Currently accepting clients for...

• DNA
• Family History Research

Michelle is a professional genetic genealogist who began solving unknown parentage cases in 2013 when genetic genealogy and the databases it relies on were in their infancy. Ever since, Michelle has been finding the biological families of adoptees, foundlings and people with unknown fathers and grandfathers.

Michelle was part of the team who found the biological family of foundling Paul Fronczak. His story is chronicled in a book entitled “The Foundling" and in a CNN documentary film "The Lost Sons" now streaming on Hulu/HBOMax/Disney+.

Michelle has completed the most advanced courses offered in the field of genetic genealogy, including: - Advanced DNA Practicum at CAFG 2015 & 2016 - Advanced Genetic Genealogy at GRIP 2018.  Michelle has also attended and/or presented at the Institute for Genetic Genealogy (i4GG) conferences in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025.

Publications/Media
See Michelle in The Lost Sons, a CNN documentary film available on HBO/Hulu/Disney+, and in the book The Foundling that preceeded the film. Her work was also featured in BusinessWeek.  

Lectures
Michelle has presented, From An Easy Solve To When The DNA Gets Tricky, Leveraging the Power of Genetic Networks to Uncover the Truth, Examining Your Matches at the Big 3 and, Getting Started with AncestryDNA at Institute for Genetic Genealogy conferences over the years. Michelle has also presented to DNA interest groups all around Southern California.

Affiliations
The DNA Detectives

Degrees
M.A. (Sociology) USC, B.A. (Sociology) UCSD