Speaker: Katherine R. Willson

Areas of focus or expertise:

  • Immigrants’ journey to America
  • Finding & interpreting passenger lists
  • Immigrants’ U.S. Westward migration
  • Immigrants’ naturalization process
  • Plus more topics listed at SocialMediaGenealogy.com

Email contact: moonswings@gmail.com

Web/social media: SocialMediaGenealogy.com

Home: Dexter, Michigan, USA

Native language: English

Presentation language(s): English

Preferred presentation type: virtual and in-person

Travel preferences: No travel limitations; organization pays all travel costs

Biography

Katherine is the founder & past President of the Virtual Genealogical Association, past President of the Michigan Genealogical Council, past board member for both the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Genealogical Speakers Guild, and has held numerous leadership roles within Michigan’s genealogical community.

She has taught at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, and has coordinated and taught at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy.

Katherine’s website at SocialMediaGenealogy.com contains catalogs of almost 17,000+ genealogy/history links on Facebook, 190+ genealogy YouTube channels, 76 genealogy podcasts, and multiple other free resources.

In which societies are you a member? National Genealogical Society, New England Historic Genealogical Society, New York Genealogical Society, and many local genealogical societies throughout the U.S. and family history societies throughout the United Kingdom

Speaking experience/references

More than 70 presentations each year including local, regional, national, and international events such as the UK’s Society of Genealogists, the National Genealogical Society, RootsTech, Association of Professional Genealogists, Federation of Genealogical Societies (disbanded in 2020), and multiple state societies & state libraries/archives.

Recording of previous presentation OR an IGGP partner you have presented for:

Payment/expense arrangements

How do you approach payment for making a presentation? I charge a fixed fee shared to the potential client.

Other expenses you would like to have reimbursed if you travel? All travel costs including mileage at the IRS rate or airfare; transportation to/from the airport; airport parking; hotel costs; and meals at the IRS per diem rate.

Recordings/additional materials

Are you willing to prepare a handout? Yes

Would you be willing to develop a presentation on another topic? Yes

Do you have any restrictions on recording, re-use of recordings, handouts, etc? Extra fee to record presentations; any recording and handout is not to be posted on any public website.

Are you willing to have the presentation translated or translate it yourself? Yes

Presentation topics

All topics in English and applicable for all audiences:

  • 1820s/1840s Irish Immigrants to Canada & America: 2 Case Studies
  • European Experiences of 19th and 20th Century Voyages to America
  • American Experiences of the 19th and 20th Century Financial Crises
  • American Experiences of the 1918 Influenza Pandemic
  • America’s Social Reform Movements of the 19th Century
  • America’s New Deal Programs of the 1930s
  • The Link Between Anti-Immigration Sentiment, Prohibition, the Mafia, and U.S. Border Patrol
  • America’s Westward Expansion: 25 Events in 50 Minutes
  • Records of America’s Westward Traveling Pioneers & Service Providers
  • Pioneering Families of the 1820s &1830s into Wayne County, Michigan Territory
  • Navigating the Historical & Genealogical Treasures Within Libraries, Archives, & More
  • Easily Citing Your Genealogical Sources: A Roadmap of Your Research
  • Seeking Dead People: U.S. Cemetery Research Online & In Person
  • Our Ancestors’ Stories Found in State & Federal U.S. Censuses
  • Finding & Analyzing U.S. Passenger Arrival Lists
  • Finding Historic U.S. Newspaper Articles Online & Offline
  • U.S. Naturalization: Rules, Records, and Repositories
  • Introduction to U.S. Military Records Research
  • Using Maps in Genealogy
  • Resources for Genealogical Research in Foreign Countries
  • Records of New York City’s Emigrant Savings Bank
  • Introduction to DNA Tests for Family History
  • 40+ Sources for Finding Maiden Names
  • 120+ Tips & Sources for Finding Ancestral Photos Online & Offline
  • 20 Google Search Tips & Google Resources for Genealogy
  • Creating Google Alerts for Genealogy (or Anything Else!)
  • Using Social Media for Genealogy
  • Facebook’s 16,700+ Genealogy/History Pages & Groups
  • Reverse Genealogy: Locating Living Distant Relatives
  • Breaking Genealogical Brick Walls: Timelines, Checklists & Correspondence Logs
  • Publishing Your Family History in Forms, Reports, or Books
  • Top 10 Dos & Don’ts for Preserving Family Memorabilia
  • Preserving Your Community’s Military Veterans’ Voices
  • Exploring the Features of FamilySearch.org
  • Exploring the Features of Ancestry.com
  • 95+ Free Sources for Filling Out Your Family Tree
  • How to Begin Researching Your Family Tree
  • Adding a Genealogical Codicil to Your Will