On Friday, May 10 noon-1:00 p.m., the Georgia Archives’ Lunch and Learn program will be “The Ancestral Wanderer: In Search of a New Beginning” by Dr. Nydia Hanna. The presentation will outline the key knowledge needed to successfully identify the ancestral birthplace of our immigrant ancestors.
 
Dr. Nydia Hanna is an experienced pharmacist, science educator, and genetic genealogist who holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Science Education and Biochemistry from Georgia State University and Emory University, and a Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida.
 
Being born in Pennsylvania of Puerto Rican parents, Dr. Hanna's heritage was conveyed to her in cultural traditions and detailed stories of the Spanish ancestors who influenced the customs, education, and economic health of her family. Her parents are avid historians of the family and continuously retell humorous or outlandish episodes in their lives or the lives of their parents.
 
When genealogical research became accessible online with the advent of Ancestry.com and FamilySearch over 20 years ago, Dr. Hanna set out to discover the truths, or exaggerations, of ancestral stories. Eventually, Dr. Hanna began building trees for friends and her career as a genealogist grew out of this interest in helping people.
 
Dr. Hanna has identified a niche for her services that focuses on helping English-speaking people discover their Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French or Corsican ancestors.  Dr. Hanna began the genealogy business Doors to the Past, LLC in 2015 with the intent of helping those who have not been exposed to their ancestral ethnicity or language and want to learn more about their immigrant families.
 
Lunch and Learn Programs are free and open to the public and are sponsored by Friends of Georgia Archives and History (FOGAH). No registration is required. A drawing for door prizes is held at the beginning of each Lunch and Learn program.