Maryland Genealogical Society - 2024 Election Bios

Election of MGS At-Large Board Members

2024 Slate of Candidates

Jaclyn Fox

Jackie Fox is the managing editor of the Maryland Genealogical Society Journal. She has had a long career in journal publishing, having worked as a copyeditor, managing editor, and publications director for several nonprofit professional associations in the Washington, DC, area. She was director of the US journals program for Oxford University Press for seven years. She was publications director for the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and served as managing editor of their journal for 17 years. In addition to her publications experience, Jackie has for several decades researched her own family in the Baltimore area, New England, and Wales.

Debra A. Hoffman

Debra A. Hoffman, professional genealogist, author, and lecturer, specializes in Maryland and German research. She has a certificate in Family History from Brigham Young University and a Professional Learning Certificate in Genealogical Studies (PLCGS)-German Records from the National Institute of Genealogical Studies. She coordinated “Maryland: Researching in the Old Line State” at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) in 2020 and co-authored NGS’ latest Research in the States Series: Maryland, released in 2021. She served as MGS vice-president for two years, currently serves as an At-Large Board Member and is also Secretary for the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society. She is the principal of Hoffman Genealogical Services.

Tom McCarriar

A native of Maryland and a Navy veteran, Tom McCarriar has BS and MS degrees in Math from Duke University and Johns Hopkins University. He retired in 2015 from the Department of Defense after a 40-year career. Tom began his family research more than 20 years ago and has traced his McCarragher ancestors (through several alternate spellings) from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland to New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and finally their arrival in Baltimore in 1830. After retiring, Tom expanded his research to include genetic genealogy. He teaches a variety of genetic (and other) genealogy courses at Howard Community College, Anne Arundel County libraries, and other genealogical organizations. He provides advice on DNA testing strategies, interpreting results, and working with DNA matches to anyone interested in learning more about their genetic roots. Tom is a member of the National Genealogical Society, and a past president of the Anne Arundel Genealogical Society, where he moderates a DNA Special Interest Group. He has served the past eleven years as an At-Large Member of the Executive Board of the Maryland Genealogical Society and is the MGS delegate to the National Genealogical Society.

Anthony Nardo, Jr.

Anthony Nardo, Jr. (Tony) is a software engineer at the Johns Hopkins University / Applied Physics Laboratory. He is a Baltimore native and a second-generation Sicilian by descent from all four of his grandparents. His late wife, Teresa Masser Nardo, was a Frederick native whose maternal line dates back to Maryland's colonial period. Tony has written several articles which have been published in the Maryland Genealogical Society Journal. He also provided a contribution to Sam Drago's self-published family history book, "Maria, Sell Even the Broom!" (2022).

Druscilla Null

Druscilla “Dru” Null has been researching her ancestors in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York for 40-plus years. Dru has been a MGS Board Member since 2006 and the organization's Webmaster since 2014. She also has served as President (2009-2011; 2015-2017; 2021-2023) and Vice President (2007-2009). For her contributions to MGS, particularly for coordinating the development of the revamped MGS website that launched in 2012, she received a Certificate of Merit from the Society in April 2014. She has contributed articles to the Maryland Genealogical Society Journal on a variety of topics, including German immigrants, Italian immigrants, and Babe Ruth's paternal ancestors. Dru has completed the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy course "Maryland: Researching in the Old Line State," graduated with honors from the National Genealogical Society Home Study Course, and completed the National Institute on Genealogical Research (now known as the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records). Professionally, she heads the Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs at the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. She has BA and MA degrees in history (with a concentration in historic preservation) from Goucher College and George Washington University.

David Powell

David Powell has been researching his own family history for over 25 years. Dave is the immediate past president of the Baltimore County Genealogical Society and he is currently treasurer of that organization. He is also a member of the Maryland Genealogical Society and a member of its Board of Directors. Dave serves as the treasurer of the Carroll County Genealogical Society. Dave teaches genealogy courses at the Community College of Baltimore County and at local senior centers, libraries and genealogy societies. He has given numerous talks on genealogy, DNA, and foreign research throughout Maryland. He has done extensive research for himself and clients with family trees from France, Scotland, Wales, England, Canada, Poland, the United States and other countries. Dave retired as Vice President and Chief Information Officer for AAI Corporation (now Textron Systems) in 2007. He holds a BA degree in Economics and a master’s degree in Information Management. He has been active in various boards and forums in the Mid-Atlantic region for information systems curriculum development and Information Technology networking and eCommerce.

Sandy Quick

Sandy is a Baltimore native whose immigrant ancestors all landed at the Port of Baltimore – one of whom brought along a camera in the 1840s. Influenced by her grandfather’s collection of old family photos, (as well as trips to Fort McHenry, the Maryland Historical Society, and the State Archives), Sandy began her genealogy journey during her teenage years. Thirty years later, she is focused on preserving and sharing her work, moving beyond writing and cataloguing to creating short YouTube videos about her field work. Beyond her own research interests, Sandy is an advocate for the accuracy and accessibility of primary sources. From transcribing for the National Archives to hiking off-trail adding GPS coordinates to Civil War battle maps, Sandy is passionate about preserving facts and obliterating pervasive errors. (In 2018, after years of correspondence from Sandy, Ancestry corrected location drop-down menus that had omitted Baltimore City as an option.) In her “day job,” Sandy is a Vice President with Leidos Corporation, supporting its Intelligence business. She earned her BA from the University of Maryland, College Park, and her law degree from the University of Baltimore. She is also a member of the American Battlefield Trust and the National Parks Foundation, among many other preservation and history-related organizations.

Shawna Sherrell

Shawna Sherrell became interested in genealogy as a teenager after learning one of her ancestors died in a bar fight. There were not many stories passed down on either side of her family, so she went in search of them. Personal research has taken her to multiple locations across the United States, including Pennsylvania, Virginia, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, California, and more. Professionally, she specializes in early nineteenth century research in Maryland and Pennsylvania. She holds a certificate in genealogical research from Boston University's Center for Professional Education, completed ProGen Study Groups, and is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, the National Genealogical Society, and serves as an at-large board member for the Maryland Genealogical Society. She has attended several institutes including the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records, and completed additional education in genetic genealogy, methodology, and African American research. Her background includes over sixteen years of experience in communications and marketing in both the corporate and higher education fields. For ten years she worked on an award-winning marketing team and specialized in social media marketing, professional photography, and writing. As of late 2022, she currently works and volunteers in the field of genealogy.

Bridget M. Sunderlin, CG®

Bridget M. Sunderlin has been conducting genealogical research since 1974. She holds a BFA in Graphic Design from Maryland Institute, College of Art, an MAT in Art Education from Notre Dame of Maryland University, and certificates in leadership in technology integration and instruction systems development from Johns Hopkins University and UMBC, respectively. Bridget worked as a graphic designer for over 20 years, and as an art teacher for over 17 years. Her teaching career culminated as the Department Chair of Art, Music and Technology at Franklin Middle School, in Baltimore County, Maryland. Always enthusiastic about learning, Bridget has taken several courses at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP). She was co-leader of the ProGen 46 cohort, a program driven by self-learning and peer-review. In 2020, she became a board-certified genealogist. Her genealogical areas of expertise include Ireland, Scotland, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. She has conducted a wide range of client work including background research for authors, dual-citizenship applications, DNA research to solve unknown parent cases, and repository research for Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr. She has also published articles in the Family History Daily and Maryland Genealogical Society Journal. Her volunteer work has included indexing for the FamilySearch Digitization Project at the Maryland State Archives in Annapolis, and contributions to the Find A Grave website.