Teaching

Taught 1,000+ genealogy lectures since 2010. Thomas is known first and foremost as a teacher—leading webinars, presenting at conferences, and teaching workshops for genealogists at every experience level. He specializes in making challenging topics understandable, actionable, and approachable, whether he is explaining DNA basics, showing how to evaluate records, or demonstrating new technology and AI tools in a way that feels useful rather than intimidating. Although he is now retired from teaching, his recorded webinars can be accessed at https://familytreewebinars.com/speaker/thomas-macenteee Webinars.

Specific Areas of Expertise

• Research methodology — sound process, evidence evaluation, problem-solving, and building a research plan that holds up

• Records strategy — identifying the right records, using them in the right order, and getting more value from limited time and subscriptions

• Genealogy technology — software, websites, apps, workflows, and digital tools that support better research

• AI tools for genealogy — practical uses, limitations, and responsible implementation for real-world genealogy work

• Organization systems — digital organization, workflow management, file naming, note-taking, and research tracking

• Budget-conscious research — cost-aware guidance for genealogists who want solid results without overspending on tools, memberships, or services

Credentials and Education

Thomas believes strong teaching is backed by continual learning.

• Degrees: Bachelor of Arts – Art History and Spanish Language and Literature. The George Washington University.
• Certificate programs: Online Genealogical Research. Boston University
• Genealogical institutes attended: Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy

Published Works

Thomas is also the author of genealogy books and educational resources designed to help researchers learn faster, stay organized, and make better decisions about methods and tools. Visit the books page for book covers, publication dates, and subject tags.

Leadership and Affiliations

• Illinois State Genealogical Society — Publicity Chair, 2010-2018
• Geneabloggers — Created and led a community of over 1,000 genealogy bloggers, 2008-2018

Research and Editorial Philosophy

Thomas believes genealogy guidance should be useful, transparent, and well-supported. His teaching emphasizes careful sourcing, proper citations, and practical application over theory for theory’s sake. He tests every tool, platform, feature, and workflow himself before recommending it, and he pays close attention to whether it truly saves time, improves outcomes, or simply adds cost. At Genealogy Bargains, readers should also know exactly how technology is used in the editorial process, including a clear disclosure of how AI is or is not used.

Contact

• Genealogy Bargains: https://www.genealogybargains.com
• Books: https://genealogybargains.com/amazon-thomas-macentee
• Webinar Topics: https://familytreewebinars.com/speaker/thomas-macenteee Webinars
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasmacentee/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@genealogybargains4002
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmacentee/