Karen Stanbary, MA, LCSW, CG®, CGG®, BCG Trustee, is an author and national lecturer focusing on topics related to using genetic evidence correlated with documentary evidence to solve genealogical brick walls. A Chicago local, she holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Chicago and has completed advanced graduate study in Social Anthropology at the Colegio de Michoacán, Mexico. Her genealogical practice specializes in Midwestern U.S., Chicago, and Mexican research as well as complex problem-solving, unknown parentage, and DNA analysis. She is a coordinator and faculty member at IGHR, and SLIG. She received the NGSQ Award for Excellence for two complex evidence case studies incorporating traditional documentary research and autosomal DNA analysis in the June 2016 and June 2023 issues of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. She published “Drowning in DNA? The Genealogical Proof Standard Tosses a Lifeline” in Debbie Parker Wayne’s book Advanced Genetic Genealogy: Techniques and Case Studies.  She holds the credentials Certified Genealogist and Certified Genetic Genealogist from the Board for Certification of Genealogists where she serves as a Trustee and is chair of the DNA Committee.

Courses

  • 2026 – Writing Genealogical Proofs Using Documentary and Genetic Evidence
  • 2026 – Core Course One – Methods and Sources in Practice
  • 2026 – Core Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2025 – Course One – Methods and Sources in Practice
  • 2025 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2025 – Course Twelve – DNA as Genealogical Evidence: Advanced Case Studies
  • 2024 – Course One – Methods and Sources
  • 2024 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2024 – Course Twelve – Intermediate DNA: Planning for and Conducting Research Using DNA and Documentary Sources
  • 2023 – Course One – Methods and Sources
  • 2023 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2023 – Course Twelve – DNA as Genealogical Evidence (Advanced)
  • 2022 – Course One – Methods and Sources
  • 2022 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2022 – Course Twelve – Intermediate DNA: Planning for and Conducting Research Using DNA and Documentary Sources
  • 2021 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2021 – Course Twelve – DNA as Genealogical Evidence (Advanced)
  • 2020 – Course Twelve – Intermediate DNA: Planning for and Conducting Research using DNA and Documentary Sources
  • 2019 – Course Two – Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
  • 2019 – Course Twelve – DNA as Genealogical Evidence (Advanced)
  • 2018 – Course Eleven – Genetic Genealogy Tools and Techniques: Intermediate DNA for Genealogy
  • 2017 – Course Nine – Genealogy as a Profession
  • 2017 – Course Eleven – Genetics for Genealogists: Beginning DNA