Episode 240 - Preserving Stories: A Conversation with the Formidable Genealogist
"Every death had a life and every life had a story," but how is it that we uncover so many of the narratives we share on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast? Much of it comes from searching through genealogical archives and other records. On this latest episode, Jennie and Dianne chat with Jen Shaffer, a full-time professional genealogist and owner of The Formidable Genealogist. She is passionate about short-form genealogy education and has made it her mission to help make the complex world of ancestry accessible to everyone. She engages her audience with daily social media videos, where she generously shares insightful tips, techniques, and stories from the field. Tune in to discover how Jen’s expertise helps us connect the Ordinary Extraordinary dots between lives lived, stories told, and the legacies left behind.
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To learn more about the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and how to support it, visit: https://fundnara.com/
Want to learn how to research like Jen Shaffer? Visit her website to purchase her guides, sign up for her classes, and more! https://www.theformidablegenealogist.com/
You can also find her as The Formidable Genealogist on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and BlueSky.
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Jen Shaffer
Professional Genealogist
Jen Shaffer is a full-time professional genealogist and owner of The Formidable Genealogist. She is passionate about short form genealogy education and posts daily social media videos across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and BlueSky. She has been interviewed by many newspapers and TV stations regarding TikTok use for small businesses. She has published articles in periodicals and writes digital research guides to help others level up their research. She recently researched for and appears on Relative Secrets, a television show hosted by Jane Seymour.
Jen has a very broad knowledge of various research subjects, while also specializing in Slavic, Nordic, Irish, Mexican, Canadian and U.S. research. Her formal education is in the linguistics field with a B.A. in Russian Language, a B.A. in Russian Studies and countless courses in Spanish, German, Norwegian and Latin. She holds a certificate of Russian language immersion from Veliky Novgorod State University in Veliky Novgorod, Russia.
Jen is the booth coordinator for the Association of Professional Genealogists and adores connecting with others at in-person events like RootsTech, the National Genealogical Society Conference and the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society Conference.