Hi, I’m Lisa Hollon—wife, dog mom, genealogist, educator, and co-founder of Embracing Your History. My journey into family history didn’t begin in childhood or with a box of inherited records. It started in 1999, in the waiting room of my allergist’s office, when a Newsweek article on genealogy caught my attention. Something about it clicked immediately. That moment sparked a now 26-year exploration of family history, one that has taken me from courthouse basements and local archives to digital collections and living rooms filled with family stories. I still have that article in my office today as a reminder of where it all began.

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     Much of my own family history is rooted in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, places shaped by migration, labor, resilience, and change. Working within these records over decades has given me a deep, practical understanding of how families moved, settled, worked, and adapted across generations. That lived familiarity matters. It means I know where to look, how to read between the lines, and how to place records within the realities of the time and place they were created.

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     One of my defining “aha” moments as a genealogist came when I discovered the Ellis Island record for my great-grandfather, who arrived in the United States as a 16-year-old boy. Seeing his name on that manifest transformed him from a name in a tree into a real person making a life-altering decision. It crystallized what genealogy truly is: not just research, but connection. That moment continues to shape how I approach every project, with care for the facts, the history, and the people. 

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     Alongside my work in genealogy, I’m also an instructional designer, adult learning professional, and project manager. This background is central to how I work with our clients. I know how adults learn, how to explain complex information clearly, and how to guide people through unfamiliar processes without overwhelm. Whether I’m researching on your behalf or teaching you how to navigate your own family history, my goal is to make the experience understandable, empowering, and engaging.

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     At Embracing Your History, I bring together decades of hands-on research, a deep respect for storytelling, and a belief that history should be accessible to everyone. I approach this work with curiosity, integrity, and a healthy dose of humor. I want you to feel confident that your story is being handled with care, whether I’m doing the digging or showing you how to do it yourself. Your history matters, and I’d be honored to help you explore it.