Help:Members

Peggy Watkins
"I like the idea of genealogy as history for regular folks. I like to think that my small contribution to this effort will be a lasting legacy that will be enjoyed by the generations of my own family as well as the families of other people." [interview]

Karen Lee
"I've been a hard worker all my life and I love to get stuff done. Being less physically able these days, WikiTree is a great place for me to hang out and do useful work." [interview]

Michael Kerstetter
"What I love about WikiTree is the dedication of most active users to be conscientious and meticulous in their research, sourcing and tree building, something I find sorely lacking on other services." [interview]

Staci Golladay
Staci is a Cemeterist and Greeter and is active in the Armenia and Remember the Children projects. "I spend a considerable portion of my time on WikiTree. ... I will continue to beat the WikiTree drum as loud as I can whenever I can to spread the message. Just ask my kids." [interview]

Audrey Hoppes
Audrey is a Cemeterist and Appalachia Project member. "I believe knowing where we come from is very important and whatever I can do to help other people find out more about their family history is essential work." [interview]

Travis Dykhoff
Travis coordinates the North Dakota Project. "I started using WikiTree and really enjoyed it because of the level of moderation and volunteerism. I was tired of seeing multiple family trees on one site with conflicting information." [interview]

Elaine Martzen
Elaine helps lead the Jewish Roots Project and the US Black Heritage Project's Heritage Exchange, a group dedicated to building family trees that connect enslaved ancestors with their descendants. "I love that the community is based on sources for ancestors and kindness to each other. A free family tree accessible to anyone is a precious resource, and I love contributing to this goal." [interview]

Bonnie Day
Bonnie is a member of the Latter-Day Saints Project and coordinates One Name Studies for Day and Fox. Her advice to new members: "Don't be afraid to ask for help! We are always here." [interview]

Fran Weidman
Fran helps lead challenges for the England Project: "We create monthly challenges that mostly involve improving profiles. They are a lot of fun, and are especially nice for our newer members, as they can get involved and truly be a part of something." [interview]

Stephen Tomaszewicz
Stephen works on Polish cemeteries. "I would hope anyone having any interest in their family tree would join up on WikiTree, even if they only create their own profile. Eventually someone will find their connections into the big tree." [interview]

Melanie Paul
Melanie is a team leader in the Australia Project. Her advice to new members: "Get involved in challenges. Even if you think you don't know much, you will learn things along the way, and be of more help than you realise." [interview]

Pam Fraley
Pam is a friendly Greeter, generous Cemeterist, and a regional team leader in the Appalachia Project. She has made over 100,000 contributions to WikiTree! "WikiTree is all about creativity and collaboration. ... There really isn't a place like it anywhere on the web." [interview]

Ben Couch
Ben is one of our most active Sourcerers. "I have made a commitment to WikiTree, and I want others to see it as the most reliable family tree ... so I see sourcing as my most important volunteer activity during my retirement years." [interview]

Laura Ward
Laura is a US Civil War Project member and is very active in community events. "The community is my favorite part of WikiTree ... working alone on [other sites] cannot compete with our collaborative platform." [interview]

Michael Black
Michael is a Data Doctor, Mayflower Project member, and Prettyman surname project leader. "Preserving the information I've gathered used to be a nagging concern of mine. Now that I'm using WikiTree ... it's a huge weight off of my shoulders." [interview]

Kay Knight
Kay is the developer of the Bio Check app, the leader of the GEDI challenge, and a Profile Improvement Project Voyage guide. "If you like to work with others ... WikiTree is the place for you." [interview]

Denis Savard
Denis is an important contributor to our Acadia Project. "Most consolidated trees are ripe full of inventions and unsubstantiated claims. On WikiTree those can be pointed out and corrected, so they don't get repeated over and over." [interview]

Virginia Fields
Ginny is a WikiTree Greeter and Ranger and co-leads the Louisiana Project. "I am inspired to do as much as I can on WikiTree as I believe this website will continue for a long time into the future. I want all of my family history work to reside where it will be protected and be available for future generations without being behind a paywall." [interview]

Kristin Merritt
Kristin is a Connector and Olympics Project member. "I joined WikiTree in November 2013. I like that each person has space for a biography, research notes, and anything else ... I am also interested in how everyone is connected, not just my immediate ancestors." [interview]

Mark Dorney
Mark leads the Western Australian Team. "There's the little endorphin rush every time I solve a little genealogical puzzle, and that keeps me going. ... [WikiTree] is also a way to publicly and accessibly share my research so near and distant family members can find it. I've been contacted by way more relatives via WikiTree than any other avenue." [interview]

Michael Cayley
Michael is co-leader of the Magna Carta and Quaker projects. "I love the way we work together. We all have different areas of expertise and knowledge, and different skills and interests. Between us we can create something better than any of us could do individually." [interview]

