Our speaker, Allison Lawrentz Barnhart, demonstrates how three important tools in genealogy—DNA, physical items, and the stories and memories passed down—can work together in unexpected ways. Her own research uncovered a decades-old secret kept by her late grandmother, one that shocked the whole family and disrupted long-held assumptions of their ancestry.

Allison grew up in Ashland, Ohio, and graduated from Ashland University which included a year intensive at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Along with her career as a Creative Strategist at a marketing agency OneTable Strategy, she enjoys spending her free time with her family, friends, and church community. Genealogy research has been a passion since grade-school and loves not only exploring her own family’s story, but helping others find joy in discovering their own roots. Her first book, a memoir entitled The Record Keeper: The Unfolding of a Family Secret in the Age of Genetic Genealogy was published in July 2024 by Legacy Book Press and was featured on the Ohio Genealogical Society’s podcast Ohio Roots, and in the Mar/Apr 2025 issue of Family Tree Magazine. Allison is a member of the Ohio Genealogical Society as well as the Ashland County Chapter of the OGS, and resides in Ashland, Ohio with her husband and two children.

The Webinar will be recorded and available on the CGS website in the members only section.

Registration is required via the Chicago Genealogical Society website under Events. Registration will close 1 hour prior to the event. The meet-up will take place virtually via ZOOM. All people registered will receive an email the morning of the event with log-in instructions and a link. This information is not to be shared.

Note: This webinar is FREE for CGS members. Non-Members can register for the event for $10. No refunds.