My ICAPGen Accreditation Journey

I’m thrilled to share that after a long and winding journey, I am now an Accredited Genealogist^® in the New England region! I officially became an AG^® on Tuesday, 10 June 2025. I want to shout it from the rooftops!

Looking back on the path that led me here, it took much longer than I initially anticipated, mostly due to other projects and responsibilities, not the ICAPGen process itself. I’m sharing my experience in hopes of encouraging others to persevere and not give up on their accreditation journey.

My serious commitment to genealogy began in 2017, thanks to my wonderful great-aunt Barbara, who encouraged me to go back to school for something I loved. I enrolled in the 15-week Boston University Certificate Program in Genealogical Research, which ran from 17 January to 1 May 2017. It was intense! While they estimated 15 hours of work per week, I found it closer to 40. I graduated with OL23 in May 2017.

Just two weeks after completing that course, I began the 18-month ProGen Study Group, which started in early June 2017 and finished in November 2018 as a graduate of ProGen 34. I also attended several advanced genealogy institutes, including SLIG, IGHR, and GRIP. Initially, I decided to pursue the certification path at the time.

That all changed thanks to a chance encounter at RootsTech 2020, right before the world shut down due to COVID. I attended the ProGen meet-up and met Nicky Smith, an AG who had just learned she passed her accreditation exams in the Great Lakes region. I mentioned to Nicky that I had considered ICAPGen but assumed I couldn’t be accredited in New England since I no longer lived there. She explained how she had earned her accreditation in the Great Lakes region, even though she had never actually set foot there! Nicky then shared some information about the process and what it entailed.

Her story made a lasting impression on me. That conversation sparked a shift in my thinking and ultimately changed the course of my professional career.

I’m deeply grateful to my family and close friends (Jen B., Kim, Kecia, Jenny G. and Jenny R.I.)—both locally and within the genealogy community—whose unwavering support, encouragement, and belief in me meant everything throughout this journey. Their steady presence, kind words, and well-timed check-ins helped keep me grounded and motivated to accomplish this goal. I’m also thankful for my ICAPGen study group peers who walked this path with me. Sue Thomas and Kathryn Hogan were by my side at the very beginning in our first study group back in 2020. A heartfelt thank-you goes to Kelly Richardson, who met in the SLIG course when we were both just starting the accreditation process. She reviewed my Four Generation Project, patiently answered countless questions, and supported me from start to finish. Through that experience, we formed a genuine friendship. I’m also incredibly appreciative of Jennifer Zinck, my study buddy during the second and third stages of studying and testing, whose insight, encouragement, and camaraderie became a true source of strength—and blossomed into a lasting friendship as well.

Throughout this journey, so many Accredited Genealogists offered encouragement and support. The ICAPGen community is filled with some of the kindest and most generous people I’ve met in the genealogy world, and their encouragement truly made a difference. I participated in every ICAPGen study group and also attended the SLIG course focused on accreditation. Lisa Stokes was at the head of those classes and is now the ICAPGen President. She was a consistent source of support and inspiration. Lisa’s genuine dedication to helping others succeed shines through in the way she teaches, mentors, and lifts up those around her.

I’m also thankful for the many other AGs I’ve met along the way who are now part of my professional genealogy circle. To everyone who cheered me on, lifted me up, and helped me keep going—thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Timeline:

Date	Notes
March 2020	Attended RootsTech and the ProGen meetup—had a game-changing conversation with Nicky Smith.
Jan - April 2021	Participated in and completed the Level 1 Study Group.
9-14 Jan 2022	Took the SLIG course Becoming an Accredited Genealogist® Professional: The Why, What, and How. This workshop was a huge help in understanding the full accreditation process.
3 July 2024	Uploaded my entire Four Generation Project to Dropbox—big milestone!
11 Sept 2024	Test result came in—I passed Four Generation Project!
12 Sept 2024	Emailed ICAPGen expressing interest in testing for Level 2–3 around RootsTech. The testing in Utah was taking place a month before RT so that wouldn't work. The next option was remote testing in Nov/Dec.
25 Sept – 20 Nov 2024	Participated in the Level 2–3 Study Group—another big step forward!
2 Dec 2024	Emailed the Testing Secretary to confirm I’d found a proctor at the Savannah Family History Center and was aiming to test in December. December wasn’t going work with the upcoming holidays so it got scheduled for January.
9 - 10 Jan 2025	Took Document Interpretation, General Knowledge, and Final Report tests in Savannah, Georgia.
‘—	WAITING IS HARD!
23 May 2025	Test results are in! I passed all the testing. My Oral Review is scheduled.
10 June 2025	Oral Review and officially became an AG!

I created a detailed chart of every step of my journey. Seeing it all laid out on paper is truly eye-opening! I never imagined this journey would take so many twists and turns. For the sake of this blog, I will outline the major milestones rather than the details. While it ultimately took me five years—thanks to a few other exciting projects along the way—it typically takes about a year and a half. But you know what? That’s perfectly okay! Every path is unique. The most important thing is that I reached the finish line. And maybe—just maybe—my five-year adventure will encourage someone else to pick up where they left off and keep moving forward. You’ve got this!