Meet Our Experts

Areas of Expertise: Colonial New England, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, Ireland.

Lynn Betlock is Managing Editor of American Ancestors, a quarterly member magazine that blends popular content with high-quality scholarship.

Areas of Expertise: New England, mid-Atlantic, and mid-western immigration, migration, and settlement, African American history, 19th and 20th century American and British history, German fluency.

Robert is the editor of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, the nation’s premier genealogical journal.

Areas of Expertise: African American genealogy, Oklahoma and Freedmen of the Five Tribes, Mississippi, and generational Americans with enslaved and/or enslaver ancestors.

Areas of Expertise: United States, German, old German Gothic script, England, French, and Latin records. Research experience with microfilm and books in the Family Search Library; FamilySearch, Ancestry, and internet websites; and genealogical software.

Zobeida leads the volunteer program for Database Services and assists with creating and improving the database offerings on the American Ancestors website.

Chris Child has worked for various departments at American Ancestors since 1997 and became a full-time employee in July 2003. He has been a member of American Ancestors since the age of eleven.

Areas of Expertise: Rhode Island, Connecticut, and French-Canada.

Curt is American Ancestors' Curator of Fine Art. As part of the Education team, he curates American Ancestors' large art collection, lectures around the world, and hosts the celebrated American Ancestors Art & Architecture webinar series.

Areas of Expertise: colonial New England, New Netherland, Ireland, Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Quebec, Scandinavia, and African American research.

Cécile leads the Publications team of ten who writes, produces, and publishes about twenty American Ancestors and Newbury Street Press titles per year and our journal The New England Historical and Genealogical Register.

Areas of expertise: African American Genealogy & History, Texas, and Oklahoma.

Area of Expertise: State and Federal Censuses, New England, Ireland, and New York research, with a focus on research methodology and organization. Lindsay also oversees the research team working on the 10 Million Names project.

Areas of Expertise: Ireland, French Canada, and New England.

Areas of Expertise: Colonial-era New England, Jewish history, lineage societies in the United States, and archival standards.

James writes family histories for our Newbury Street Press imprint.

Areas of Expertise: digital collections, archives, information management, and research access.

Areas of Expertise: Irish immigration, Irish records, DNA, church records, German, New York (both city and state), and New England.

As a member of the Learning & Interpretation team, Kyle researches and writes family histories.

Sharon leads a team of ten who write and publish our two journals—the New England Historical and Genealogical Register and Mayflower Descendant—as well as up to twenty print publications per year.

Areas of Expertise: rare books, New England, England, and Ireland.

Areas of Expertise: 19th-century America, Germany, New York, New York City, Norway, Italy, westward migration, immigration history, and descendancy research.

Areas of expertise: New England and Atlantic Canadian records of the 17th through 21st century; American and international military records; DNA research; and Native American and African American genealogical research in New England. 

Areas of Expertise: New England, Canada, Enslaved People & Descendant Research.

Areas of Expertise: Irish genealogy, the Atlantic Canadian Provinces of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, and New England.

Areas of Expertise: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Scotland, DNA, and descendancy research.

Areas of expertise: Immigration and naturalization, late 19th and early 20th century urban research, missionaries.

Areas of expertise: Irish genealogy, DNA, Atlantic Canada, Jewish genealogy, and military records.

Areas of Expertise: Massachusetts, French Canada, Ireland, Catholic records; proficient in French language.

Ginevra Morse joined the American Ancestors staff in 2010 as Publications Coordinator, transitioning to the Education team as Online Education Coordinator in 2013.

Hunter Moskowitz joined the Research Services team in 2025.

Areas of Expertise: American genealogy, Ireland, Italy, and DNA.

Areas of Expertise: Revolutionary War, New England, Spanish Language, and African American.

Areas of Expertise: Conservation of books, manuscripts, art on paper and photographs, the production of the American book in the industrial era, and the general history of European and American bookbinding.

Areas of Expertise: New England, Poland, and DNA.

Elizabeth studied at the University of Connecticut and Smith College, earning a dual B.A. in History and Classical Studies. Before joining the American Ancestors team she worked as a Lead Guide at Roseland Cottage for Historic New England.

Eileen writes family histories as part of the Learning & Interpretation team. She has authored several books, written articles for American Ancestors magazine, and contributes to the Vita Brevis blog.

As Senior Editor for American Ancestors magazine and the Weekly Genealogist enewsletter, Jean writes and edits articles, strategizes content, and provides illustrations.

Areas of Expertise: French Canada, Acadia, France, New England, Ireland, Poland, and Ukraine.

Areas of Expertise: Revolutionary War veterans, African American genealogy, and New England.

Areas of Expertise: New England, Ireland, Italy, and Scotland research and lineage society applications.

Areas of Expertise: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.

Meaghan joined the American Ancestors staff in 2013 as a Researcher before moving to the Publications team in 2018 where she is currently a Senior Genealogist of the Newbury Street Press.

D. Brenton Simons OBE is a veteran nonprofit administrator, author, speaker, and historian. Currently President Emeritus and Chief Stewardship Officer, he is immediate past President and CEO of American Ancestors.

Areas of Expertise: DNA, New England, Atlantic Canada, Quebec, and Italy.

An educator and historian, Ryan Woods is President & CEO of American Ancestors. For nearly two decades, he has led the development of award-winning experiences for exploring family history, heritage, & culture.