Conference Presenters

Peggy Clemens Lauritzen has an amazing ability to bring laughter into the lives of her audience members. Having grown up with parents that were deeply involved in genealogy takes her love of family history to a new level. One of her favorite photos is a picture of her mother on her way to a church picnic, then on to an afternoon of cemetery transcribing. It was taken just four days before Peggy was born! Listening to the stories from bygone years, touching the fabrics from quilts, dresses, blessing gowns, and bonnets all have added to the admiration of previous generations.

Peggy is a frequent lecturer at many local societies in Ohio, as well as Family History Seminars. She has presented at Brigham Young University and ICAPGen, and taught Continuing Education classes at several community colleges and The Ohio State University. One of her proudest moments was achieving credentials that qualified her to be an Accredited Genealogist, a credential she has maintained for twenty-two years, for it polished her research skills.

Gary W. Clark (Wichita, KS) – Gary W. Clark is photographer, graphics designer, and author; skills he combined with a passion for genealogy. This has produced more than 12 published books on vintage photographs, cemetery research and gravestone cleaning, military research, and historical books as they relate to genealogical studies.

Sara Cochran (Moreno Valley, CA) – Sara is a full-time professional genealogist with nearly thirty years of research experience, taking her into nearly every US State, Ireland, and Britain. She enjoys breaking down brick walls, discovering the stories of black sheep ancestors, and helping individuals preserve their photographic legacy. She’s online at TheSkeletonWhisperer.com.

Cindy Cruz (Topeka, KS) – Cindy became an avid family history researcher after retiring from a 38-year career as a public school music teacher. Cindy currently volunteers for the Topeka Genealogical Society as an Executive Board member, genealogy librarian, Education Committee Chair, and a facilitator for the Brick Wall Special Interest Group.

Sarah Day (South Jordan, UT) – Sarah is a young genealogist. She was a presenter at RootsTech in 2021 and 2022 and for the UGA DNA SIG. She is also working towards earning the Accredited Genealogist Credential from ICAPGen, specializing in the Southwest region of the United States, and working towards a genealogy degree at BYU.

Sylvia Tracy-Doolos (Firestone, CO) – Sylvia has years of genealogical experience as a researcher and lecturer. She is an officer of several national and international societies and a member of several others. She has a History degree with a minor focusing on linguistics to better understand how language change affected record keeping.

Jacob Eubanks (Frontenac, MO) – Jacob Eubanks, MLS, is a Topeka native with Kansas roots dating to 1856. Since 2014, he has managed History & Genealogy at St. Louis County Library in Missouri. He writes and lectures on a variety of genealogical topics with emphasis on colonial migration to Appalachia, the Midwest, and Great Plains.

Lauren Gray (Topeka, KS) – Lauren is the Head of Reference with the Kansas Historical Society State Archives. Previously, Lauren worked with the Museum of New Mexico Photo Archives and the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library in Santa Fe, New Mexico. An avid history buff, Lauren earned her Master’s in early U.S. History from the University of New Mexico and her Bachelor’s in Creative Writing from the College of Santa Fe. She currently lives in Lawrence, KS with her husband and a husky named Gorky. 

Heather Jenkins (Overland Park, KS) – Heather has researched her family for over 25 years. She enjoys researching our ancestor’s financial footprints from colonial times to today. She holds a master’s degree in accounting and finance and is working toward the American and Professional Development Certificates through the International Institute of Genealogical Studies.

Barbara LaClair (Topeka, KS) – Barbara has been researching her family history for more years than she can count, starting with looking at old photos and listening to the stories that older relatives told. She became interested in Native American genealogy research because her grandmother was born on the Potawatomi reservation, and her husband is a member of the Potawatomi Nation. She currently serves as President of the Topeka Genealogical Society, where she also leads the Foundations of Family History SIG, teaches classes on a variety of topics, and volunteers in numerous other capacities.

Michelle Spencer (Millbrook, AL) – Missouri native Michelle Spencer, owner of RomaMaryGrace, is a historian & professional genealogist specializing in business, military and government records. She has conducted extensive research throughout the Midwest and South, including Topeka, Kansas. She has co-authored more than forty National Register of Historic Places nominations. She now calls Alabama home.