In early 2026, I had the privilege of marking a meaningful milestone: 10 years as President and CEO of the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society (NYG&B). Anniversaries invite reflection—on what has changed, what has endured, and where we are headed next.
When I began this role, the organization stood on a strong foundation built over a century and half. And I am grateful to have inherited the stewardship of the NYG&B from predecessors whose leadership helped shape this organization long before my tenure. Their passion for history and commitment to our mission have been an inspiration.
When I assumed this role in 2016, the opportunities that lay before me were clear: to expand access, embrace digital transformation, and ensure that anyone, anywhere, could be empowered to discover their New York story.
Over the past decade, one of the most profound changes has been the scale of historical record preservation and access to digitized materials. Through our Digitize New York initiative, launched in 2023, more than 1 million scans of historical records have been preserved across New York State, and we’re already looking ahead—expanding access, growing partnerships, and working toward the next million scans. What had once been at-risk physical documents kept in boxes or fragile books slowly disintegrating have now been safely digitized and made publicly available to a global audience.
This transformation has not simply been about technology— it has also been about the strong commitment between the NYG&B and the many organizations, communities, and individuals working together to safeguard historical records so more people can discover their roots and connect with their past.
And yet, even as so much has evolved, our core mission remains unchanged.
We continue to be deeply committed to accuracy and rigorous scholarship. Projects like New Netherland Settlers and our Scholar in Residence program exemplify this enduring focus, combining meticulous research with a long-term vision to illuminate New York history. Our role as a trusted resource for researchers—whether professional genealogists, historians, or individuals exploring their own family stories—remains central to everything we do.
Equally important is our ongoing commitment to preserving the history of all New Yorkers. That means recognizing that New York’s story is not confined to one place, community, or time period—it spans geographies, cultures, and generations. Wherever New Yorkers have lived and left their mark, their stories matter, and we are dedicated to helping preserve, document, and share them.
Looking ahead, I am energized by what the future holds.
We will continue to expand access to New York records, with regular releases of newly digitized collections. Our investment in scholarship will remain strong, including regularly researching and publishing sketches under New Netherland Settlers and diversifying research topics through our Scholar in Residence program for new perspectives on the past.
At the same time, we are committed to creating meaningful ways for people to engage with the NYG&B no matter where they are—whether through online resources, virtual programming, or in-person educational experiences, including in the communities where they live.
Advocacy will also remain a critical part of our work. Ensuring open access to New York’s vital records and monitoring broader issues related to record preservation is essential to people’s ability to trace their ancestry and understand their past. We will continue to be a voice for access, transparency, and responsible stewardship of historical records on behalf of our community.
Ten years is both a long time and, in many ways, just the beginning. I am thankful to our members, the wider family history community, partners, volunteers, supporters, and staff who have all made this progress possible. Together, we have honored our past while building a more accessible, inclusive future.
Finally, I'd like to acknowledge the strong leadership and long-term vision of the NYG&B's Board of Trustees. Their guidance, strategic insight, and unwavering commitment to our mission have ensured that our organization can successfully navigate periods of both innovative growth and enduring continuity. I thank them for their invaluable support in advancing our work while sustaining the NYG&B for future generations of family history researchers.
The work continues—and I am excited for what comes next.