Speakers

International

Ian James

Ian is a Technical Product Manager for FamilySearch and well-known globally for his expertise in technical engagement & AI (Artificial Intelligence). He recently presented in this year’s RootsTech 2025 event on Leveraging Partnerships, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Community Engagement to Improve Discoverability of Records.

Sophie Kay

From DNA to historical maps, from research methods to historical occupations, Dr. Sophie Kay is a professional genealogist and geneticist at Khronicle®  who tackles all manner of family history research challenges from the medieval era to modern day.

Sophie is the Ancestry and Genealogy Expert for popular archaeology show, Time Team, and the Scientist in Residence for The Mixed Museum, where she delivers educational sessions and content in genetic genealogy. A qualified research scientist, Sophie is also a Member of AGRA, a UK organisation of professional genealogists, and works on a variety of projects in both DNA and archival research for private clients and public organisations. Sophie’s family history blog can be found at The Parchment Rustler .

Chris Paton

An internationally renowned author, tutor, and lecturer specialising in Scottish and Irish research, Ayrshire based Chris Paton holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Genealogical Studies from the University of Strathclyde. As well as blogging daily at Scottish GENES, Chris has written twenty-three books. He has also previously worked as a documentary maker for the BBC, and for two Members of the Scottish Parliament, and is a Scottish Gaelic speaker.

Andrew Redfern

Andrew Redfern is a passionate family historian with convict, gentry, and musical ancestry. A director of the Society of Australian Genealogists, he champions the use of technology and more specifically AI in genealogy, sharing insights with audiences worldwide to help others enhance their research through innovative digital tools.

Jason Reeve

As Head of Content & Community for Ancestry.com in Australia and New Zealand, Jason is a passionate advocate for all things to do with history. Joining back in 2016, he continues to work closely with archives, registry offices, genealogical societies and community organisations to uncover new record collections, assist archival digitisation efforts and support family history organisations. When he's not trawling through archives, Jason speaks at events and conferences as well as presenting on radio, television and social media platforms.

Duff Wilson

Duff Wilson is Executive Director of Family Tree Maker and has been involved in the design of every edition of Family Tree Maker since 2004. He has three decades of software design and development experience working with products and people from many countries and cultures across the world. This broad but focused experience has given him tremendous respect for all people and the importance of making products that are crafted out of a deep understanding of their values, wants, needs, and capabilities.

New Zealand

Associate Professor Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Kahungunu)

Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll is a researcher and lecturer at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha. She has been involved in a range of hauora Māori research kaupapa over her 25-year career. Annabel completed her PhD on the lived experiences of Māori adoptees in 2020, motivated in significant part by her own experience of adoption.

Valerie Anderson

Valerie is the Director of the Christchurch Family Search Centre in Christchurch which offers free public service. She is also a passionate genealogist who has been researching her own tree and helping others with their research for decades.

Fiona Brooker, Memories in Time.

As an addicted family historian for 40 years, Fiona is now breaking through brick walls with DNA and making new connections. Through Memories in Time, she loves to teach and help people kickstart their research, understand their DNA results and most importantly share their research with family.

Lyndon Fraser

Lyndon is an anthropologist and historian currently teaching at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. His passion for exhibitions and material culture started early and he holds his grandparents and Canterbury Museum equally responsible for his lifetime interest in the past and in storytelling. While Lyndon’s primary research focuses on death, magic, and witchcraft, he still finds time to explore other fields such as migration, ethnicity, and heritage. He is a Research Fellow at Canterbury Museum and the Co-Editor (with Linda Bryder) of The New Zealand Journal of History.

Sonia Gray

Sonia Gray first became well-known to New Zealand TV audiences with her role in New Zealand soap Shortland Street. Since 2005 she has been a Lotto presenter, later co-hosting different television shows while continuing her acting career. More recently Sonia has hosted Passages, exploring the stories of immigrants to New Zealand, which led to her fronting Family Mystery, where Sonia and her team of experts track down family stories from the past based on a single clue.

Seonaid (Shona) Harvey RLIANZA BA ILS DipRIM

Seonaid is a LIANZA-registered librarian with 19 years of public library experience, including 15 years as the Family History Specialist at Auckland Council Libraries. A member of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists for over 16 years she has helped organize the Auckland Family History Expo for a decade and run numerous heritage events for her employer. Seonaid has a deep interest in cemeteries and DNA/genetic genealogy. Most of all, she loves helping others uncover their family stories.

Sarah Hewitt

Sarah Hewitt has been doing genealogy since before the internet. Her family history has taken her from New Zealand to Australia, the British Isles, USA and China. Christchurch is where her family first arrived in New Zealand in 1851. Sarah has been Chair of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists since 2021.

Fiona Lees

Fiona Lees is a first-generation New Zealander with decades of experience tracing her diverse family history, uncovering their lives and movements across generations. Fiona is passionate about genealogy and enjoys helping others research their ancestry and present their findings in engaging ways to share with their families.

Arapata Reuben – Tumu Whakapapa Ngāi Tahu

Arapata Reuben is of mixed blood, a true melting pot of many cultures. Arapata is of Ngāi Tahu, Mamoe, Waitaha, Rapuwai, Ngāti Mutunga ki Wharekauri, Ngāti Porou, Kahungunu ki Wairoa me Heretaunga, Ngāi Tamanuhiri, and Rongomaiwahine descent. He is also of Scots, Irish, French, Portuguese, Spanish, English and German. Having grown up, and still living in ‘The Pa’ Tuahiwi, Arapata has lived a ‘learnt mātauranga’ upbringing passed down through the generations. Most importantly he has grown up to acknowledge all parts of his whakapapa. Thus, it is no coincidence that he has worked for Whakapapa Ngāi Tahu since 2005 and managed the team since 2012.

Sian Smith – Kaituhi Rangahau Whakapapa Researcher/Writer

Sian Smith (Ngāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha) (she/her) lives in Te Whanganui-a-Tara with her whānau. Sian works as a Whakapapa Researcher/Writer and has a background in research, history, and archiving. She is interested in Kaupapa Māori research methodologies as well as issues of voice and collective authorship in audio-visual media.

Whakapapa Ngāi Tahu – Whānau connections across place and time

Whakapapa Ngāi Tahu support whānau to connect with their 1848 kaumātua and access information about their recent whānau history. Also looking beyond the time of European colonisation, when our tīpuna embedded names in places that give us insight as to who we are and where we’ve come from. Our pūrākau research tells us about tikanga and the aspects of life that were most important to our ancestors, such as mahika kai and whakapapa to places, maunga, awa and atua. For many of us who are disconnected, through understanding whakapapa, we learn to see our kinship with atua, te taiao, human and non-human ancestors.

Natasha Wells

Natasha Wells is a family historian passionate about understanding the past to understand ourselves. With years of experience in genealogical research and speaking at local events, Natasha helps others refine their research questions and look outside the box to achieve meaningful results and breakdown brick walls.

Library presenters

Amy Ryan and Amy Duff

Amy and Amy are the Archivists at Christchurch City Libraries and have extensive experience in applying conservation practices to family papers held in the Christchurch City Libraries Archive.

Ngapiu Tainui-Maclure (Ngāi Tahu and Te Rarawa) & Julia Keogh-Cope (Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Kahungunu)

Julia and Ngapiu are Pou Kohikohinga Māori – Māori Collection Specialists - and are part of the Māori & Multicultural Services Team at Christchurch City Libraries, caring for the Ngā Pounamu Māori Collection and helping unlock the collection for our customers.

Annette Williams

Annette is a Family History Librarian at Christchurch City Libraries, with a sideline in uncovering stories ranging from the curious to the macabre.