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GET TO KNOW ME

hi there!

I’m Taneya Koonce, an active blogger and participant in the genealogy & family history field. Conducting genealogy and family history research has been a passion of mine since 2005.  I have an avid interest in technology, historical newspaper research, digital photo & file organization, technology, and genetic genealogy. 

  • B.S. in Biology, B.A.in Religion – Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, 1997
  • Masters of Science in Library Science – University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC – 1999
  • Masters of Public Health – Vanderbilt University School of Medicine – 201

For my day job, I am a health information scientist at a major academic medical center in Nashville, Tennessee. For an overview of my professional career – visit my LinkedIn profile.

Memberships and Organizations I have been/am currently a part of:

I have USGenWeb activities, indexing projects, and surname studies. Check them out here…

I have 4 special projects you might be interested with:

Publications & Appearances

As an information science professional with 20 years in information management & organization. 
I am fortunate to have a hobby in which I apply my professional experience toward the identification, selection, evaluation, & critical analysis of genealogical information. My publications are listed below.

  • Koonce, Taneya. “5 Tips to Find Your Family Faster in Historical Newspapers.” WAGS Bulletin, 1 April 2023.  
  • Yawn, Andrew J. ‘25 Years of Misery’: The Search for the Lost Graves of Tennessee’s Leased Convicts.” Tennessean. 9 April 2022. I am quoted in the article. Available online.
  • Wines, Michael. “Seven Decades Later, the 1950 Census Bares Its Secrets.” New York Times. 31 March 2022. I am quoted in the article. Available online.

Presentations

  • January 13, 2024 – “Preserving Nashville’s African American Historical & Genealogical Legacy with WikiTree’s US Black Heritage Project” – Nashville Chapter of the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society  
  • February 3, 2024 – “No Family Left Behind: Organizing Your Genealogy Research & Photo Legacy” – Tales From the Table: Genealogy, Foodways, & Legacy Building Conference (North Carolina chapters of the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society)
  • February 24, 2024 – “Mapping Heritage & Health: Your Medical Family History” – Pinellas Genealogical Society
  • March 12, 2024 – Finding Your Roots Virtual Conversation: From Dead Ends to Discoveries – Overcoming Roadblocks in Genealogy Research. <view online>
  • March 23, 2024 – “African American Genealogical Research Strategies” – Indian River Genealogical Society
  • March 30, 2024 – “The Internet Archive: A Genealogist’s Dream Collection” – Guild of One-Name Studies
  • June 9, 2024 – “Getting the Most Advantage from Collaborative Family Trees” – Afro-American Genealogical and Historical Society of Chicago. 
  • June 29, 2024 – “Every Minute Counts: 4 Ways to Find Time to Organize Your Family History” – <view online in my Facebook group>
  • June 30, 2024 – “Document Your Kin with RootsMagic 10″ – <view online in my Facebook group>
  • September 21, 2024 – “The Unique Challenges of African American Genealogy” – presentation to the Pinellas Genealogical Society <view online>