Tracing Your New York Ancestors with the NYG&B

Making the Most of the New York Family History Guide and Gazetteer and other NYG&B Publications

In this session, we will: explore the NYG&B’s three flagship publications for family history research, the New York Family History Research Guide and Gazetteer, the New York State Archives Guide: For Family Historians, Biographers, and Historical Researchers, and the New York City Municipal Archives: A Guide for Family Historians; learn their main subject matter and discover the in-depth knowledge they contain.

Led by Susan R. Miller

Ryan Gleason

As Vice President of Digital Services at the NYG&B from 2022-2025, Ryan Gleason oversaw the NYG&B’s digital properties during his tenure, including the digitization and maintenance of record collections and their corresponding search tools. Prior to the NYG&B, Ryan was the Director of Digital Strategy for New York Institute of Technology, one of the state’s premier STEM institutions. He specializes in front-end content development, search engine optimization and site redesigns, especially as pertains to education and ecommerce.
 

Kalyn P. Loewer, MA

As the Manager of Digital Collections at the NYG&B, Kalyn Loewer uses digital preservation and archival techniques to support the NYG&B’s mission to preserve, document, and share family history. She works to digitize documents from all over New York State and makes materials available to researchers via the online collections. She also educates communities about how to access and maximize the NYG&’s online collections. Kalyn was the recipient of the John C. Gorman '38 Medal for Excellence in History from St. Francis College in 2021.

Susan R. Miller

An NYG&B member since 1993, Susan R. Miller oversees the NYG&B’s print and digital publications. She is the editor of the New York Researcher magazine, New York State Archives Guide: For Family Historians, Biographers, and Historical Researchers, and New York City Municipal Archives Guide and a managing editor of the New York Family History Research Guide and Gazetteer. A graduate of Brown University, Susan is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and several other genealogical and historical societies. 
 

D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, FUGA

D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, FUGA, is the President and CEO of the NYG&B and a nationally known and recognized genealogist. Previously, Joshua held senior leadership positions with Findmypast and the New England Historic Genealogical Society and has volunteered in leadership positions for the Federation of Genealogical Societies and other organizations. A prolific author and popular speaker, Joshua has been a coordinator for courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) and the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) and is the recipient of RootsTech’s Distinguished Presenter Award. He has been a featured genealogist on Who Do You Think You Are? and was a host on the PBS series Genealogy Roadshow. Joshua holds a Master of Library Science degree in Archival Management and a Master of Arts degree in History from Simmons College.

Mitchell Toolan

As the NYG&B’s Chief of Staff, Mitchell Toolan is a key player in project and administrative management at the NYG&B, ensuring strategic objectives and steps are met while daily operations run smoothly. Prior to the NYG&B, Mitchell was a teacher of Latin and technology for three years. As an instructor, classicist, and lover of learning, he developed a passion for history and genealogy that he often incorporated into the classroom. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics and Anthropology from Union College in Schenectady, New York, and a Master of Philosophy degree in Classics from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.