Sarah’s passion for genealogy began with her interest in storytelling and the lessons we can learn from the past. As a child, she loved hearing older family members share stories of their lives and ancestors. She was also a bookworm who loved biographies, historical fiction, and atlases. Her favorite book as a sixth grader was a historical fiction genealogy mystery, “Search for the Shadowman,” by Joan Lowery Nixon. Sarah considered several storytelling majors (including English, Communications, and Visual Arts) before discovering Family History as a career possibility and switching to that major during her senior year at Brigham Young University.
Education and Training
Sarah has a Bachelor’s Degree in Family History and 15 years of genealogy experience.
Specialties
She specializes in DNA, General US, and German research. She particularly enjoys the challenge of using DNA evidence along with traditional research methods to solve historical mysteries. Specialties: Historical DNA Research, General U.S. Genealogy Research, German Genealogy Research.
Experience
Sarah has worked as a professional genealogist since 2009. She conducted client research independently and through Ancestry’s Expert Connect service, and spent four years working for a German probate research firm. She also developed a specialty in genetic genealogy research during her early years as a researcher, and used DNA to solve multiple unknown parentage cases for friends and family members. Sarah joined Legacy Tree as an intern on the DNA team in 2019.
In her present role as an Advanced Researcher on the DNA team, she enjoys using her DNA and traditional research skills to solve challenging genealogical mysteries, both recent and historical, and sharing the stories she uncovers with clients.
Sarah lives in Utah and is married with two children. She enjoys gardening, photography, and jogs/walks with her two dogs (one at a time usually). She is a violinist who has taught beginning strings at local elementary schools, and finds music to be another powerful form of storytelling. She has enjoyed visiting ancestral locations in the US Midwest and Hawaii, but still has a lot of other places on her bucket list, including New York City, the Carolinas and Virginia, Newfoundland, Portugal, Germany, and the UK and Ireland.
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