Megan Smolenyak Explained

Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak
Nationality:American
Education:
Occupation:Genealogist, author

Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak,[1] born October 9, is an American genealogist,[2] author, and speaker. She is also a consultant for the FBI and NCIS.

Education

Smolenyak holds a BSFS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, an MBA in International Business from George Washington University and an MAS in Information Technology from Johns Hopkins University.

Career

Genealogy work

Since 1999, she has been a consultant with the U.S. Army's repatriation efforts to locate the families of soldiers still unaccounted for from World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam.[3] As a genealogist, she is best known for unearthing celebrity roots,[4] conducting forensic research[5] for coroners, police departments, NCIS and the FBI, and championing the use of DNA testing to learn about one’s ancestry.[6] She researched Michelle Obama's family tree,[7] researched Annie Moore, the first immigrant through Ellis Island, traced Barack Obama's roots to Moneygall, Ireland,[8] [9] [10] and discovered that Al Sharpton’s great-grandfather had been owned by relatives of Strom Thurmond.[11] She also found out that Joe Biden is "roughly five-eighths Irish".[12] She, herself, is of Irish and Rusyn heritage with roots in Ireland, Slovakia, Poland and Ukraine. Formerly Chief Family Historian for Ancestry.com, she also founded Unclaimed Persons.[13] She is nicknamed the "Indiana Jones of Genealogy".[14] She is a former board member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG).[15]

Author

Smolenyak has authored six books. She has written articles for Ancestry, Family Chronicle, Family Tree Magazine, Irish America, Genealogical Computing, Heritage Quest, NGS NewsMagazine, Everton's Family History Magazine, and APG Quarterly. Smolenyak is also a Huffington Post contributor. Smolenyak conducted research and wrote the companion book for the U.S. version of Who Do You Think You Are?.[16]

Speaker and consultant

Smolenyak has also consulted for and appeared on CBS's The Early Show, Good Morning America, the Today Show, Top Chef (Bravo), CNN, ESPN, BBC Breakfast, African American Lives, PBS's Ancestors, TimeWatch, They Came to America, Who Do You Think You Are?, Faces of America, Finding Your Roots, NuvoTV, NPR,[17] [18] BBC Radio, and local television and radio shows, and has spoken at the National Genealogical Society, Federation of Genealogical Societies, Who Do You Think You Are Live?, Australasian Federation of Family History Organizations, and other historical, military, ethnic and literary events.[19] [20]

Awards

She was the winner of writing awards from the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors and the Bo Peep Award, given by the International Black Sheep Society of Genealogists.[21] Smolenyak was awarded the 2010 NGS Award of Merit for her work in advancing responsible genealogy to a broad popular audience.[22]

Works

External links

Notes and References

  1. Sam Roberts, "Genealogical detective story begins at Ellis Island," The New York Times, September 14, 2006.
  2. Sue Shellenbarger, "Grandma Did What?' Digging Up the Roots of Family Lore" The Wall Street Journal, January 17, 2013.
  3. Joseph A. Gambardello, "Haddonfield genealogist helped Army identify remains of airman killed in 1946" Philadelphia Inquirer, December 31, 2012.
  4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-smolenyak-smolenyak/ "Megan Smolenyak Articles on The Huffington Post"
  5. Sheila Langan, "Calling Up the Ancestors: Genealogist Megan Smolenyak", Irish America, February/March 2013.
  6. Kevin Kelly, "Trace Your Roots with DNA + The Genographic Project: Practical genetic literacy," Cool Tools, August 22, 2005.
  7. Rachel L. Swarns and Jodi Kantor, "In First Lady's Roots, a Complex Path From Slavery," The New York Times, October 7, 2009.
  8. Mary Jordan, "Tiny Irish Village Is Latest Place to Claim Obama as Its Own," The Washington Post, May 13, 2007.
  9. Web site: Lineberry. Cate. Genealogy Tips from Megan Smolenyak - AARP The Magazine. 2021-01-05. AARP. english.
  10. News: Kannadasan. Akila. 2018-08-22. Genealogy tourism picks up as people set off in search of their roots. en-IN. The Hindu. 2021-01-07. 0971-751X.
  11. Robin Shulman, "Sharpton's Ancestor Was Owned by Thurmond's," The Washington Post, February 25, 2007.
  12. News: 2016-06-21. Joe Biden: US Vice President returns to his Irish roots. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-01-07.
  13. Web site: 2014-03-03. The genealogical detective and champion of our ancestors. 2021-01-05. IrishCentral.com. en.
  14. Web site: Noble. Barnes &. Hey, America, Your Roots Are Showing:: Adventures in Discovering News-Making Connections, Unexpected Ancestors, and Long-Hidden Secrets, and Solving Historical PuzzlesPaperback. 2021-01-05. Barnes & Noble. en.
  15. Web site: Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak. 2021-01-07. APG.
  16. Web site: Megan Smolenyak . Penguin Random House. 2021-01-05. PenguinRandomhouse.com. en-US.
  17. https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11279426 "Putting the 'Genes' Back into Genealogy"
  18. Web site: Discover Your Family History. 2021-01-07. www.scholastic.com.
  19. Web site: Linda Konner Literary Agency :: Speakers Showcase :: Megan Smolenyak. 2021-01-05. www.lindakonnerliteraryagency.com.
  20. Web site: Burke. Kate. 28 February 2011. Famous genealogist to present program in Stromsburg. 2021-01-07. York News-Times. en.
  21. Web site: Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak to Speak at 2008 Conference - Maine Genealogical Society. 2021-01-07. en-US.
  22. Web site: Cerutti. Pam. NGS Names Winners of Top Contributors to the Field. 2021-01-07. en.
  23. Web site: 101 stories of serendipity. 2021-01-07. Tampa Bay Times.
  24. Web site: Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak. 2021-01-05. irishphiladelphia.com. en-US.
  25. Web site: Kentner. D. A.. The Readers' Writers: Genealogy detective Megan Smolenyak. 2021-01-07. Geneseo Republic - Geneseo, IL. en.
  26. Web site: DOLHENTY ARCHIVE: Book Review - Trace Your Roots with DNA. 2021-01-07. radicalacademy.org.
  27. Web site: Megan Smolenyak . HuffPost. 2021-01-07. www.huffpost.com. en.
  28. Web site: 2013-01-18. Calling Up the Ancestors: Genealogist Megan Smolenyak. 2021-01-07. Irish America. en-US.
  29. Web site: 2015-02-20. Genealogy 101: Discover Your Roots. https://web.archive.org/web/20181107123121/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/intelligent-travel/2015/02/20/genealogy-101-discover-your-roots/. dead. November 7, 2018. 2021-01-07. Travel. en.

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