November 15, 2025
“10 Unexpected Places to Find Ancestor Photos Online“
Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal, Certified Genealogist®, is a researcher, writer, educator, and national genealogical speaker. Her specialties include methodology, technology, and online research resources.
Elizabeth has studied at the National Institute for Genealogical Research (NIGR, now known as GenFed) in Washington, DC; the Forensic Genealogy Institute (FGI) in Dallas, Texas; and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is the Education Director for the Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society; President of the Second Life Virtual Genealogical Society; Director of the NGSQ Study Groups program; and a Genealogy Consultant for the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). In addition, Elizabeth is the Reviews Editor for the APGQ, and is on the committee of the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG).
As a family history lecturer, Elizabeth has given presentations for Legacy Family Tree Webinars, RootsTech, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, the Utah Genealogical Association, and many others. Her professional memberships include the Board of Certification for Genealogists (BCG), the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), the Genealogical Speakers Guild, and she is an active member of the public speaking club Toastmasters International.
Since 1987, Elizabeth has made it her goal to research, share, and preserve her family stories. She is the author of the family history lifestyle website Heart of the Family™ (https://www.thefamilyheart.com), where her mission is to help others make the past part of their present.