David Rencher was elected to the board in 2020 and currently serves as the chair of the Development Committee. He is employed as the chief genealogical officer for FamilySearch International. A professional genealogist since 1977, he has earned both credentials: Accredited Genealogist® with ICAPGen in Ireland research (1981) and Certified Genealogist® with the Board for Certification of Genealogists (2006). He is the Irish course coordinator and instructor for the GRIP Genealogy Institute and the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR).

David graduated from Brigham Young University in 1980 with a BA in Family and Local History. He is a past president of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) 1997–2000, a past president of the Utah Genealogical Association (UGA) 1993–1995, and a fellow of that organization. He is a fellow of the Irish Genealogical Research Society, London, and NGS. He is the past chair of the Record Preservation and Access Coalition (RPAC). He serves on the council for the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

Ellen Balthazar joined the board in 2018, served as vice president (2020–2024), and was elected secretary in 2024. She currently chairs the Governance/Planning Committee, focusing on building organizational capacity and strategic planning. She also serves on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, the Mar/Com team, and the Veterans Bounty Land Campaign cabinet. Balthazar leads a collaborative initiative to preserve historical collections in and around Austin, Texas, and to advance public access to and programming of the local history center.

A retired marketing and non-profit executive, she honed her consumer research skills at Procter & Gamble, her brand marketing expertise at Frito-Lay, and her public relations acumen in the international division of PepsiCo’s restaurant businesses. In 2005, Balthazar successfully transitioned to the not-for-profit sector, becoming CEO of a leading 501(c) (3) organization in Austin, Texas, focused on children’s issues. Under her leadership, the organization doubled the number of families served, as well as the budget. Since retiring in 2012, she has enjoyed being a volunteer mentor and consultant to non-profit organizations. She also has served her local community as a trustee on the school board since 2001. A University of Georgia Bulldog (BSHEJ, MS), she and her husband live in Austin with their children and grandchildren right around the corner.

Doug Klein was elected treasurer of the board in 2022 and chairs the Finance Committee. He spends about fifteen hours a week as a tax director for a large national CPA firm in the National Tax Office. When time permits, he is also a volunteer Y-DNA surname project co-administrator, volunteers occasionally for the National Park Service doing transcriptions for the Black Homesteading Project, and still chases his family history. Klein has completed the Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research Program, ProGen Study Group 56, and is currently completing the NGS Advanced Skills Course.

Doug’s career started in public accounting over thirty-five years ago and includes eight years with the IRS where he was a revenue agent. Like many CPAs, he is no stranger to nonprofit boards and has served several cycles as the treasurer, and Finance and Audit Committee chairs for a large local nonprofit (over $25mm).

Janice Gilyard was elected to the board in 2022 and serves on the Development and Conference committees. She is a charter member and board member of The Sons & Daughters of the United States Middle Passage. Janice served as vice president and is currently the president of the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society–New Jersey Chapter. She is the editor of its newsletter, programming coordinator, and provides content for the chapter’s Facebook page. She is also a board member of the 313+ Ancestors Speak Project.

Janice has conducted family research for the past twenty-six years documenting her family history to 1720. Her ancestors were farmers, authors, professors (two founded colleges), abolitionists, mariners, midwives, political campaigners, and pastors. She is enthusiastic about history and genealogy and believes that her ancestors chose her to research, document and tell their stories. She has made numerous genealogy presentations at genealogical and lineage societies, churches, libraries, universities, and has presented at RootsTech. She is a Paul E. Sluby African American Scholarship recipient (2021). Last year Janice became a podcaster with Speak On It! History & Genealogy Conversations with Janice & Cherekana. Janice’s professional experience includes over twenty years in public relations. Currently, she manages customer care clients for PANOS Brands.

Ed Donakey was elected to the board in 2020, serves on the Governance Committee, and chairs the Audit Committee. He is employed as vice president of strategic relations and deputy chief genealogical officer at FamilySearch International where he manages the Chief Genealogical Office. Ed also serves on the board of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS).

Ed was a member of the FGS board of directors at the time of the merger, having previously served that organization as vice-president of development. He was the National Conference co-chair for the 2014 FGS Conference in San Antonio, Texas. A professional strategist and past CEO, Ed provides business and technology support to genealogical societies, non-profits, and emerging businesses. A happily married father and grandfather, his genealogical interests keep him in the Deep South, Ireland, and Scotland.

Andre Kearns was elected to the board in 2020, chairs the society’s DEI Committee, and serves on the Finance Committee. He is a genealogist, public speaker, commentator and writer with deep roots in the American south and a passion for discovering new ancestors and learning their stories. As an African American, he knew he descended from enslaved persons and likely slave owners which DNA analysis has helped to confirm. Through his research he also discovered ancestors who were free people of color long before the Civil War, Native American, and multiracial persons. Discovering this ancestry has unlocked previously unknown rich aspects of American history. Genealogy has been Andre’s hobby for fifteen years. He holds a BA in Business Administration from Morehouse College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He shares his research findings at CumboFamily.com and regularly blogs on race, culture, history and genealogy at www.medium/@andrekearns.

Judy Muhn joined the NGS board in 2021, chairs the Awards Committee, and serves on the Finance Committee. She has been researching her family since the age of twelve, specializing in French-Canadian, Acadian, Native American, and Michigan research. Since starting her career as a professional genealogist in Europe in 1993, she has lectured at conferences in Europe and the United States, including NGS, RootsTech, and FGS. Judy has visited and researched in the villages and archives of Germany, Scotland, France, Quebec, and Ontario, where her or her husband’s family lived.

Judy owns Lineage Journeys and is the president of both the Michigan Genealogical Council and the Oakland County Genealogical Society and is the NGS Delegate for the French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan. She is a member of NGS, Ontario and Quebec genealogical societies, Detroit Society for Genealogical Research, French Canadian Heritage Society of Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan, and many more. A recently retired nonprofit specialist, Muhn was an organizational development consultant until November 2023.

Cheri Passey was a director at FGS who joined the NGS board in 2020 at the time of the merger. She was elected the first Vice President for Society and Organization Management (2020–2024) and in that capacity has served as the board liaison to the Delegate Council Steering Committee. Cheri is a professional genealogist, instructor, writer, speaker, and owner of Carolina Girl Genealogy, LLC, which provides research services as well as instruction and coaching through her Genealogy 1-on-1 classes.

Cheri is the host of the genealogy chat show, GenFriends, seen on YouTube and is a genealogical researcher, subcontracted by Eagle Investigative Services, Inc., for the US Army Past Conflict Repatriations Branch. She enjoys volunteering and serving the genealogy community. She is a past president of The Grand Strand Genealogy Club and currently serves as program chair. She is treasurer of GeneaBloggersTRIBE and served as the FGS secretary.

Fr. Symeon (Samuel) Williams has served as secretary (2022–2024) since his election to the board in 2022. He was a founding member of the Delegate Council Steering Committee, serving as its vice chair (2020–2021) and chair (2021–2022). Williams has served on the boards of the Virginia Beach Genealogical Society, the Virginia Genealogical Society, and the Virginia Mayflower Society. As the owner of The Orthodox Genealogist, LLC, he lectures and conducts client work, specializing in Greek American and Central Virginian research and solving genetic genealogy mysteries. He is an alumnus of ProGen 50, NGS American Genealogical Studies, and several institutes.

Williams studied International Affairs and Spanish at James Madison University and theology at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. Fr. Symeon was ordained a Greek Orthodox priest in 2024 and currently serves the Philadelphia suburbs at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Jeffersonville, Pennsylvania.