INSTRUCTORS:

  1. Davey, Derek - Derek is a professional genealogist and sales manager for an Ohio Industrial Distributor. He has been researching his own family since 1974 when he was thirteen years old. Primary areas for professional research are Northwest Ohio and South Eastern Michigan for the past fifteen years. Lectures on a variety of topics related to genealogy in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. Specialty areas are computer genealogy, civil war research and New England research. Currently a member of the Ohio Genealogical Society, NEHGS, Genealogy Speakers Guild and Association of Professional Genealogist. Graduated with a BA degree from the University of Toledo in History and certificate from Boston University in Genealogy. Derek is married and has one son. Lives in the Toledo, OH area. Teaches genealogy at Lourdes University and Monclova Community Center.

  2. Eber, Charles - Elder Charles Eber, FamilySearch Support Missionary, with emphasis on new FamilySearch (nFS).  I am a frequent attendee of the Dayton Ohio Genealogy Jamboree.  I have also done genealogy research on my own family line for many years.

  3. Heap, Jim - Jim has been actively involved in genealogy research since 1974. He completed a 40-hour course in “How to do Genealogy Research” at a Regional Family History Center in Provo, Utah in 2004. Jim has served as a Family History Consultant in the Sidney Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the last 3 years. For the last 2 years, he has volunteered at the Piqua Public Library (Miami County – 1st and 3rd Thursday nights) and Sidney Public Library (Shelby County – 2nd Thursday night) to teach library patrons how to research their family trees. Jim married Anita Kay Fish in 1970. They are parents of 7 children and grandparents of 34 grandchildren so far. Jim graduated from the University of Arizona School of Medicine in 1975. He has worked in the field of occupational medicine (OM) since 1981 and is currently the Medical Director at Crown Equipment Corporation in New Bremen, Ohio. Hobbies include piano & organ, coin collecting, and Rubik’s cubes.

  4. Lauritzen, Peggy - Peggy Clemens Lauritzen, AG has been involved in genealogy and family research since even before she was born. Being born into an older family afforded her the opportunity to be around a generation that loved to tell stories and visit cemeteries. She is accredited in the Southern States, and is a frequent speaker at workshops and jamborees around Ohio. She is a former Family History Center Director, keeping a staff of thirty trained and up to date on current genealogy trends, as well as implementing yearly seminars.

  5. Merrill, Alexa - Lexi is past chair of the Central Indiana Family History Conference.  She is also a former Director of the Fishers Indiana Family History Center and has been a researcher for over 35 years.  Currently Lexi teaches a Family History Sunday School Course, is a FamilySearch Indexer, and Louisville Temple Ordinance Worker.

  6. Palmer, Dana - Dana Palmer, CG, is a teacher, lecturer, author and professional genealogist. President of Warren County Genealogical Society (WCGS), and the WCGS web designer & web master.  Extensive work with digital photo restoration and imaging.  Genealogy instructor at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio.  Member of OGS, WCGS, NGS and DUP.  Dana is the mother of four children and lives in Lebanon.

  7. Phillabaum, Jim - Jim Phillabaum has been involved in family history research for over 25 years.  He has taught research classes throughout the area.  He served in the U.S. Marines during the war in Vietnam and is a retired firefighter/paramedic.

  8. Rotterman, Lori - Lori is an active member of the Montgomery County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, currently serving as the Vice-President, and chairing both the Education and Special Projects committees, and has been working on her own family history for almost 30 years.  She works at the Dayton Metro Library, in the Magazine & Special Collections Division where their Genealogy Collection is housed.  She serves in a leadership role in the Dayton Metro Library Staff Association, the Union for library workers.  She supports her husband and son's rock band, Brute Finesse, and can often be found at their events.  Lastly, she loves reading mysteries, and going to garage sales.

  9. Vickers, Dave - Over 30 years of computer experience (PCs to super computers) as a product marketing manager; served as a family records extraction worker and leader; FamilySearch Indexing worker and arbiter; has been working as a Family History Center Librarian for more than 15 years; held several positions in the Montgomery County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, long time newsletter editor; has taught classes at the University of Dayton's Institute for Learning in Retirement and at the Sinclair Community College, College of Lifelong Learning in beginning and intermediate genealogy; a speaker on a variety of genealogical topics, specializing in the use of computers in genealogy.

  10. Wachs, Anne - With a bachelor’s degree in history, it seems only natural that after moving to the Dayton area to take a job as a reference librarian, I found a niche providing help to library patrons with genealogy interests.  While I would not consider myself a true family historian, I have spent many hours finding and researching online resources.  Under my direction, WCPL now offers thrice yearly genealogy workshops, and monthly interest groups to help locals use library genealogy resources.