Melanie Nelson
ProGen Member Overview
After two full careers as a healthcare IT executive and an Air Force officer, Melanie’s life set on a new path during a genealogy research trip to Ireland. The transformative experience inspired her to blend two obsessions – the study of genealogy and the pleasure of travel – into the form of MelNel Genealogy. She seeks to inspire others to discover a passion for exploring their past by creating memorable ancestry adventures.
MelNel Genealogy specializes in helping US families trace their lineage back to European ancestors. Their services deliver comprehensive research packages that share ancestral stories and design travel itineraries so that families can embark on the ultimate heritage adventure. In addition, a la carte offerings are available for those who prefer hourly research assistance.
Education
Genealogy Education
Certification Discussion Group 2023
Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) Academy Writing and Documenting for Peer Review 2023
Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) Virtual Evidence-Based Writing for Genealogists 2023
Professional Genealogy (ProGen) 58 Study Group, 2021-22
Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) Writers Special Interest Group (SIG), 2022-current
Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), Mastering the Art of Genealogical Documentation, 2022
Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), Practical Genetic Genealogy, 2021
Mastering Genealogical Proof (GenProof) 53 Study Group, 2021
National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ) Study Group, 2020-current
New England Historic Genealogical Society
• Verifying Your Mayflower Lineage, 2020
• 18th- and 19th- Century English Research, 2020
• Researching Irish Ancestors, 2018
• Writing and Publishing Your Family History, 2018
• Mastering New York Genealogy, 2017
• Researching Early New England, 2017
• Breaking Down Brick Walls, 2017
• Italian Genealogy: Strategies for Success, 2016
• Immigration and Naturalization in the US, 2016
• For Those Who Served: Military Research from Colonial Conflicts to WWII, 2016
Midwest Genealogy Center Spring Conference, Kansas City
• Finding Your Irish Ancestors, 2016
• Finding Your British Isles Ancestors, 2015
Genealogy KC Conference, Kansas City, 2015
Academic Education
B.S. in Nursing, University of Florida
M.S. in Nursing Administration, Saint Louis University
Experience
Research Repositories
Public Records of Northern Ireland (PRONI), Belfast, NI, 2018
Ulster Historical Foundation, Belfast, NI, 2018
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, DC, 2017
Library of Congress (LOC), Washington, DC, 2017
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library, Washington, DC, 2017
New England Historic Geneological Society Library, Boston, MA, 2016
Kent History and Library Center, Maidstone, Kent, England, 2015
Midwest Genealogy Center, Independence, MO, 2014-16
Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, 2013
Heritage Tours
Rainer Family Churches and Cemeteries, Kent, England, 2014
Nelson Family Churches, Cemeteries and Homes, Rochester and Henrietta, NY, 2016
Hanna Family Churches and Cemeteries, Ballymena, NI, 2018
Colonial Families Churches and Cemeteries, across RI and CT, 2019
Volunteer Work
Daughters of the American Revolution, lineage application research, 2021-current
New England Historical Genealogy Society, cemetery transcriptions, Sep 2020-current
Kent Family History Society, cemetery and memorial inscription transcriptions, 2018
Midwest Genealogy Center, society document transcriptions and veteran interviews, 2014-15
Publications & BLOGs
Blog Posts
"Gearing Up for Irish Research," Kerry Experience Tours, Tracing Your Irish Roots, 2022. https://kerryexperiencetours.ie/tracing-your-irish-roots-gearing-up-for-irish-research/
“Untangling the Trinity Knot in Ancestry Research,” Kerry Experience Tours, Tracing Your Irish Roots, 11 June 2021. https://kerryexperiencetours.ie/tracing-your-irish-roots-untangling-the-trinity-knot-in-ancestry-research/.
“Irish Immigration,” Kerry Experience Tours, Tracing Your Irish Roots, 17 April 2021. https://kerryexperiencetours.ie/tracing-your-irish-roots-irish-immigration/.
“Implement Your Genealogy Goals,” MelNel Genealogy, Waypoints, 18 March 2021. https://melnelgenealogy.com/planning-genealogy-goals/.
“Plan Your Genealogy Goals,” MelNel Genealogy, Waypoints, 18 March 2021. https://melnelgenealogy.com/planning-genealogy-goals/.
“Will Power,” Florida Genealogical Society – Tampa, Articles, 22 November 2020. https://fgstampa.org/will-power/.
“Luck of the Irish,” Florida Genealogical Society – Tampa, Articles, 22 November 2020. https://fgstampa.org/luck-of-the-irish/.
“The Chameleon,” Florida Genealogical Society – Tampa, Articles, 4 August 2020. https://fgstampa.org/the-chameleon/.
“Chloe’s Text,” Florida Genealogical Society – Tampa, Articles, 26 July 2020. https://fgstampa.org/chloes-text/.
“To Learn About Life, Start in a Cemetery,” Florida Genealogical Society – Tampa, Articles, 16 June 2020. https://fgstampa.org/to-learn-about-life-start-in-a-cemetery/.