My specialty area is the genealogy of Ireland and the Irish Diaspora (U.S., England, Scotland, Australia, and Canada). I also volunteer as a "search angel" helping persons identify their birth parents through DNA testing. I am the current President of the Natchitoches Genealogical and Historical Association, and I volunteer one day each week on the staff of the Natchitoches (Louisiana) Genealogy Library, where we help people trace their ancestry from this region. During the pandemic, I earned a certificate in Genealogy Research from Boston University, which brought my skills to an advanced level.

Geographic Specialities
Ireland,  Irish Diaspora (USA, Canada, Australia, England, Scotland), Louisiana

Additional specialities or search keywords
Irish, Irish-American, Louisiana

Lectures

• Limavady Area Ancestry (Northern Ireland), 2021 Steinbeck Anniversary Talk Invited Guest Speaker: "O'Kanes and Kanes of Magilligan Parish"
• Women Preserving Natchitoches/Living Library Series, Northwestern State University, Invited Guest Speaker: "The Natchitoches Genealogical and Historical Association," 14 Nov. 2023

Research Time Periods

• 20th Century
• 19th Century

Languages
French

Honorifics/Credentials
Professor Emerita of English, Northwestern State University of Louisiana

Certificates
Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research

Affiliations
President, Natchitoches Genealogical and Historical Association, 2025-Present

Degrees
B.A., Cornell University M.A., Boston University Ph.D., Louisiana State University