About Lisa!

Genealogy has been a passion of mine since I was a little girl. For nearly twenty years, I have been helping others discover their roots and sharing the stories I uncover along the way. I began blogging in 2013, started speaking on genealogy topics in 2018, and launched my YouTube channel, Have Roots, Will Travel, in 2021.

My special project is telling the individual stories of the more than 700 Filles du Roi and over 260 Filles à Marier—the women who helped shape the families of New France. So far, I have created more than 500 videos, bringing together my love of genealogy, history, and storytelling.

Before genealogy attached itself to my hip—and firmly refused to let go—I worked as a trainer, teacher, and sales and marketing consultant. I was also an astrologer with a radio show and a newspaper column. Looking back, there is a rather amusing thread connecting my careers: as an astrologer, I asked people for their birth dates; as a life insurance agent, I asked the same question. Now, as a genealogist, I still ask—but these days, I may want their great-grandmother’s birth date, too!

I also wrote Diary of a PTA Mom, a novel that takes a satirical look at small-town life. Naturally, a little genealogy found its way into the story. It is available in Kindle format on Amazon.

Originally from Drummondville, Quebec, I earned my B.A. at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. In 1998, I met my husband online while he was in California and I was in Quebec. We married in 2000 and welcomed our daughter, Samantha, in 2001. Today, we live in Winter Garden, Florida—a place that feels like our own little bit of paradise.

I am the Genealogy Specialist for the Orange County Library System, based at the West Oaks Branch and Genealogy Center. I belong to the Association of Professional Genealogists, the National Genealogical Society, the French American Genealogy Society, the American Canadian Genealogical Society, the French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan, and the Filles du Roi Society.

Whether I am helping someone work through a research puzzle, giving a presentation, or telling an early settler’s story, my favorite part is finding the person behind the name—and helping others do the same.