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Paula Williams

From DNA Matches to Family Answers—And Helping You Get There Too


  • DNA
  • Speaking / Presenting

  • DNA
  • Family History Research

  • Adoption / Unknown Parentage

  • DNA
  • Family History Research
  • Methodology & Resources
  • Technology
  • Available for virtual events

  • Tutor / Coach
Paula is a professional genealogist who has been researching for more than two decades in primarily southern US states and has been using DNA to solve problems for more than a decade. She has studied at IGHR, SLIG, GRIP, and the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed). In addition, she's a board member of the Virginia Genealogical Society and of the Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia (GRIVA) and is the facilitator for the latter's DNA Special Interest Group. She has taught at the IGHR and GRIP institutes and has lectured for Legacy Family Tree Webinars, RootsTech, the East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference, and for the National Genealogical Society conference, among other organizations. She is a member of APG's Professional Development and PMC committees, and also serves as the Virtual Tech Coordinator for the GRIP Genealogy Institute.

Some recent lectures include:
  • Cousins, Clusters, and Chromosomes: Making Sense of Your DNA Matches
  • Expect the Unexpected: Surprises We May Find in Our DNA Results
  • Challenging Some DNA Myths: Learn to Separate DNA Fact from Fiction
  • 10 Essential Resources for Genetic Genealogy
  • 5 Questions to Answer About Your DNA Matches
  • Solving a Virginia Mystery Using DNA
  • Ethnicity Estimates Are Not Always Useless: Learn What They Are (and Aren't) Telling You
  • Summon Your Inner Sherlock Holmes
  • DNA's FAN Club: Using Shared Matches To Solve Genealogical Mysteries
  • The More, the Merrier! Collaborating with Your DNA Cousins
  • Our Wacky and Wonderful Families: There's No One-Size-Fits-All in Genealogy
  • Getting Your DNA Bearings: Understand Your Results Before Chasing the Next Big Thing
  • Focused Learning and Collaboration: Special Interest Groups in Your Genealogical Society
  • Just Because It CAN Be Wrong Doesn't Mean It IS: Using Clues Effectively Using DNA in Your Family Research

Library of Virginia, Virginia Museum of History & Culture, central Virginia courthouses and societies

  • 21st Century
  • 20th Century
  • 19th Century

Virginia Genealogical Society (board member); Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia (GRIVA - board member); Genealogical Speakers Guild; National Genealogical Society; New York Genealogical and Biographical Society