We would like to introduce you to Pamela Chatfield, AG^®, who earned her accreditation in Ireland.

We asked Pamela a few questions about her accreditation process, area of accreditation, and advice for those seeking accreditation. Here is what she shared with us.

What motivated you to pursue accreditation?

For many years before becoming an AG^® professional, I had an interest in my family history. As a young person, I enjoyed hearing the family stories from my parents. I knew that one day I would become involved in documenting the lives of my ancestors, and I also knew that I wanted to do it right. It was not until after my five children were grown, and I had retired from being a full-time teacher, that I began in earnest working on my family history. A good friend shared with me that I could learn how to be become accredited and with that become effective in successfully building a family tree that was founded on sound research. It made sense. So, together we began our ICAPGen^SM journey.

What are some challenging or unique aspects of researching in your area of accreditation?

I chose Ireland for my area of accreditation because my maternal grandmother was 100% Irish and my maternal grandfather was 50% Irish. Not much work had been done on those branches of the family tree. When I began the study of Ireland research, I did not know that I was doing something hard in comparison to other regions! I knew nothing about seeking Irish people in their homeland. I still remember the day I had the epiphany that without the church records or civil registration there really is nowhere else to look. However, you can get lucky with a few other record groups. This is frustrating to say the least. At present, there are good things coming out of Ireland with the release of the Catholic church records and civil registration both coming online. We have much to look forward to.

What advice do you have for those pursuing accreditation?

I feel ICAPGen^SM has provided me with a good education. Since becoming an AG^® professional, my knowledge base of genealogical research has grown. Two years ago, my husband and I served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and we were assigned to the Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission. From there, we were assigned to serve in the Family History Library on the U.S. Canada floor. Was I disappointed that we were not assigned to the British floor? Yes, but we were thrilled to be at the library on a daily basis. My favorite activity while serving was shadowing the AG^® professionals working on our floors and learning from them. I will always be grateful to them for their tutelage and patience for it contributed greatly to my knowledge base and confidence in genealogical research. The learning that took place in United States research has helped me become better at tracing the Irish in their county of arrival and discovering their native townlands. For anyone considering becoming accredited, I would say “go for it”. The education acquired through the experience is well worth the time and effort.

Is there anything else you want to let us know about your genealogy experience or activities?

Currently, I am serving on the ICAPGen^SM board as the chair for the renewal committee.  Through this experience I have gained new friends and a new appreciation for what our ICAPGen^SM leaders and other board members do on behalf of all AG^® professionals. They are truly a stalwart bunch of individuals. I am also serving and teaching research classes at the Cedar City, Utah, Family History Center. In the last six months, I have had a continual list of clients and each new research problem is a new discovery into the lives of the Irish people.