about me

professional genealogist Jennifer Dondero, author of Essential Skills for the Occasional Genealogist, an Amazon bestseller

Meet the Author

I'm Jennifer, and I'm an Occasional Genealogist... sort of. For over ten years I've been a professional genealogist. I started researching my own family nearly 30 years ago. Like many of you, I started as an Occasional Genealogist. I had to squeeze research in while in school and while working full-time. Then I got my first genealogy job and for awhile, it was genealogy all the time. Now I have two kids. I do other people's genealogy constantly but my own? Coming up with ways to do great genealogy, despite all the interruptions, is now mandatory.

Learn More About Me

3:57 PM

#1 Tip for Finding That Elusive Ancestor

You can't find your ancestor in online records? There are several reasons but this post is about a reason many newbie genealogists don't consider. It can be so frustrating when you're hunting for that elusive ancestor and just can't seem to find them. You keep searching online but... Why…

6:54 AM

7 Tips to Maximize Your Genealogy Time

This week I have something a little different. It's my first guest post! Earlier this summer I was completely overwhelmed and my health was even starting to suffer. I'm in a business mentorship this year and one of my fellow program participants is an efficiency expert and productivity coach and she was ab…

6:06 AM

Cloud-Based Mind Mapping Tools to Help You Organize Your Genealogy

Mind mapping is a brainstorming technique where visual diagrams are used to show how thoughts or ideas are connected. The process is commonly used in project planning and presentations. But have you tried it for genealogy? Mind maps look a lot like family trees that got a little loose and crazy. And I know that’s …

1:09 PM

Ancestry DNA ThruLines: What Does It Do?

If you've been bombarded with news of AncestryDNA's new feature, ThruLines™, you may be wondering what it is and what it can do for you. I woke up Friday morning to an email from a research cousin to one of my DNA clients asking and exclaiming all sorts of things about ThruLines™. Basically, she thoug…

5:18 PM

What To Do While You Wait for DNA Matches to Respond

Are you trying to make progress using your DNA results but aren't sure what to do? This post is for you. You can try these tips and suggestions to get more from your DNA results. I started this list as part of my post about contacting AncestryDNA matches . These were suggestions of what to do while you wait…

1:58 PM

Why is AncestryDNA Different?

UPDATE: I no longer recommend testing at AncestryDNA. Currently, there are severe limitations to the tools they offer and your options for third-party tools are now being limited. If you've already tested at AncestryDNA, this post will help you use those results but for faster results, consider a site with more to…