Richard Heritage
Richard is a Data Doctor and Sourcerer. "I do a lot of profile improvement, mostly for orphaned profiles, to produce well-written and thoroughly sourced profiles. As a Data Doctor I don't just put on a Band-Aid." [interview]

Sue Wyatt
Sue leads the Van Diemen's Land and Tasmania team in our Australia Project. "I love the way the Australia Project is separated into different states .... I hope more people will join our team and add their knowledge to the group. There are always profiles to improve and categories to add." [interview]

Christine Miller
Christine volunteers with the US Governors Project. "I was put here on this Earth to be a blessing to others, so I keep that thought in everything I do and it is what drives me in my genealogy. If I can give a family their history back, then I've continued your legacy and mine!" [interview]

Clyde Perkins
"As a co-leader of the Scotland Project, I dedicate time to guiding members, curating Scottish profiles, and promoting Scotland's history. I am also proud to serve as a Guide in the rigorous training and coveted certifications offered by the project's Tartan Trail program." [interview]

Melanie McComb
Melanie, Senior Genealogist at the prestigious New England Historic Genealogical Society, loves the WikiTree Challenge. "The challenges are so much fun and they offer opportunities to research other types of genealogy. It's helped me learn a lot of new skills and connect with other WikiTree members." [interview]

Kelly Kendro
Kelly recently graduated from the England Project's Orphan Trail mentor-based learning program. "Genealogy is a process ... There will always be more to discover, and in my opinion there's no better site than WikiTree to hone your skills and work alongside enthusiastic folks at all skill levels." [interview]

Ralph Geer
Ralph is active in the Acadians and Louisiana Families projects. "I started [on other websites]. As I searched, I found that the only reliable answers I could find were on WikiTree." [interview]

Zachary Jon Smith
Zachary started a Protestant Missions free-space project under the Religion Project umbrella. "WikiTree is the greatest of all genealogy websites. ... I treasure the opportunity to help in such a caring, collaborative environment." [interview]

Jacquès Julie
Jacquès is active in the France Project and created the Mauritius Project. "I'm deeply committed to WikiTree's mission because I believe in preserving our shared history and connecting families. Contributing here feels like leaving a lasting impact." [interview]

Caroline Verworn
Caroline is an Italy Project member and will play for Team Italy in the Source-a-Thon. "WikiTree has a fantastic community. Folks are getting together, working together, helping each other .... You do not find that on other sites." [interview]

Sjana Lee Dreyer-Bauer
Sjana is Ranger, Data Doctor, and Virginia Project member. "I was so surprised to find a place that worked together, growing a family tree, WITH SOURCES, for FREE!! This was unheard of, and I think I joined in 2014 and have been active ever since." [interview]

Bruce Simons
Bruce is a member of the Australia, England, and New Zealand projects. "The community is very welcoming. It is also very experienced and knowledgeable. This can be daunting initially. However, joining one of the WikiTree Projects will put you in touch with an awful lot of people who are very keen on helping you." [interview]

Carl Dickason
Carl is a major contributor to the US Black Heritage Project. "If feel I am contributing to something important in my free time. It also helps exercise my brain." [interview]

Christol James
Christol is active in the Adoption Angels, the Canada Project's British Home Children Team, and her own pop-up project on The Wreck of the Barque John. "Since joining WikiTree I am spending more time writing the stories of my ancestors (and perfect strangers) in a way that is more meaningful than just collecting the data for their life events." [interview]

Clare Pierson
Clare is active in the New Zealand Project and on the Kiwi Crew during challenges. "I feel very much part of a big team, no longer working in isolation." [interview]

Tina Kobus
Tina helps coordinate the Poland Project. "I really appreciate WikiTree expecting profiles to be created with accurate sources .... So many times on other websites it was clear that profiles were simply a copy of another profile, and so on, and so on, without any sources to back it up." [interview]

Jonathan Duke
Jonathan leads a Duke One Name Study and has developed readability options for the WikiTree Browser Extension. "Other sites are useful for building and navigating a basic tree and finding digital records, but they are lacking when it comes to collaboration and preserving research. For the serious genealogist, I believe there is no better alternative to WikiTree." [interview]

David Moss
David contributes to One Name Studies and the Disasters Project. "My main recent focus has been mining disasters in Shropshire and Staffordshire. There were thousands of victims. I have been trying to work out the family trees of these people and this is likely to keep me busy for years." [interview]

Kathy Nava
Kathy is a WikiTree Greeter and active member of the England, Scotland, and Appalachia projects. "I do it because I want people to find their ancestors and where they came from. Where else can you find your ancestors and their stories for free?" [interview]

