Meet the Team | Your DNA Guide
Diahan Southard, Founder and CEO, Genetic Genealogy Expert and Educator
Diahan Southard knows firsthand what a difference it can make to know where you came from. What started off as an educational and career interest in genetic genealogy became deeply personal when she used DNA to discover her mom’s birth parents and connect with new relatives.
Now she has 20+ years of genetic genealogy experience. She built her company, Your DNA Guide, to show that learning DNA doesn’t have to be intimidating, frustrating, or require a college degree in biology. Her goal is to teach you to “Do the DNA”–and feel confident and have fun in the process!
Diahan teaches internationally, writes for popular magazines, authored Your DNA Guide–The Book, and produces Your DNA Guide–the Academy, an online learning experience. Contact Diahan’s office.
Administrative Team
Kelli Bergheimer, Academy Director and Genetic Genealogy Coach
With a degree in biology and a Master’s in Education, Kelli knows a thing or two about teaching DNA! She also does DNA research and report editing for Legacy Tree Genealogists; is Director of Curriculum and Assessments for a textbook company; and runs an online DNA interest group. A popular speaker internationally: she was the most-watched presenter for the global RootsTech 2023 event. She’s also a contributing writer for Your DNA Guide.
Kathie Knoll, Marketing Director
Kathie Knoll is a veteran marketing and communications strategist in the family history/genetic genealogy community (prior experience at Ancestry.com and Relative Genetics). She has degrees in both business and history. After managing Your DNA Guide–the Academy, Kathie now takes the lead on our marketing team.
Sunny Morton, Content Director
Sunny uses her award-winning writing and editing talents to plan and create content for our blog and other communications. She is an internationally known speaker; Contributing Editor of Family Tree Magazine, past Editor of Ohio Genealogy News; instructor for the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (2024); and co-author of How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records.
Danielle Francis, Affiliate and Events Manager
Dani coordinates live events for Your DNA Guide, manages relationships with our awesome affiliate partners, and assists with customer service. She has a bachelor’s degree in Public Health from Brigham Young University and is working towards becoming an occupational therapist. When she gets a spare moment she can be found working on a DIY home project or listening to an audiobook.
Stephanie Lazo, Project and Customer Experience Manager
As part of the Your DNA Guide team, Stephanie assists with customer service accounts, webinar project management, and with administrative tasks for the Academy. Stephanie has a Bachelor’s degree in Professional Studies with an emphasis on Family History Research from Brigham Young University–Idaho.
Amber Oldenburg, Social Media Manager
At Your DNA Guide, Amber maintains our social media presence and works to develop and implement engaging content. When not working on Your DNA Guide’s social media strategy, she can be found traveling the country with her family or reading a history book.
Melanie Mohler, Blog Manager
Melanie manages the Your DNA Guide Blog. She works closely with Your DNA Guide customers and staff to help easily explain topics relating to DNA testing and share DNA success stories on the blog. Melanie is also the Editor of Ohio Genealogy News, and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Applied History and Public Humanities.
Katie Ritchie, Advisor
Katie has an B.S. in Microbiology. She worked with the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation for 10 years. Her favorite responsibility was working on “Special Cases” for genealogists who wanted to ask their DNA specific questions—just like we do now at Your DNA Guide!
Hannah Zimmerman, Social Media Assistant
Hannah joined Your DNA Guide in 2021 as a video editor, assisting with campaigns and other social media content. She is currently a Journalism and Communications student at Utah State University. When not editing videos Hannah can be found nose deep in a sci-fi book, a cold Dr. Pepper close at hand.
Jessica Rea, Customer Service Specialist
Jessica assists with customer service and our affiliate program. She graduated with bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Classical Civilization from UCLA. In her free time, she can be found reading or watching tv, most likely with a cat on her lap.
Miya Jensen, Marketing Assistant
Miyamoto Jensen is a professional genealogist who specializes in Polynesian family history. Miya uses her social media presence (@thepolynesiangenealogist) to help her community find connection and healing to their Pasifika ancestors. She is also a co-host of the genealogy podcast show called “Love Your Lineage” where she highlights the multifaceted, authentic family history experience of Black, Indigenous, People of Color communities. Miya loves spending time with her family, building community with friends, singing/dancing to Beyonce or BTS, traveling the world, learning to make food from her culture, and watching funny cat videos.
