Speakers

Speakers and their bios will appear here when they are confirmed.
Speakers for the Faire are listed in alphabetical order by their first name.

Beverly Stevenson
My genealogy journey began years ago, sparked by captivating family stories shared by my great aunt. Eager to learn more, I started building my family tree using traditional methods. In 2016, I expanded my research with DNA testing through Ancestry, and by 2018, I began attending conferences in Canada and the US, where I had the privilege of meeting pioneers in the field like Barbara Rae-Ventner, Cece Moore, and Dr. Tim Janzen. Since 2019, I've been helping solve genealogical cases through IGG with my friends at CPS, bringing answers to many families over the past six years.
Session: Genetic Genealogy Investigations

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Devon

Session: Genetic Genealogy Investigations

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Ellen Thompson-Jennings

Ellen Thompson-Jennings is the self-proclaimed Family History Hound. She has been interested in genealogy since her teens when she interviewed her great-grandmother. Ellen loves the thrill of the hunt, so it is appropriate her blog is called; Hound on the Hunt. She will tell you that her three passions are: genealogy, genetic genealogy (DNA), and preserving her family photo legacy and she loves to share. Through family history, Ellen has discovered numerous cousins, learned who her ancestors were, and, in some cases, she’s learned why they did the things they did. Along the way, she discovered a passion for genetic genealogy and although she says she's not an expert her deep dive into the subject has help her own genealogy as well as others. Ellen is a member of the Alberta Genealogy Society and DNA Special Interest Group.
Session: Solving the Beaton Batten Mystery Through DNA and Documentation – A Case Study

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Jeannine Powell

Known among friends as the “GenQueen,” she brings over 32 years of experience in family history research, with a strong focus on online records and research technology. Her work includes research in Canada, England, Scotland, Iceland, Italy, and the United States. A longtime presenter, she has taught workshops for genealogical societies, libraries, community colleges, FamilySearch Centers, and regional conferences in British Columbia and Alberta. On two occasions, she was interviewed by CBC News Online for commentary on family history–related topics. She is a former Family History Consultant of 24 years and is currently serving as a volunteer with North America FamilySearch Support. This past year, she served as a resource person for the RootsTech 2026 online Chats, and most recently was invited to be a Keynote Speaker for the genealogy fair held in Grande Prairie.
Session: Making the Best Use of FamilySearch and Partner Sites to Document Your Family Tree and Diggin' Up the Dirt 

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Jessie Dial

Born and raised in Red Deer, Alberta, Jessie fondly remembers her grandmother telling stories of growing up on the family homestead in Westlock, Alberta. Listening to tales of riding on horseback to school in the summer and on horse drawn sleigh in the winters sparked her interest in history. However, it was the stories of her great grandfather, who grew up in England and her 2x great grandparents who would visit from Scotland, that truly sparked Jessie’s interest in family history.
Jessie is pursuing her Certificate in Genealogical Studies through the International Institute of Genealogical Studies and served as the president of the Alberta Genealogical Society Red Deer Branch since 2023-2026.
Session: When the Trail Goes Cold: Smart Sleuthing for Genealogy Breakthroughs and

From Paper Piles to Digital Smiles: Taming Your Genealogy Chaos

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Lianne Kruger

Lianne Kruger, a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, is a professional genealogist and speaker specializing in Canadian records, homesteading for U.S. and Canada, family history videos, and using technology in all aspects of genealogy.

She is a member of the board of mitoYDNA.org, program chair for the East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference. She has volunteered with Alberta Genealogical Society (AGS) for 15 years, and is currently AGS Past President. She was awarded the AGS President’s award in 2020.

She recently earned a Bachelor degree from Brigham Young University Idaho which included a Certificate and Associate degree in Family History Research.
Lianne is a frequent speaker at conferences and webinars including RootsTech, Legacy FamilyTree Webinars, FamilyRoots, THE Genealogy Show (UK), Ontario Ancestors, AGS, Ancestry, and Canadian genealogical societies in five provinces and some states. She has published articles in BYU Studies Quarterly, FamilySearch, Ancestry, and AGS Relatively Speaking. She earned the Peter Staveley Memorial Award for Best Relatively Speaking Article in 2022.
Blog:  iFamilyHistory.blogspot.ca
Sessions: Share Your Family History Through Videos and 

FNMI: The Indigenous Peoples of Canada

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Liz Audenart

I have been exposed to Family History since I was a young child. I remember my dad getting information on his family from the genealogist in England that he paid to do research. Much later my mother was called to do what is now extraction, but back then they wrote all the information down from Microfiche records. I was called to be a Family History Consultant in our ward and asked to work in the Family History Centre once a week. It was there that I began to learn how to enter names and dates, find, review and attach records and learn more of my family. My favorite is helping other people get started. I get so excited when I can find a name to attach to someone's tree someone they did not have. I remember finding some information for someone who told me their mother had been looking for years and hadn't found anything. That is so exciting. I am not great when people have a full tree with lots of information. I like it much better to help get started. 

Session: Sealing Power. LDS Session

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Lynne Duigou

Lynne Duigou is a retired teacher and a Past President of AGS. She is one of the instructors for the current Tracing Your Family Tree Course to be offered in May and June 2026 at the AGS Library in Edmonton. She is her family’s historian and has compiled several books on both her own and her husband’s family. Her favorite saying is: “If a story is not written down it will be lost.”

Session: Coming to Canada – Emigration, Immigration, Citizenship

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Maricel S. Gonzales

Maricel is currently serving as Stake Young Women Secretary in the Calgary Alberta Bow River Stake. She has been a consultant for 5 years at a Tagalog Ward. Maricel was invited to share her knowledge regarding Family History at Stake activity, Mabuhay Conference (Tagalog gathering from all over Canada), as well as Ward TFH activities, and supports the consultant around Alberta via Facebook chat group. Besides her passion for family history, she is a professional photographer and digital scrapbooker, loves nature, hiking, especially during winter. 

Session: Filipino Genealogy Session

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Marion Rex Howard

Marion Rex Howard has been researching her family’s genealogy since 1994, when her sister died of cancer and she realized that she would be the one in her generation to take up the quest for the family’s genealogy. She has served as President of Edmonton Branch, AGS Provincial Treasurer, Grants and Other Funding Chair, and Genealogy4Youth Chair. Now a retired award-winning teacher recognized at the local, provincial, national and international levels, she’s been sharing her expertise through sessions for Edmonton Branch’s Tracing Your Family Tree course since 2002.
Session: Getting Started in Genealogy: A Beginner's Guide to Uncovering Your Family's Story

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Mark Thompson

Mark Thompson is a professional genealogist and educator specializing in helping family historians use technology to uncover their roots. Combining his extensive leadership experience in technology with his passion for genealogy, Mark is known for making complex technology accessible and relevant for genealogists of all levels. Mark frequently leads workshops teaching genealogists practical skills in Excel, Artificial Intelligence, Genetic Genealogy, and Family Archiving. He currently serves as President of the Victoria Genealogical Society and chairs their DNA Special Interest Group. Mark also co-hosts the Family History AI Show podcast with Steve Little. When not immersed in family history, Mark enjoys nature photography in his home province of British Columbia, Canada. Contact: MarkThompson@MakingFamilyHistory.com www.makingfamilyhistory.com
Session: Yes, You can Research with AI.

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