Anneke Lilley
Anneke is active in the New Zealand Project and the Kiwi Crew challenge team. "The Kiwi Crew has enabled me to feel less alone and when we are stuck on research, we can reach out and solve mysteries together." [interview]

Sharon Haynes
Sharon is very active in the Appalachia Project. "WikiTree is the best place to feel that the work you are doing matters and that others appreciate it." [interview]

Gwyneth Taylor
Gwyneth participates in the Wales, England, and Cemetery projects. "WikiTree has a solid core of volunteers who give so much of their time, skills and energy ... the community is inspiring." [interview]

David Weinberg
England Project member David appreciates the help he got from his volunteer "Trail Guide" on the England Project Orphan Trail. "I worked on a number of orphaned profiles from different time periods, going back as far as 1700. My mentor was very patient and taught me about aspects of WikiTree that I had never even thought about." [interview]

Oliver Stegen
Oliver is active in the Germany, Remember the Children, and Connectors projects. "It's the teamwork that makes WikiTree so special! Most of the time, genealogy can be a lonely endeavor." [interview]

Kenneth Guerin
Kenneth Guerin is a member of the Quebecois and Acadian projects. "I like the fact that we are profile managers, not owners. We are stewards of information ... keepers of the tree." [interview]

Betsy Ko
Betsy hosts Zoom chats for new members. See our video interview. "For me, WikiTree is so special because it's a place where everyone can be seen. When I'm working on a profile on WikiTree, whether it's someone famous or not, rich or poor, old or young, I feel like I'm doing something to make them be seen." [interview]

Ian McArthur
Ian is active in the Dutch Cape Colony and South Africa projects. He's currently creating WikiTree profiles for everyone of Dutch and French descent born at the Cape of Good Hope from 1640 to 1806 — about 17,000 people! "The reason why I continue with this is that it has been of help to very many people who wish to find out more about their own families." [interview]

Alison Breton
Alison leads the Gloucestershire and Bristol Team in the England Project. "I spend so much time improving WikiTree because I find it extremely relaxing, never boring and feel I'm helping future generations. Time passes quickly when improving the tree!" [interview]

Fiona McMichael
"After doing as much as I can with my own family," says Fiona, "I'm now working on connecting, sourcing and writing the biographies of New Zealand settler families as part of the New Zealand Project." [interview]

Rob Neff
Rob leads the Germans of Russia Team in the Germany Project. "Lately I've been helping on USBH (United States Black Heritage). I think many African Americans think there is not much of interest for them in family research ... But there are still many interesting stories out there. I try to find slaves that volunteered in the U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War, and find them in the censuses after that." [interview]

Dave Draper
Dave volunteers with the Appreciation Team — he's a Tree Hugger"! "WikiTree has changed my life. It brought my extended family together. I have a heritage I never knew and wonderful cousins to talk to, and amazing WT members ready to help." [interview]

Alan Purchase
Alan is a Data Doctor and leads the England Project's Wiltshire Team. "Every year I am a member of WikiTree feels better than the previous one. Long may that continue." [interview]

Loretta Buckner
Loretta is active in our Appalachia Project and leads the US Black Heritage Project's North Carolina Team. She encourages everyone to help document enslaved ancestors: "'Many hands make lighter work' is of essence when attempting to identify hundreds of thousands of people who may only be referred to by a first name, if at all. In other words: there's always something to be done!" [interview]

Celia Marsh
England Project member Celia is a WikiTree Challenge MVP and Bounty Hunter. She frequently helps others in our Discord chat. "I don't have much experience in other countries, so I enjoy things like the challenges to give me opportunity and assistance in working in other places with other sources." [interview]

Valerie Penner
Valerie volunteers as a Mentor and participates in our Acadia and Nordic projects. She's also working on a One-Place Study for Hjørundfjord, Norway. "There is something special about WikiTree ... I feel like I am among like-minded people, with a community that cares about accuracy and collaboration (and that loves genealogy like me!)." [interview]

Tricia Payne
Tricia coordinates the Kentucky Project and many One-Place Studies. "Through the One-Place Studies, I am meeting and able to collaborate with other genealogists." [interview]

Janine Isleman
Appalachia Project member Janine has been on WikiTree since 2017. Her advice to new members is to join a project: "Find what ethnic groups or regions you are interested in and jump in. There are so many resources and people to help you figure out the steps to learn WikiTree." [interview]

Brian Nash
Brian is a member of the Canada, Ireland, and Scotland projects and has helped many WikiTreers with ancestors from Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. "What keeps me at WikiTree is the community and collaboration. ... After every interaction with community members I find myself a better genealogist." [interview]

Sandy Patak
Sandy is a WikiTree Ambassador, co-leads the Appalachia Project, and hosts Friday Night Bingo. "The Appalachia Project is my love. I learn something new from the project members every day. They're awesome, they're happy, and we love to talk about biscuits." [interview]