Katie Crichton, Academy Assistant
Katie Critchton is delighted to join Your DNA Guide as an Academy Assistant. Katie has over 20 years of genealogy experience. She holds a certificate in genealogical research from Boston University and has completed the ProGen Study Groups program, as well as numerous institute courses. Katie specializes in British and Irish research and the colonial U.S. South. She also enjoys applying her background in molecular biology to solve challenging genetic genealogy problems. She is currently an Advanced Researched at Legacy Tree Genealogists and has served as the secretary of ProGen Study Groups since 2021.
Science Team
Jayne Ekins, Advisor
Jayne has 19 years of experience in the field of genetic genealogy, beginning with the pioneering Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation. She has participated in field specimen collection, marker selection and assay design, data management and computational processes, analysis and algorithms, and investigating population-level research questions. Jayne has lectured throughout the United States and internationally on the applications of molecular biology to elucidating ancient and recent genealogical connections. She has authored and co-authored many peer-reviewed scientific publications and general articles on genetic genealogy. Read Your DNA Guide articles by Jayne.
Pamela Cornwell, Genetic Genealogy Support Coach
Pam comes to Your DNA Guide after 22 years of professional teaching experience, a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Education degree. She was infected with the genetic genealogy bug when she and her paternal uncle embarked on the adventure of uncovering identities of missing and previously unknown ancestors. Hoping to make sense of their DNA results, Pam enrolled in Diahan Southard’s Y-DNA course during which she discovered the names and histories of paternal great grandparents no one in the family had ever known before. Now Pam serves as a Coach combining her honed teaching skills with her passion to support others heading into their own DNA mystery adventures.
Connie Davis, Genetic Genealogy Coach
Connie participated in all three pilot courses for the Your DNA Guide Academy and now supports others as they learn how to “Do the DNA.” In addition to her work as a coach at Your DNA Guide, Connie provides professional genealogy services for individual clients and genealogy education. Connie’s interest in family history started with her grandmother, and continued through her 40-year career as a nurse and educator. With a Master’s in Nursing, it was natural for Connie to focus on DNA and supporting people who have discovered surprises in their DNA. Connie’s personal research includes the colonial United States, southern United States, the Midwest, Canada and her California pioneer ancestors. She has experience in African American research and a commitment to reparative genealogy.
Michelle Leonard, Genetic Genealogy Coach
Lori Napolitano, Genetic Genealogy Coach
After Lori graduated from Northwestern University with a master’s degree in Chemistry, she taught high school science, and then she stumbled into the world of Forensic Science, even before CSI! She changed direction and spent 31 years with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, splitting her time between forensics and investigations. When she retired, she was Chief of Forensic Services in Orlando and had created a very successful statewide Investigative Genetic Genealogy program. Bringing her ‘hobby’ to work and solving over a dozen violent crime cold cases was amazing!
Laura Sandidge, Genetic Genealogy Support Coach
Laura is a life long learner that enjoys all things DNA, genealogy, and education. She comes to Your DNA Guide with over 25 years experience in the business and education field. Even after a BA in History, MA and PhD in general and Special Education, loads of research classes and well over 35 genealogical institutes and study groups, Laura would be the first to admit there is always something new to learn! She strongly feels that targeted and specific education can lead to a new way to approach a problem or spark an idea that could solve a long-standing problem. Laura loves doing genetic research and since she has taken pretty much every targeted and specific education class that Diahan has taught, it was only logical that she joined our team!
Sonja Sarantis, Genetic Genealogy Support Coach
Sonja is a UK qualified lawyer with over 25 years corporate legal experience who holds Bachelors Degrees in Mathematics and Law. She is also a part-time genetic genealogist who runs her own consultancy business, Lady Geni, and is passionate about solving unknown parentage cases and reparative genealogy. Her genealogy research is focused mainly in England, Scotland and South Africa. She is an Associate Member of AGRA, a Student Member of RQG and IHGS, a member of the Guild of One Name Studies and writes occasional book reviews for the Society of Genealogists in the UK.
