NGS Announces Delegate Council Steering Committee

The National Genealogical Society is pleased to announce formation of the Delegate Council Steering Committee, an advisory group to help create the representative body for societies and organizations in the “new NGS.” The committee is an important step in the society's work to meet the needs of the genealogy community following the merger last October. 

Chair Dawn Carey Henry notes, "The Delegate Council will be a forum where genealogical organizations can collaborate, communicate, and counsel among member organizations as part of the new NGS. This is something all organizations need, especially now during these unprecedented times. The steering committee’s goal is to build the framework for the Delegate Council to ensure effective governance and operations. It established the name for the body, keeping the word ‘delegate’ in the title to honor the Federation of Genealogical Societies’ history of member representatives serving as delegates."

The steering committee will help establish the council’s procedures to provide regular engagement with and among member organizations and an avenue for feedback to the NGS board. The steering committee is planning a virtual kickoff workshop for delegates to be held 17 May 2021 in conjunction with the NGS 2021 Family History Conference.

The Steering Committee represents genealogical societies, libraries, and other organizations located throughout the United States. The members are:

• Chair Dawn Carey Henry, Michigan
• Vice-Chair W. Samuel Williams, Virginia
• Taneya Y. Koonce, MSLS, Tennessee
• Elissa Scalise Powell, CG®, CGL, Pennsylvania
• Susan K. Howard, New Mexico
• Laurie Hermance-Moore, MLS, AG®, Ohio
• Lois Abromitis Mackin, PhD, Minnesota
• Ari Wilkins, Texas

Cheri Hudson Passey, Vice President of Society & Organization Management, acts as committee liaison to the board of directors.

In the coming months, the committee will further define the roles and responsibilities of a delegate. It will also identify ways for member organizations to collaborate and communicate with each other and NGS.

Please join us in welcoming this very talented committee as they further the goals and interests of genealogists across the country and the world.