Day Garwood
Day helps less experienced members learn about genealogy and WikiTree as a guide in the Profile Improvement Project. "I love genealogy, and I love helping people. I consider myself part of a community. We all have a common passion. We're all at different experience levels. If mistakes are found we can collaborate to fix them." [interview]

Rob Wilson
Rob is involved in the Ireland and WikiTree Apps projects. "I have had a huge change in the last few years, as I have discovered the value of DNA matches. Now I am focused on finding matches and connecting them up. That's where WikiTree is an amazing tool." [interview]

Adriana Hazelton
Adriana leads the Brasil Team in the Latin America Project. "The Latin America Project is a small team for a huge section of the world so volunteers in any capacity make a huge difference! If Spanish or Portuguese are not languages you speak, there's still plenty that can be done, as we are a multilingual team and ready to collaborate." [interview]

Kenneth Evans
Kenneth is active in the Australia Project and leads the Australian Generals Team in the Military and War Project. "Most people have a story. ... Building sourced biographies, and accurate and attractive profiles, gives me immense satisfaction." [interview]

Cathryn Hondros
Cathryn helps with the Appalachia Project and started a free-space project for the 105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. "My favorite feature is the open collaboration. Because WikiTree is a public, crowd-sourced, universal family tree, an individual's private research or items from personal collections can be shared for the benefit of all." [interview]

Bartley McRorie
Bartley helps with the US Black Heritage (USBH) Project and operates a Maupin One Name Study. "Many of the Maupins were slave owners, and USBH has given me the tools to properly document and connect the enslaved to slave owners, with the goal of helping people find their ancestors. ... I think ultimately, WikiTree will be seen as The place to go for genealogy information!" [interview]

Shirley Gilbert
Shirley volunteers with the US Black Heritage Project. "I find it incredibly personally satisfying to be able to create a profile for a person who previously only existed in an appraisal document, listed between the household goods and livestock, and now honoring their existence." [interview]

Russell Butler
Russell helps out with the Notables and Canada projects. "I like WikiTree because of the ability to collaborate for the common good. By adding and improving profiles, I assist as part of a great genealogy effort." [interview]

Louis Ogden
Did you hear a bell ring? Louis recently earned his wings as an Adoption Angel by helping an adoptee find their birth family. "If I find I helped anyone in any manner, that makes my day." [interview]

Karyn Homburg
Karyn is creating profiles for every man who sailed with her grandfather from Australia to Egypt to fight in WWI. Her advice to new members: "Join a project that interests you, and try a challenge. I really enjoy the Sourcerers Challenge each month. It's easy to do." [interview]

Christy Melick
Christy Melick is a Team Leader in the US Black Heritage Project. "I feel like it's important to use the skills I've gained to help others who are starting with a more difficult path ahead of them and a lot of times, more difficulty in finding the records they need. USBH is a great way to do this. (If you're not ready to join the project, we're now doing one or two weekend sprints each month that are open to everyone.)" [interview]

Gill Whitehouse
Gill helps new members in the England Project's Orphan Trail training program. "The Orphan Trail is such a great way to learn, even if like me you don't think there's much left to learn, you soon find out that there's so much more and places that you never thought of looking." [interview]

David Hamilton
David co-leads the South Carolina Team for the US Black Heritage Project. "We could use more volunteers for any of the state team pages, or for researching specific types of slavery-related records: black cemeteries, free persons of color, black notables, plantations, etc." [interview]

Daniel Bamberger
Daniel frequently answers German research questions in the G2G (Genealogist-to-Genealogist) forum. "The interactive aspects of WikiTree are what sets it apart. The collaborations that evolve can not only deal with some brick walls that would otherwise be intractable, but they are also a lot of fun, and quite addictive." [interview]

Roy Walmsley
Roy generously guides new members through the England Project's remarkable Orphan Trail learning program. "Genealogy can be a lonely hobby if you don't have any immediate friends or family who are interested. Join a project and its discussion group. Share yourself with others, who will in turn share with you." [interview]

Skye Driggs
Skye helps lead the Poland Project. "I felt like I stumbled on a pot of gold when I found this site. I always wanted a single tree and collaboration with others, rather than 'doing my own thing.' It's so convenient to share family history and photos through a hyperlink." [interview]

Maree Evans
Maree is active in the Australia and Netherlands projects. "My favourite feature is the Connection Finder. I love seeing my connections get shorter as I add more of my extended family to the tree." [interview]

Feargal Hennigan
Feargal is active with the Cemeterists, Connectors, Data Doctors, Notables, and Ireland projects. His advice to new members: "Join as many projects as you can find that you have interest in. The members are always so helpful and many have all sorts of expertise. They really help you get the best out of your research." [interview]

