Wendy Delery Hills, a local attorney and resource for genealogy researchers, will lead a presentation titled “Genetic Genealogy” at 7 p.m., Monday, March 19, at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon, Metairie.

This event is free of charge and is open to the public. There is no registration.

Hills has been involved in genealogy for many years. Recently, when she faced a roadblock in her research, she turned to the latest innovation in genealogy – genetics. In this presentation, Hills will share her journey through this new technology that is helping many to overcome genealogy problems. She will also discuss the need for a Genetic Genealogy Interest Group for those interested in this new field.

Hills was educated at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Newcomb College, and her juris doctorate degree from Tulane Law School. After a one-year clerkship on the Louisiana Court of Appeal, she practiced law in New Orleans full-time until the birth of her son in 1991. After that she worked part-time until Katrina when she moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas for six and a half years. Now living in Mandeville, she is mostly retired. Throughout her legal career, Hills has practiced in the field of successions and has been able to use her genealogical research skills to assist her.

While living in Fayetteville, Hills used her genealogical and legal knowledge to find the heirs of Josephine Louise LeMonnier Newcomb and convinced them to sue Tulane University regarding the decision to close Newcomb College. It was the first time that she had been deposed. Hills is a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, the Marion Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution in Fayetteville, the Society of the Founders of New Orleans, and several other historical, genealogical and cultural societies.

For more information regarding this presentation, contact Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming for the library, at 504-889-8143 or wcsmith@jefferson.lib.la.us.