Biography

Melissa Johnson is a Certified Genealogist® with expertise in New Jersey research from the colonial period to the present day. She is on the faculty of the Boston University Genealogical Research Program, the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, and the Institute for Genealogy and Historical Research. She has previously served on the faculty of the British Institute, and the Forensic Genealogy Institute.

Melissa frequently teaches, lectures, and gives webinars for genealogical societies, historical societies, libraries, and public and private organizations throughout the country. She lectures on New Jersey research, DNA testing, technology, and advanced research methodology.

Melissa is a full-time professional genealogist, owner of Johnson Genealogy Services, and founder of the New Jersey Family History Institute. She has been researching her family history since 1993, and has been a professional genealogist since 2006. Her research focuses primarily on difficult New Jersey research problems, forensic genealogy cases, and using DNA test results to break through brick walls and solve difficult research problems.

Melissa's work has been published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly,New York Genealogical & Biographical Record,Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey,NGS Magazine,NGS Monthly,Genealogical Society of New Jersey Newsletter,Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, and several other publications. She currently serves on the board of trustees of the Genealogical Society of New Jersey and as Vice President of the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History.