Jan Hellier
Jan is a member of the Gloucestershire, Somerset and Dorset teams in the England Project. "The county teams are always looking for others to join them and help make every profile well sourced, with a meaningful biography. It is very rewarding when you can give a profile a life story." [interview]

Alan Radecki
Alan is a member of the England, US Southern Colonies, and Black Heritage projects. His advice to new members: "JOIN A PROJECT! Sure, if you want to just add your folks to the tree and go home, you can do that, but you're missing out on so much that this community has to offer. And you're missing out on resources that can really add valuable content to your own tree." [interview]

Jimmy Honey
Jimmy is a member of the Arkansas Project. "I like the power of individuals when we work together. You can see progress and something of value that will last for generations. You have to feel good about being part of that." [interview]

Tabor Fisher
Tabor is a team leader in the Appalachia Project. "I'm tracing both my family and the people they enslaved. ... I was very thankful for the help of Cheryl Cruise who works on the Black Heritage Project and gave me some great ideas in order to find the people who were enslaved by my third great grandfather and honor them by setting up their WikiTree profiles." [interview]

Marcie Ruiz
Marcie is a team leader in the New Mexico Project. "Before WikiTree, I was just a name collector. I became a genealogist through the help and advice I received in the G2G forum. There are so many generous people on WikiTree!" [interview]

Oscar Evans
Oscar leads the England Project's Devon Team and personally guides new members through the Orphan Trail. "Being able to guide others through English records and the process of making top-notch English profiles gives me joy, especially as I remember how hopelessly lost I felt when I was first learning." [interview]

Todd Murray
"I am a guide on the Tartan Trail for the Scotland Project. I hope that I can encourage others to gain skills and knowledge in genealogy and at the same time become better myself. ... Come join the trail and gain some insight into Scottish records and practice your profile writing skills." [interview]

Michelle Detwiler
"I spend most of my time sourcing and creating plantations and profiles for those who were enslaved, working with the US Black Heritage Project (USBH). USBH has a small skill-building training called PATH. This training helps volunteers learn to properly record African-American profiles and those who were enslaved. ... We have hundreds of enslaved persons who need profiles created." [interview]

Kate Schmidt
Kate is a US Black Heritage Project team leader. "When I realized what WikiTree did and what it meant, I was like the cartoon wolf with the 'AROOGA' eyes. This is what I've always wanted to work on." [interview]

Lisa Murphy
Lisa is a Cemeterist and leads the Legacy Heirs team in challenges such as the Connect-a-Thon. "I always tell my kids that I do this to hand down the knowledge of their families ... I don't tell them that I also do it for me." [interview]

Sharon Olson
Sharon is active in the New Netherland Settlers Project. "I recently moved into a retirement community and discovered that one of my new friends here is also a WikiTree member, and she was wanting my help. I am already planning how to put together a resident technology committee." [interview]

Jana Diamond
Jana is one of our friendly volunteer Greeters. "I want to do my part to make sure everyone is made to feel welcome. I am introverted, so being part of the Greeters is very far outside my comfort zone — but it is a BLAST! I really love doing it." [interview]

Steven Whitfield
Steven leads the Lancashire Team in the England Project. "WikiTree is ideal for recording and developing findings. I like the idea of the single world tree and enjoy adding new profiles that connect unconnected people or shorten existing connections." [interview]

Trevor Pickup
Trevor leads the England Project's giant Greater London and Middlesex Team. He has a special research interest in nonconformist churches. "Most historians look down on Genealogy as merely a hobby undertaken by amateurs. However, there is some groundbreaking historical research going on in the pages of WikiTree." [interview]

Paddy Waldron
Paddy is the leader of the County Clare Team for the Ireland Project. "Like genealogy in general, WikiTree can be addictive, " confesses Paddy. "I am now trying to ration myself to 100 contributions a month." [interview]

Marion Ceruti
Marion is a member of the Bahamas Project. Her advice to new members: "Come on in! If you get stuck we will do the best we can to help you as others have helped us. Anyone who likes mystery, history, and fellowship of kindred spirits will find endless opportunities to learn and contribute on WikiTree." [interview]

David Randall
David leads a Classic Disney project. "It saddens me how quickly a person's entire life story can be forgotten. My mission in genealogy is to uncover as many these lost stories as possible and to preserve them for future generations. WikiTree provides the perfect place to do that." [interview]

Andrew Turvey
Andrew leads the Norfolk Team for the England Project. "Through WikiTree I've expanded into single place research — in my case Norfolk and Suffolk where many of my ancestors are from. It's a perfect platform to find and collect specialist local resources and work together on a common local tree." [interview]

