Skip to main content

Interview with Karen Stanbary, an ISGS Speaker

The Illinois State Genealogical Society 2017 Fall Conference is just a little more than two weeks away! Karen Stanbary, CG℠ is one of our featured speakers. She holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Chicago. Karen specializes in Midwestern, Chicago, and Mexican research as well as complex problem-solving and DNA analysis. A regular instructor in Chicago’s Newberry Library Adult Education program, Karen lectures on topics including Genetic Genealogy, Advanced Genetic Genealogy and the Genealogical Proof Standard. She is a faculty member at GRIP, IGHR, and SLIG. She published a complex evidence case study incorporating traditional documentary research and autosomal DNA analysis in the June 2016 issue of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. She holds the credential Certified Genealogist® from the Board for Certification of Genealogists® where she serves on the Genetic Genealogy Standards committee.
Register for the fall conference today to attend Karen’s lectures!


Illinois State Genealogical Society: Tell us a little about the lectures you'll be presenting at the ISGS conference.
Karen Stanbary: The five lectures I will be presenting this year at the ISGG conference are sequential and designed to flow from one to another. Although any one lecture can stand on its own.

The first lecture "DNA:  A Power Tool in the Genealogist's Tool Box" will use real-life case examples demonstrating many different ways DNA test results helped to answer long-standing genealogical problems. I hope it will motivate the audience to commit to the learning necessary to do proper analysis.

The second and third lectures "Autosomal DNA Basics I and II" review the fundamentals of using autosomal DNA match lists including basic inheritance principals what a DNA match list is and isn't using relationship prediction ranges the value of the shared match list a tour of some of the analysis tools at the testing companies.
The fourth lecture  will review the unique inheritance pattern of the X-chromosome. Case examples will illustrate how shared DNA on the X can lead to a proven conclusion.

The fifth lecture explores the parameters of best practice when incorporating DNA evidence into a genealogical proof argument. The Genealogical Proof Standard plays a starring role.

ISGS: How did you become interested in genealogy?
KS: I was an impressionable high school student in the mid-1970's.  Three concurrent events sparked my lifelong interest in genealogy:  1) an American History teacher with a passion for micro-history incorporated details of everyday people in the curriculum; 2) Roots aired on television. I loved it. It so captured my imagination, I immediately read the book. I couldn't put it down; and 3) I spent time talking with family in my grandparents' generation, asking them to tell me stories of their childhoods.

ISGS: How long have you been researching?
KS: 40 years.  Facing an empty nest, I attended my first genealogical institute in 2012:  the Institute for Genealogical and Historical Research's course "Advanced Methodology" taught by Elizabeth Shown Mills. From that moment, I committed to learning the genealogical standards for best practice. I enrolled as a student in the very first genealogical institute course on DNA in 2014 at the Genealogical Research Institute at Pittsburgh. Debbie Parker Wayne, Blaine Bettinger and CeCe Moore made me a believer in the power of DNA analysis for genealogy.

ISGS: What has been a defining moment in your career as a genealogist?
KS: Achieving the Certified GenealogistSM credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists in 2016.

I was deeply honored to be awarded the National Genealogical Society Quarterly’s Award for Excellence for my article "Rafael Arriaga, A Mexican Father in Michigan: Autosomal DNA Helps Identify Paternity" (June 2016).

ISGS: What are you most looking forward to at the ISGS annual fall conference?
KS: Inspiring others to use DNA test results to solve their own genealogical problems and simply--networking with other genealogists.  

ISGS: What should conference attendees look forward to at your lectures?
KS: Fast-paced fun!

ISGS: In what ways are you expanding your knowledge in the field of genealogy?
KS: There is so much to learn in genealogy. One of the ways I continue learning is to study the articles in the NGSQ to learn how others creatively combined shards of evidence to prove theories.

ISGS: Why do you research your ancestors?
KS: I am most interested in the social narrative of my ancestors' lives. I study the challenges they faced and marvel at their resiliency.

ISGS: You'll be sharing your knowledge of genetic genealogy with us in October. What about DNA is so captivating for you?
KS: Knowing that my ancestors live on in the DNA in my cells. Chromosome mapping facilitates the identification of specific chromosomal segments and then assigning one of those segments to the unique ancestor from whom I inherited that bit of DNA.

ISGS: How has your previous career made you a better genealogist?
KS: I still practice Clinical Social Work.  The skill set is compatible. In both careers, I break overwhelming problems into small pieces and then reassemble them to reach a solution. Additionally, my social worker skills help me to work with people who receive unexpected DNA test results.

---

The ISGS 2017 Fall Conference is on October 27 and 28. Register today!

© 2017, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Comments