As a genealogy coach I will help you learn to solve your genealogy problems.
Are you new to genealogy and wondering how to get started in the fun of researching your ancestors?
Do you want to understand how to build and grow your family tree?
Have you become stuck in your genealogy and need suggestions to knock down a brick wall and find the answers you seek?
For beginning researchers through those with more experience, our periodic coaching sessions can help you move forward in becoming a better genealogist.
We will meet via a video conferencing platform. I will record the meeting and send you the file, so you can refer back to what we looked at and talked about. Depending on the topic, I may have a pre-written resource list or a handout for a class I've taught that I may also send. You tell me what you're trying to figure out or what you're struggling with or don't understand. I will give you suggestions as to what kind of resources I'd use to solve your problem. You'll go away with a game plan. Then a week later, 2 weeks, a month later - whatever works for you and your research time and interest, we can meet again and go over what you found and where you want to go next. Our sessions may also include some best practices such as citing sources, analysis and correlation, etc.
If you are interested in learning more, please reach out via the Contact page on my website.
Testimonials from coaching clients -
"Mary’s enthusiasm for genealogy is infectious — and her experience and deep knowledge is enhanced by cleverness, thoughtfulness and curiosity. Her years of experience in researching her own family give her coaching even more weight and balance. Plus she is quite funny and fun which makes the experience that much more pleasurable. Mary is an excellent resource and a problem solver — and she has been a great advisor and guide as I move along in discovering more about my family tree!" - Joe Pascale, Palm Springs, California
"When I began my ancestry exploration I was simply looking for hints and accepting those as true. Mary taught me how to evaluate information, fact check and take that new knowledge to the next level: looking across family connections, newspaper searches, court documents and licenses. She coached me on my next steps in research -- giving me clear direction on how to proceed while taking my interests into consideration." - Karrie M., Portland, Oregon
"Mary and I met virtually to help me start my genealogy project. I was able to do hands on research myself which was really fun and empowering. It was great to have Mary give me the lay of the land in the various websites to search. Mary's enthusiasm and expertise made the experience exciting rather than overwhelming. I just wanted to keep her on the call forever." - Marci, Seattle, Washington
"I’ve been working on my family history for the better part of five years now and have known Mary since our kids went to grade school together. Upon learning that she was interested in genealogy, I contacted her and we met for coffee. Her passion for family history and genuine interest in my family search was evident from the moment we sat down. I had no idea of the breadth and depth of her knowledge of and commitment to the study of genealogy. She was very good at setting structure to my work, helping me when I came upon the invariable brick walls, and giving me valuable ideas for resources. One very important factor was her ability to help while allowing me to find my own conclusions. There is nothing like the thrill that comes with finding a ‘lost’ relative, or finding the ship’s manifest with your great grandfather’s name on it and Mary is keenly aware of this important dynamic. I also came to appreciate the need to be thorough when investigating information from a census, birth certificate or marriage license. There is always something more than meets the eye, and Mary is very good at instilling this in me. Finally, I followed Mary’s advice and webinar when it came to ‘Bagging a Relative’ – and it worked! Again, no greater thrill than finding a lost relative – especially one whose alive." - Jack, Seattle, Washington