Gina Meyers
"I'd highly recommend joining a WikiTree Project. It's brilliant to be engaged with a group of people who are interested in the same things ... I've learned heaps from the people in the Palatine Migration, Ireland and Quaker projects, and am so grateful to have 'met' them .... Whatever your goals, everything is better with community." [interview]

Jim Loden
Jim was the top scorer in the April Connect-a-Thon. How did he do it? He reveals his secret in his interview and explains why he contributes so much to WikiTree. "I enjoy genealogy and truly believe in the mission to have a free genealogy site for future generations to be able to see where they came from." [interview]

Daniel Bly
Daniel is active in the Palatine Migration Project on German-speakers who came to North America in the 1700s. "WikiTree is the one place where I can contribute what I have discovered over a lifetime of work and know that it will be preserved, added to, and improved even after I am gone." [interview]

Pip Sheppard
Pip helps lead the Greeters. "I spend most of my time on WikiTree greeting new members and helping those who email me for assistance. ... I want to be there for them as others in our community have been there for me." [interview]

David Loring
David earned his wings as an Adoption Angel (helped an adoptee connect with their birth family) and coordinates Ireland County Teams. Which county is your ancestor from? David says there are Irish profiles that need your TLC. "We are all volunteers and each one of us has different talents and capabilities and more importantly differing amounts of time." [interview]

Claire C.
Claire is active in Connect-a-Thons, Sourcerers Challenges, and the WikiTree Challenge. "I really enjoy the challenges. I find them a great way to learn about WikiTree .... Everyone is so super helpful too." [interview]

Jemima Winder
Jemima Winder leads the Worcestershire Team in the England Project. "I love making connections — it's addictive and so satisfying. I am also happy to disappear down rabbit holes. In fact, I've discovered that getting lost on WikiTree is the perfect painkiller — it made me totally forget about dental surgery I'd just had!" [interview]

Ken Spratlin
Ken is a US Southern Colonies project coordinator. "Early on, I was just trying to trace each family line back to arrival in America. Now, my passion is to discover their stories, share them with family, and preserve them for future generations." [interview]

Debra Downs
Debra coordinates the Idaho Project. "I came to WikiTree after 20+ years of being a paid member at Ancestry and having partial trees all over. What I found was a profound lack of collaboration. NOTHING beats this One World Tree!" [interview]

Stephen Heathcote
Stephen leads the Derbyshire team in the England Project and is the regional coordinator for the East Midlands. "The collaborative nature of WikiTree, working together on a single global tree, is just fantastic! I like being able to add to work done by others, and that others can check my research, find and correct my errors and make connections I may have missed." [interview]

Florian Straub
Florian Straub is a team leader in the Germany Project. "What I love is when I and another WikiTreer get so caught up in a research topic, that we just keep playing ping-pong with each other over days. ... Don't be afraid. Ask around. Reply to G2G posts. Join Discord and have fun with us." [interview]

Coen Dijkgraaf
Coen helps coordinate the Netherlands Project, "where the aim is to have accurate and good-quality profiles for Dutch ancestors. ... what I love most about WikiTree is the co-operative community." [interview]

Greg Clarke
Greg has created very popular apps including the Fan Chart (see your Tree & Tools. "WikiTree has built a solid, generous community and that is very special. I'm honoured that some of my work is acknowledged in places, like the Fan Chart, and am just grateful to be able to give back to the community that I've found here." [interview]

Steven Greenwood
Steven leads the Lower Saxony Team in the Germany Project. "I feel that after I pass, my mark left on the world will remain in digital format, for my descendants and/or cousins to discover and share. ... That becomes my legacy. I become a part of history when I contribute to [WikiTree]." [interview]

Susie Officer
Susie helps coordinate the England Project's Orphan Trail. "The Orphan Trail helped me no end when I was getting started. Being in Australia, I would not have had a clue where or how to find digital records about my family in England — or how to cite them or organise my findings." [interview]

Joan Hollander
Joan is a coordinator for our Netherlands Project. She loves that WikiTreers "are so friendly and willing to help. We all are here with the same goal. To grow and improve our tree." Her advice to new members: "Check if there is a project for the area you are interested in. They can help you get started and provide you with the correct guidelines." [interview]

Gina Jarvi
Gina volunteers "just about every day" to help the US Black Heritage (USBH) Project. She guides new volunteers through the USBH Path Program. "I am so impressed and so grateful for the community here. I have only encountered gracious assistance and patience during my newbie stage (which I am still in)." [interview]

Denise Hunt
Denise is the regional coordinator for Central and East Scotland where she spends most of her time "sourcing profiles for future generations." [interview]

Amy Gilpin
Amy is a Project Coordinator for the Irish Roots Project and a Team Leader for the Cemeteries and Categorization projects. "I work with an amazing group of people here on a regular basis. They are friendly, encouraging and helpful and it's unlike any other genealogy site I've ever participated in." [interview]

