Southern California Genealogical Society: Board Member Bio's

2006 Board Members


Pam Wiedenbeck Having worked for multiple clients in the Information Technology area for over twenty-five years, Pam is a veteran project manager experienced in handling projects of all sizes, as well as training the next generation of project managers. She is currently the founder and president of Plans Made Perfect, a company dedicated to training project managers. Pam has been a member of SCGS for nine years. She is an active participant in the French Canadian Heritage Society of California, a volunteer librarian, and co-chair of the Jamboree Committee. She served on the Board of Directors for St. Phillip the Apostle School in Pasadena for six years and was a member of the Finance committee for two years prior to being elected to the board.
Leo Myers - 1^st Vice President Leo was raised in the San Fernando Valley in a house that his parents built with their own hands. He has been an auditor for the Ralphs Grocery Company for over twenty years. His grandmother got him started in genealogy when she gave him a chest full of old photos when he was eight. He is currently in his second term of planning the Jamboree, SCGS’s annual convention of genealogists. He is married to Cindy and has two grown boys, Matt and Brian.
Marge Rossini - 2^nd Vice President Marge was born and raised in Bridgeport, Connecticut, but her roots are planted in Ireland. She has a certificate in library technology from Pasadena City College and works in Tech Services at Covina Public Library. She began volunteering two years ago on the 1890 Project shortly after she joined the SCGS. This was followed by volunteer work as a librarian, as a member of the Long Range Planning Committee and as the person who repairs our library’s books. She also organizes Irish workshops. Marge has lived in Pasadena since she married Gene 38 years ago. They have two sons, Matt and Kevin, and two granddaughters, Eireann and Cairenn, to carry on the Irish tradition.
Alice Fairhurst - Recording Secretary Alice M. Fairhurst has been a genealogy researcher for over 40 years. A volunteer at the last two Jamborees, she is also a member of the National Genealogy Society and is working on becoming a Board Certified Genealogist. Her areas of specialty outside of the US are Canada and Scotland. She is currently the DNA Interest Chair and co-administrator of the SCGS DNA Project, plus serves as chair or co-chair on eight other DNA projects. She is also one of the library's Wednesday volunteers for the French Heritage Society. A retiree from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, she served as Career Development and Mentoring Coordinator. She has spoken on managing creativity, organizational development, personality styles, career management and learning styles at conventions in various sites in the US, Canada, and Britain.
Charlotte Bocage Charlotte has been involved with genealogical organizations since 1995. She volunteers at the SCGS library on Wednesdays. Additionally she is the First Vice President of the California African American Genealogical Society (CAAGS) and also their Chair of the Education & Outreach Committee. She coordinates monthly Field Trips to local libraries and quarterly visits to the National Archives. Charlotte is a volunteer at the Bilbrew County Library and has taught several beginning and intermediate genealogy classes throughout the U.S. for various local and national conferences.
Jim Fryman Jim has served as a museum docent at the Autry National Center for 16 years. He is a past president of the Autry’s docent council and is currently the treasurer-elect. He was selected at the Burbank Senior Volunteer of the Year in 2002. Before retiring after 31 years from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Jim was the manager of 15 branch offices. His business and volunteer activities have provided him with experience in budgeting, by-laws, personnel and administration.
Marva Grove Marva is a native of Nebraska. She has lived in California since 1954 and became a member of SCGS in 1973. She is a member of several genealogical societies including Society of Mayflower Descendants, DAR, where she is treasurer of her Chapter, and several surname associations. During her years at SCGS she has been a Workshop Leader, Volunteer Librarian, Chairman of the Nebraska Table at Jamboree and is currently our Volunteer Coordinator, member of the Long Range Planning Committee, the Book Selection Committee and the Operations Committee.
Paula Hinkel A native of Sioux City, Iowa, Paula has lived in Southern California since 1997. A marketing research professional for nearly twenty years, she received a BA in business management through Sioux City’s Briar Cliff Weekend College program. As an offshoot of her interest in computers, genealogy and obituaries, Paula developed the SoCal Obituaries website to help genealogists locate obituary resources in Southern California. She is an avid photographer and has posted over 8,000 photos on the California Tombstone project and Iowa Gravestone project websites. Since joining SCGS in 2002, she has worked on the 1890 Project, designed and contributed material for the revamped SCGS website, worked with the Jamboree Committee and served on the Editorial Board of The Searcher. She is a frequent contributor to The Searcher. Whenever possible, she visits her family in Iowa, including three grandchildren.
Lanelle Jacoby Lanelle become interested in genealogy about six years ago and soon afterwards joined the SCGS. She is an enthusiastic supporter of our society, having volunteered her time and considerable talents as an indexer, librarian, Jamboree volunteer, 1890 Project worker, SCGS website developer and member of the Board of Directors.
Dennis McCarger Dennis was born in Nebraska and graduated from high school in Colorado. He was a music major in college before enlisting in the Navy. He has earned two MA degrees, one in history and one in library science. He has taught history, music, spanish, genealogy, and economics. He has been interested in genealogy since he was nineteen. Dennis has been an archivist, a miner, truck driver, Port of Entry officer, and driver instructor, among other occupations. He was employed by the California Department of Corrections for eleven years and is now the reference librarian at the L. A. County Library in Baldwin Park.
Terry McVeigh Terry McVeigh, a native of Brooklyn, New York, now resides in the home of the Southern California Genealogical Society - Burbank, California. A first-generation child of Irish immigrants, most of her family research centers on Ireland and New York. Her mother and father were from the counties of Leitrim and Tyrone, respectively. Terry has a Masters Degree from California State University, Los Angeles. After spending many years working in law firms in both New York and California, she presently teaches in the Los Angeles Unified School District. While building her family tree during the last ten years, she has been involved in various activities of the Society, including working as a Librarian. Currently she is a member of the Jamboree Committee. Terry also belongs to the British Isles Family History Society.
Betty Jones - Treasurer
Louise Calaway - Assistant Treasurer
Peggy Schulz - Financial Secretary
Fran Bumann - Corresponding Secretary