Join me in congratulating those receiving the most votes by those living in the specified countries/areas, the "gold medallists," our 2014 Superstar Genealogists. None are repeats from last year.
Australia/New Zealand
Shauna Hicks
Shauna Hicks is a retired librarian/archivist living in Queensland who operates a small personal part time business specialising in local and family history research. She is a lead presenter for Unlock the Past, a series of history and genealogy events in Australia and New Zealand. Her business website is www.shaunahicks.com.au/ while she blogs at http://diaryofanaustraliangenealogist.blogspot.com/
Shauna Hicks is a retired librarian/archivist living in Queensland who operates a small personal part time business specialising in local and family history research. She is a lead presenter for Unlock the Past, a series of history and genealogy events in Australia and New Zealand. Her business website is www.shaunahicks.com.au/ while she blogs at http://diaryofanaustraliangenealogist.blogspot.com/
Canada
Dick Eastman
Dick has been involved in genealogy for more than 30 years and worked in the computer industry for more than 40 years. A long-time blogger, since before the days of blogs, Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter is the world's most popular genealogy blog. It brings news with a US emphasis. Dick's particular forte, which makes his blog a must read for many internationally, is technology developments relevant to genealogy.
England, Scotland, Wales
Janet Few
Dr Janet Braund Few holds the advanced diploma in family history and genealogy awarded by the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies, and lectures regularly on family, social and local history. A prize-winning author and freelance researcher specialising in the southwest of England, Janet spends time living in the seventeenth century as her alter ego “Mistress Agnes,” imparting information about life in the time of the English Civil War. Janet website and blog posts are at http://thehistoryinterpreter.wordpress.com/
Ireland
Steven Smyrl
Steven C. Ffeary-Smyrl has practised as a specialist in legal and probate genealogical research for over twenty years. A Fellow of the Irish Genealogical Research Society he was a founding member and is a past chairman of the Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations. He is author or co-author of several Irish genealogical publications and contributes a regular column to the quarterly Irish genealogy magazine, Irish Roots.
USA
Judy Russell
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Judy G. Russell, a Colorado native, has a bachelor’s degree in journalism, a political science minor and a law degree. As a genealogist she is a member of numerous societies and holds credentials from the Board for Certification of Genealogists® where she is a Trustee. As well as being an author and blogger at The Legal Genealogist Judy lectures extensively with more than 20 appearances scheduled before the end of the year.
DNA
Roberta Estes
A professional scientist and business owner Roberta has been an obsessed genealogist since 1978. She founded DNAeXplain in 2004 following a successful 25 year career as President of Information Access Strategies, Inc. Roberta manages over 20 surname projects and is teamed with Family Tree DNA to offer personalised DNA analysis for customers and custom analysis for surname projects.
Over the next few days the blog will reveal top ten Rockstar Genealogists lists as follows:
Wednesday: Australia/News Zealand and Canada
Thursday: England/Scotland/Wales and Ireland
Friday: USA and DNA
Saturday: International and Commonwealth
Congratulations all and especially to my Aussie mate Shauna Hicks who does an amazing (voluntary) job co-ordinating our highly successful National Family History Month.
ReplyDeleteTruly honoured to be in such great company and thanks to everyone who voted for me. Congratulations everyone and thanks to John for doing the survey.
ReplyDeleteWhat an honour - and a surprise - to be voted Ireland's Gold Award "Rockstar Genealogist" by the followers of Anglo-Celtic Connections. Thanks to all those who voted for me and for the two Irish runners-up, Claire Santry (silver) and John Grenham (bronze).
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm pleased as punch to take the silver for Ireland, I'm even more delighted to see Steven Smyrl take Gold. You raised the issue of volunteers the other day, John.... well, Steven is a volunteer par excellence. He's the very hands-on chairman of the IGRS, president of APGI, the force that moves CIGO, and a roving ambassador for the NIFHS. And these are his volunteer roles in the genealogy world alone (he has more!). How he fits it all in around his full-time business commitments, I've no idea. He's a human dynamo, and always generous with praise for others. It's now his turn to take a bow. No one deserves it more.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to all! Interesting that only the Canadians did not vote for their own people. The other countries all voted to put their folks in the top three positions. Does this suggest we do not know enough about some of our top genealogists? Or are Canadian genealogists not doing enough to promote themselves?
ReplyDeleteGail: Only Canada does not have a national organization.
ReplyDeleteSo pleased to see Shauna recognized for all her efforts on behalf of our community.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Goodluck for you!
ReplyDelete