ABOUT ME
Introduction
Dana Leeds worked with DNA as an undergraduate at the University of Oklahoma’s Health Sciences Center in the early 1990s and later taught middle school science after earning her BS in Biology Education from the University of Central Oklahoma. She became interested in genealogy in 1998 through researching her own family lines.
In recent years, Dana has combined her passions for science, genealogy, and education as a process innovator, blogger, and speaker focusing on genetic genealogy—especially its role in solving traditional brick wall problems and unknown parentage cases. She is internationally known for the Leeds Method, a visual clustering technique that helps organize DNA matches into groups often representing the four grandparent lines. This method enables researchers to focus on specific branches of their family tree with clarity and confidence.
Dana has shared the Leeds Method and its applications at i4GG’s International Genetic Genealogy Conference, RootsTech, and the Association of Professional Genealogists’ annual conference, as well as with numerous local, regional, and online groups. She is passionate about demystifying DNA and empowering genealogists of all experience levels with practical, easy-to-use tools.