Currently accepting clients for...

• Family History Research
• Speaking / Presenting
• Writing /Publishing

I’m Janelle Asselin, a genealogist from Nebraska and Iowa with roots in Michigan and Canada who now lives in Wisconsin. As a teenager, I adored pouring over family photos and home movies and created handwritten family trees after hearing stories about my great grandparents. Nearly 20 years ago, at a time of great change in my personal and professional life, I was reminded of this interest by the TV show Who Do You Think You Are? Before long, I was spending hours and hours on genealogy sites, scouring for the records that would answer the long list of questions I had about my ancestors. I see genealogy as a way to combine my curiosity about myself and my family with my love of history.

I grew up in the Midwest, filled with a wild imagination and a love of reading.  In 2005, I began actively pursuing my dream of editing for a living. My passion for the written word and improving lives through media is evident in the work I do every day, working on developing corporate intellectual property into compelling, relatable stories. While those jobs have paid the bills and fulfilled me in many ways, genealogy began to feel more like a calling than a hobby.

I am the Marketing committee chair for the Irish Genealogical Society International, on the Board of Directors for the American Canadian Genealogical Society, and volunteers in additional capacities for both organizations. I earned the certificate from the National Genealogical Society’s Advanced Skills in Genealogy course and am a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists. I also have attended a variety of webinars, institutes, and courses, including virtually attending GRIP Genealogy Institute in 2025 and taking the course “Effective Listening and Self-Care for Genealogists” through the University of Strathclyde. 

A lifelong scholar, I hold a BA in English Language and Literature from Southern New Hampshire University and an MS in Publishing from Pace University. I received Pace’s 2012 Publishing Award for excellence in the study of publishing for my graduate thesis, titled “How Can the Comic Book Industry Increase Sales Among Woman? An Analysis of Factors Affecting Female Consumers.” I live in Madison, Wisconsin with my lovely enginerdy spouse, four adorable cats, and way too many books (and board games and video games).

Currently, I am taking clients for document retrieval, writing, and presentation work, and can write or present on topics ranging from writing and editing to Midwestern and Canadian history to managing and caring for family photo collections. You can also find me on BlueSky at @prairiegenealogy.bsky.social, Instagram 

Geographic Specialities
Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Ontario, Quebec -- general Great Lakes / Upper Midwest area
Ireland
England
Iowa, Nebraska

Research Time Periods

• 20th Century
• 19th Century
• 18th Century

Certificates
National Genealogical Society, Advanced Skills in Genealogy

Affiliations
Irish Genealogical Society International, Marketing Chair
American-Canadian Genealogical Society, Board Member

Degrees
Bachelor of Arts, English Language and Literature (Southern New Hampshire University)
Masters of Science, Publishing (Pace University)