Carole Bannes
Carole is a Ranger and Sourcerer and recently started volunteering for the US Black Heritage Project. "I try to do at least one 'act of genealogical kindness' for somebody each and every day." [interview]

André Laubscher
André co-leads the Cape of Good Hope project. "WikiTree has helped me to connect my family to my ancestors not only in South Africa, but Europe as well." [interview]

Eileen Robinson
Eileen connects profiles for the US Black Heritage Project and is leading a new surname project for Bellamy. Her advice to new members: "Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Always ask questions. You will enjoy this community of genealogists which will become your online family." [interview]

Maureen Wilkins
Maureen is one of our friendly Greeters and leads the Shropshire Team in the England Project. "I became a WikiTree Greeter in Oct 2020 and love helping new members find their way around within WikiTree's many branches. There are so many nooks and crannies that every day I find a new feature that I've never seen before." [interview]

I. Caruso
I. Caruso is translating WikiTree Help pages into German for the Germany Project and leading an effort in the Italy Project to create categories for all Italian towns. "The WikiTree community is awesome, it is so great to work together with others, to help others and get help if needed." [interview]

Cristina Corbellani
Cristina leads the Italian Diaspora Team in the Italy Project. Her favorite thing about WikiTree? "The community! You can ask almost anything and there will always be someone ready to help!" [interview]

P. Kreutzer
P. credits the help she got from the England Project's Orphan Trail and her preparation for WikiTree's Pre-1500 Certification for teaching her how to do advanced genealogy. "I like the community of researchers [on WikiTree]. I have found so much kindness and commitment. I never thought I'd have communication with people across the world." [interview]

Missy Berryann
Missy co-leads the Nordic Project and is a Sourcerer and Mentor. "I love to help people find their immigrant ancestors who came to America from Sweden. I remember how hard it was for me to understand how to research Swedish records." [interview]

Kie Zelms
Kie coordinates the Palatine Migration Project. "I love to connect the unconnected dots (aka people) .... I hope someone will be inspired to dig deeper into their family story when I help to improve a biography or add an interesting source." [interview]

Chris Ferraiolo
Chris helps lead the Italy Project, acts as a WikiTree Ambassador on social media, and is active in the WikiTree Challenge. His advice to new members: "Don't be afraid to ask questions in the G2G forum. You're never alone on this site. Have a good time. Make friends and have fun exploring." [interview]

Christine Preston
Christine is leading a 1776 Project team that's updating the sticker on profiles of Revolutionary War veterans. She's also a Cemeterist and active in the US Civil War Project. [interview]

Rob Pavey
England Project member Rob Pavey just released a "WikiTree Sourcer" browser extension for finding and citing sources. Early tester Ann Browning "can't recommend it highly enough." Nelda Spires says, "it is truly miraculous!" Try Rob's app and give him your feedback. [interview]

Marsha Richardson
Marsha recently graduated from the Tartan Trail learning program and is now leading the Clan Forsyth Team for the Scotland Project. "I like the idea of WikiTree and everyone working together. It seems everyone here is vigilant on trying to prevent duplicates and requiring that facts are supported with sources." [interview]

Karen Stewart
Karen helps with US Black Heritage Connections, our collaborative effort on an underrepresented group in genealogy: slaves and their descendants. "I like the feeling of helping get profiles added to the tree in case a future descendant comes looking for them." [interview]

Rob Graham
Rob recently completed the Scotland Project's Tartan Trail learning program. Now he's leading the Dumfriesshire Geographical Team and the Clan Graham Team. "WikiTree taught me most of what I know of genealogy and continues to be a source of both knowledge and inspiration. The Tartan Trail was a wonderful experience." [interview]

Dagmar Thorisdottir
Dagmar helps coordinate the Iceland Project and leads a one name study. "Genealogy used to be a very solitary hobby. Now I seem to be working with somebody on just about all my projects. ... And I love helping people find their ancestors. I've actually broken down a few walls for other people." [interview]

Thomas Koehnline
"I work on goals related to each of the projects I'm involved with: Germany, Notables, Jewish Roots, Slavic Roots, and, most notably, Nordic & Norway. I currently lead the Nordic Sourcerers Team ... going through profiles of individuals from each of the Nordic nations who are lacking sufficient sourcing and adding what we can." [interview]

Scott McClain
"I have had the chance to learn from some outstanding mentors on the Puritan Great Migration Project. That's given me an opportunity to learn and hone research skills and then pass those lessons on to others as a mentor myself. The chance to work with so many talented genealogists in a supportive environment like this is priceless." [interview]

Heather Stevens
Heather is on the Australian Convicts Team in the Australia Project. "There are so many positive features of WikiTree: it is free, there is only one profile per person, you collaborate with other researchers, can ask questions, and can share your research without anyone having to use a credit card and a password to access it." [interview]

