Currently accepting clients for...

• Speaking / Presenting

I am a genealogical educator, researcher, author, and volunteer. I'm especially passionate about researching hard-to-find families in the Carolinas and Virginia and sharing my love of genealogy with others through teaching.

I've been a professional genealogist and Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) member since 1999. It was then that I first joined About.com (now ThoughtCo.com) as their Genealogy Expert—a position I held for sixteen years. I proudly served seven years on the board of APG, including two years as President. I am the Director of Education for the National Genealogical Society, an instructor at the GRIP Genealogy Institute, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), and the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR), as well as for the online genealogy courses offered through Boston University.

I teach courses for genealogy enthusiasts who want to level up their writing, research, or business skills through my website, Level Up Genealogy (https://www.levelupgenealogy.com).

Geographic Specialities
North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Southwestern Pennsylvania

Testimonials
"Level Up Genealogy has developed high-quality education courses to provide solid solutions for what many genealogists struggle with: organizing and writing up all the details that we find in our research. Kimberly is an excellent instructor for these courses—she's thorough, gives reasons why she does things, and points out common areas where genealogists get stuck and how to get past them. Her extensive experience as a researcher shines through. She understands the struggle! Although I have tried many methods to get organized and streamline my writing in my years as a professional genealogist, her Writing for Discovery and Mastering Your Genealogy With Scrivener courses finally gave me a solution that works. It's efficient, organized, and keeps me on track." ~ Laurie Hermance-Moore, MLS, AG®

"Kimberly Powell is a born educator who empowers her students to challenge themselves as learners, writers, and researchers. Genealogical style is different from other kinds of writing and her Writing for Discovery course gave me the boost I was looking for to become a better and more confident genealogy writer. In my book, the value of the course has been 'priceless'." ~ Denise May Levenick

"Serious about wanting to be a better genealogist? A better genealogical writer? Writing for Discovery is the course for you! This is the PROCESS component universally overlooked in institutes and other genealogy curricula. And who better to learn it from than Kimberly Powell, one of the top instructors in our field. By the end of the course, writing wasn't dreaded and feared but actually enjoyable! The course is well worth your time!" ~ Skip Duett

"Since my original BCG application, the idea of being reviewed has been terrifying and nerve-wracking. The techniques and strategies I learned in the Writing for Discovery course have enabled me to write client (and my own) research reports quickly and efficiently. I have also learned that peer review is something that helps me improve and grow as a genealogist, making renewal submission to BCG easier and also enabling me to finally achieve one of my major goals—publication in the NGSQ." ~ Susan Michael, Certified Genealogist®

"Kimberly's Writing for Discovery series was a highlight of my educational opportunities this past year. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned writer, you will find Kimberly's original content and the group support invaluable." ~ Jenny Grinnell

"I took Kimberly Powell's Writing for Discovery on the heels of completing the Certificate in Genealogical Research course at BU. It was the perfect next step for me. Kimberly addressed all aspects of the writing process (and how to avoid overwhelm). She did an amazing job presenting information in a clear, engaging manner. The support from Kimberly and fellow classmates was priceless!" ~ Kelly Judge Faggiano

Additional specialities or search keywords
writing, land research, land platting, Southern US, DNA analysis, complex genealogical problems

Publications/Media
The Challenge of Endogamy and Pedigree Collapse" in Advanced Genetic Genealogy: Techniques and Case Studies, edited by Debbie Parker Wayne (Iron Gate Publishing, 2019)
The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy, 3rd edition (Adams Media, 2014)
The Everything Family Tree Book, 2nd edition (Adams Media, 2006)

Research Time Periods

• 21st Century
• 20th Century
• 19th Century
• 18th Century
• 17th Century

Honorifics/Credentials
Accredited Genealogist (AG®) - U.S. Mid-South, U.S. Upper South

Certificates
Certificate in Genealogical Research (Boston University)

Affiliations
Instructor, Boston University's Certificate in Genealogy Research and Genealogical Principles
Instructor and course coordinator, Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP)
Instructor, Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR)
Instructor and course coordinator, Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG)
North Carolina Genealogical Society
South Carolina Genealogical Society
Georgia Genealogical Society
Virginia Genealogical Society
Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society
New England Genealogical Society
New York Genealogical and Biographical Society
National Genealogical Society
Genealogical Speakers Guild