach, so Extreme Genes is a perfect fit. He enjoys sharing with listeners his expertise and loves helping them to do what they can on their own in preserving their treasures. Looking forward to the day he can travel full time restoring and preserving family treasures around the globe is his ultimate goal. Tom now resides in northern Utah (when not traveling) with his son.

Geoff Rasmussen
Geoffrey D. Rasmussen is the father of four budding genealogists. He graduated with a degree in Genealogy and Family History from Brigham Young University and has served as director and vice-president of the Utah Genealogical Association. He is a dynamic genealogy speaker on all forms of genealogy technology, and as host of the Legacy Family Tree webinar series, has spoken virtually to nearly 100 different countries. He has authored books, videos, articles, and websites, and develops the Legacy Family Tree software program. On a personal note, Geoff enjoys playing the piano, organ, cello, basketball and bowling. His favorite places are cemeteries, the ocean, and hanging out with other genealogists. He met and proposed to his wife in a Family History Center.

He is the author of the recently-released, Kindred Voices: Listening for our Ancestors, and the popular books Legacy Family Tree, Unlocked! and Digital Imaging Essentials book.

Gene Sessions Ph.D.
Gene A. Sessions is Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor of History at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah. A native of Ogden, he received his Ph.D. degree from Florida State University in 1974. He is the author and editor of numerous works, including Mormon Thunder: A Documentary History of Jedediah Morgan Grant (1982, 2008), Latter-day Patriots: Nine Mormon Families and Their Revolutionary War Heritage (1975), Prophesying upon the Bones: J. Reuben Clark and the Foreign Debt Crisis, 1933-39 (1992), Camp Floyd and the Mormons: The Utah War (with Donald R. Moorman, 1992, 2005), The Search for Harmony: Essays on Science and Mormonism (with Craig J. Oberg, 1993), Utah International: A Biography of a Business (with Sterling D. Sessions, 2002, 2005), and Mormon Democrat: The Religious and Political Memoirs of James Henry Moyle (1975, 1998), for which he received the Mormon History Association’s annual award for best edited work. He has also been a consultant on documentaries and committees exploring the Utah War and the Mountain Meadows Massacre and is past president of the Mountain Meadows Association. He and his wife Shantal have four children and seven grandsons.

Sarah Sing
Sarah Sing is a native of California, but considers Ogden her home. Her interest in local history comes from being able, as the Associate Curator, to delve into the records preserved by the Weber State University Special Collections.

Singh graduated from Weber State in 1997 with a degree in history, from Utah State University in 2000 with a Masters in history, and in 2014 with a Masters of Library Science from San Jose State University. She is a former President of the Conference of Intermountain Archivists, and a member of the Utah Manuscripts Association.

Annie Strawn
Annie Strawn was born and raised in Denmark, and emigrated to the U.S. at age 19. Expert in Danish research, she has worked at the Family History Library since she was a young mother in the 1960's. She has devotedly helped families with Danish Research for over 50 years.

Greg Stroud
Shotbox creator

Rachel J. Trotter
Has worked as a writer and newspaper reporter since her college days over 20 years ago. She loves telling people's stories. She lives in Ogden, Utah and is busy raising six children and loves working on family history alongside her husband, Mat.

Scott Woodward
Scott R. Woodward is a microbiologist and molecular biologist who specializes in genetic genealogy and ancient DNA studies. He was a professor at Brigham Young University (BYU) from 1989 to 2003. He is currently the president and principal investigator for the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation. Woodward was involved in the discovery of the first genetic marker for cystic fibrosis. Woodward has served as a visiting professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1994–1995. He was responsible for building the large data set of DNA from populations throughout the world that started the revolution of linking DNA to traditional genealogies.