John Tyner
John is an Ireland Project member, Connector, and active participant in the WikiTree Challenge. "I like connecting to each other and finding new friends who are like-minded." [interview]

Teddy Odum
Teddy is an Adoption Angel ("It's such a joy working with the adoptees") and hosts a weekly Facebook video discussion group for WikiTree collaboration ("In the past couple months we have actually solved two adoptions/brick walls in our sessions.") [interview]

Isabelle Huth
Isabelle is one of our many French WikiTreers. "WikiTree helped me to find cousins around the world, among the descendants of glassmakers for example." [interview]

Pam Smith
Pam is an Adoption Angel and helps the Unknowns Team track down missing last names. "I love trying to solve the puzzles. Most of these profiles are for women .... I want to learn who she was, who her family was, and try to re-connect her to her family and her roots." [interview]

Stuart Awbrey
Stuart leads a team of profile managers in the Wales Project and recently joined the Ambassadors Project with plans to reach out to two local genealogy societies. "The goal of a single-family tree is WikiTree's most important feature, in contrast to the other sites which allow numerous trees on the same family with little emphasis on sources." [interview]

Jason Grant
Jason is a member of the Acadians and Native Americans projects. He has a special interest in the cultural similarities and differences between the Acadians and Mi'gmaq people. "WikiTree has helped me find so many family members I didn't know I had ... I love the relationships and all my cousins I found using WikiTree." [interview]

Robin Shaules
Robin spends most of her time in 1.) the Profile Improvement Project ("I went through the Voyage and learned more about building good profiles than in the nearly three years previously") and 2.) the Cemeterist Project ("I enjoy every aspect of working on the cemeteries"). [interview]

Carolina Millin
Carolina is active in our Huguenots, Netherlands, and Notables projects. Her advice to new members: "Be precise on sources." And if you're having trouble finding or formatting a source, "reach out in G2G as there are so many friendly WikiTreers who love to assist." [interview]

Kathy Evans
Kathy is a new Profile Improvement Project guide. "I wasn't sure I was doing things properly, and when I read about the Profile Improvement Voyage, I signed up right away. I learned so much during the work on my two profiles. I was asked to join the team as a guide, so now I am sharing what I learned with others." [interview]

Jutta Beer
Jutta leads the Carmarthenshire Team in the Wales Project. "WikiTree has helped me to understand how to source properly and helped trace family back much further (1461) than I would have been able to do on my own, thanks to work done by other Wikitreers." [interview]

Neill Reed
Neill leads the England Project's Suffolk Team. "After spending three months on [another site], it was becoming apparent that there were many errors that were being passed from one person to another. This is what I was looking for: One single collaborative tree ... with everyone helping each other, and all working to a high standard." [interview]

Connie Graves
Connie's favorite collaborative WikiTree group is the New Netherlands Settlers Project. "I love the way WikiTree is set up and the feeling of being part of a community of family genealogists working together to get the facts correct and footnoted." [interview]

Frances Piercy-Reins
Frances is active in our England Project and leads a Chamberlayne Name Study. "I've been touched by the kindness of people I have never met, all over the world, who offer their time to help others in their own search for their ancestors. This is something I have found on no other genealogical platform." [interview]

Anne Guglik
Anne has participated in 10 WikiTree Challenge weeks and even broke a brick wall for a guest. Her advice to new members: get involved with a challenge or project to connect with other genealogists. "The members are truly the best asset WikiTree has, and most are endlessly helpful, once you manage to connect." [interview]

Dave Welburn
Dave leads the Yorkshire Team in the England Project. His advice to new members: "You are not on your own, everyone is here to help. If you need help, ask on G2G. If you make a mistake, don't worry. Everyone makes mistakes, and there is nothing you can do that can't be fixed." [interview]

Barry Smith
Barry co-leads the New Netherland Settlers Project and the Switzerland Project, and is working to create a profile for every named person in the 1774 Rhode Island Census. "Other WikiTreers have taught me almost everything I know about genealogical research, mostly by answering hundreds of my questions on G2G." [interview]

Fionnuala O'Connor
Fionnuala is an Ireland Project member and Sourcerer. "WikiTree has helped me to organise a lot of details I had collected over the years into a neat format. It is a great platform for me to share everything with family members. Also, when I am contacting DNA matches, it is great to refer the person to my WikiTree family tree, to see if they can find any connections." [interview]

Loralee Hutton
Loralee is an England and Canada project member. "Recently I joined the new Canadian Orphan Trail and loved the process so much that I volunteered to help others go through the process themselves. I hope to help people avoid the same mistakes I made while helping them love WikiTree as much as I do." [interview]