About

Hi, I’m Stephanie.

Genealogist. Cultural heritage researcher. Storyteller of roots, identity, and belonging.

I help individuals reclaim their past through archives and ancestral journeys, transforming memory into meaning. Genealogy, for me, is not only about records — it is about people, places, and the stories that connect us across generations.

Through Roots & Romance, I share research, reflections, and resources on genealogy, culture, travel, and the beauty of our shared human history. Here you will find a blend of the archival and the everyday — where history meets real life, and memory lingers.

Stephanie.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

I have worked as a professional genealogist for over a decade, with more than a decade at Ancestry ProGenealogists, where I specialize in Italian, Hispanic, Lusophone, and Francophone research. I also serve as an Expert Genealogist on heritage tours with Kensington Tours and Ancestry to Italy and Spain, walking beside clients in their ancestral homelands not only as a researcher, but as an interpreter of history and a companion in their ancestral landscapes.

My interdisciplinary background in languages, literature, archaeology, and anthropology informs my approach to genealogy as both a rigorous research practice and a deeply human pursuit.

AT A GLANCE

Based in Salt Lake City, Utah (Originally from Michigan's Upper Peninsula)

U.S.-Italian-Canadian citizen

BA in Spanish & Comparative Literature

Pursuing ICAPGen (Italian) BCG "on the clock"

Member, PROGENITA (Socio Ordinario, representative for the USA) APG Italia - Presidente del Collegio dei Probiviri

Usually found in the garden with my Aussiedoodle, Annie.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Italian, Hispanic, Lusophone & Francophone diaspora research

Latin and Romance-language paleography (16th–20th c.)
Sephardic research
DNA integration
Ancestral travel and place-based research
Cultural heritage initiatives

CURRENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

International German Genealogy Conference
(IGG) - October 2026

• Your Next Discovery Might Be Alive
Q&A: Saturday, October 17, 12:30-1:00 ET

37th International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences, held in San Marino, April 6-10, 2027

• Across the Rupture: Genealogists as a Bridge Between Italy and the Diaspora