Christine Hingerty took up genetic genealogy in 2016 in order to

a)     Find her adoptee husband’s biological family, and b)     Assist her brother in law (the family historian) to solve a few mysteries in her own family tree that had remained even after many years of traditional research.

Having found her husband’s biological family and resolving most of the family mysteries (and finding a few more!), she now uses the skills learned to assist others to understand and make use of their autosomal and Y DNA results to answer their genealogical research questions.

In 2020 Chris took the plunge and registered a Hingerty One Name Study with the Guild of One Name Studies to find links back in Ireland for her great great grandfather John Hingerty, and to answer the question “Are all Hingertys related?”.

Five years later, a website, two blogs, a Face Book group, two Youtube channels and three FTDNA surname projects support the study.

Chris is a regular presenter for The Society of Australian Genealogists (SAG) as well as other family history groups. She is the Lead for the Genetic Genealogy Advisory Group and a member of the Board for SAG.

Andrew Redfern is a passionate family historian with particular interests in Colonial Australia and the convict experience. He is a current director of the Society of Australian Genealogists where he contributes significantly to its education and IT programs.

Andrew is particularly interested in how digital tools can be used to enhance our family history work and combined with his professional background in educational technology, he willingly shares his findings and expertise with others.

Andrew was a driving force behind Ironclad Sisterhood, a digitisation project documenting over 4,700 convict women. In late 2024 he developed and presented Digital Skills for Family Historians, leading over 100 participants through this innovative multi-session program.

Andrew is at the forefront of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into family history research. His innovative approach has positioned him as a leader in this rapidly evolving field, where he explores Al's potential to streamline genealogical workflows, enhance data interpretation, and reimagine storytelling.

His expertise has led to invitations to present at events across Australia and internationally, including serving as a panel member exploring the future of Al in the world of genealogy. His ability to demystify Al for genealogists has earned him recognition as a thought leader in the field.

Jeffrey Madsen had a long career in Information Technology using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) software to prepare maps for Government, private enterprise and family researchers.

It became evident that this Spatial knowledge could be used in genealogical research. Using maps and investigating areas of historical geography would enhance family stories by finding information beyond names and dates. He has used many alternate sources to determine the locations where his ancestors were born and lived.

Jeffrey has presented a number of sessions on how NSW Historical Land Records and maps can be used for Family Research.

Jeffrey is a Fellow of the Society of Australian Genealogists and a member of Botany Bay Family History Society and Newcastle Family History Society.

Danielle Lautrec is the author of The Good Genealogist, How to improve the quality of your family history, published by the Society of Australian Genealogists in 2022.

She has a strong research background, with a post graduate diploma in history and family history from the University of New England and degrees in archaeology, town planning and environmental studies.

Danielle is a Fellow and faculty member of the Society of Australian Genealogists. She has been teaching genealogy for the society for many years and is convenor of the Society’s Legacy Family Tree Software Group, Source Citations Group and co-convenor of the Society’s two DNA Research Groups.

Lorraine Neate is currently the President of the Illawarra Historical Society.  She has written several books about Illawarra history based on the stories of individuals who lived in the area, including members of her own family.

Lorraine is a regular contributor to local history-based Facebook pages and has been working on her family history since the late 1970s.

Lorraine’s presentation is titled “Ebenezer’s Cash Book 1897-1913”, which recorded both business and personal records of her great-grandfather and provides details important to understanding farming and family life around the turn of the twentieth century.  Ebenezer’s Cash Book could also be considered both a diary and a de facto family bible, with over 3000 transactions.

Dr Betty O’Neill is a Sydney-based author and educator with a lively curiosity and passion for family history. She is a lecturer in Creative Intelligence at the University of Technology, Sydney and a past Director on the Board of the Society of Australian Genealogists.

She has appeared on Who Do You Think You Are? and been interviewed by many, including Sarah Kanowski, ABC Conversations about her debut memoir, The Other Side of Absence: Discovering my father’s secrets, published in 2020.

Her current writing project is on intergenerational homelessness beginning with her County Clare, Irish O’Neills in the mid-nineteenth century. See Betty’s website for interviews and other information www.bettyoneill.com

Lilian Magill is an experienced genealogist who has shared her knowledge through presentations at past State Family History Conferences and The Genealogy Show. 

Lilian is a regular guest speaker at Family History Societies, a member of the Society of Australian Genealogists, a past coordinator to the Writing Group, and has hosted Friday Hangouts.

Mike Traynor navigated  the oceans and seas of the world on merchant ships before becoming a maritime educator with NSW TAFE and the NSW Maritime Authority.  Following the untimely death of his father, Mike discovered that his dad had quietly began the genealogical history of his family and upon inheriting a pile of certificates and papers he decided to continue the work of keeping that newly sprouted Traynor family tree alive.  

Mike considers himself to be the average type of family history researcher,  amazed at  and perplexed by all the twists and turns that the process can take. His ancestral research has led to a developing interest in Australian maritime history with a fascination in the sea-going journeys that his forebears must have endured on their way to their new lives in Australia.

Having produced their first major local history publication, The Black Swan, in 1989, Terry and wife, Wendy Nunan, have been avid family and local historians for the past four decades, with over 15 publications to their credit. Their contrasting ancestries have brought about an astonishing range of topics that one can find in their volumes.

Being descended from several pioneering Illawarra families, much of Terry’s research has sought out and documented many aspects of the history and development of Dapto and Albion Park that affected the everyday lives of his ancestors and their involvement in the local dairy and agricultural industries.

Through their work on identifying and then biographing all those buried in selected local cemeteries, they have uncovered a vast array of life stories, of persons who ranged from the very very good to the very very bad, and in doing so have brought to themselves and their readers an appreciation of the vast depth and breadth of human nature.

Terry is a self-taught expert on historical NSW land records, his latest works tracing the land ownership history of both suburban Dapto and the nearby farms.

On most of their projects, they form a dedicated team to ensure their publications are of the highest possible standard, spending untold amounts of time and money on their research and writing.