Nicki Peak Birch Appointed BCG Executive Director

Board for Certification of Genealogists
Press Release: 8 August 2010
For additional information, contact:
Laura Murphy DeGrazia, CG @ degrazia@optonline.net

Nicki Peak Birch Appointed BCG Executive Director

The trustees of the Board for Certification of GenealogistsR announce the appointment of Nicki Peak Birch, CG^SM, of Vienna, Virginia, as BCG's next Executive Director (ED). Nicki will assume the role of ED in September 2010 when Lynn C. McMillion, Certified Genealogist^SM Emeritus, retires after nearly a decade in the position.

Nicki holds an AAS in data processing from Northern Virginia Community College; a BA in sociology from Beloit College in Wisconsin; and an MBA in operations research from the American University in Washington, DC. She worked for twenty years as a computer systems analyst and programmer, and is a Certified Computer Professional. A genealogical researcher since 1980, Nicki has an impressive history of involvement in the genealogical community. Soon after she accepted her first client in 1994 she joined the Association of Professional Genealogists. She served as the National Capital Area Chapter secretary, chapter representative, and treasurer. Over the years she has actively participated in many other organizations, including the National Genealogical Society (NGS), the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), the Fairfax (Virginia) Genealogical Society, and the National Institute on Genealogical Research (NIGR) Alumni Association. She is a member of twenty-two lineage organizations and is currently serving as an officer in five of them.

In addition to researching and volunteering, Nicki makes time for professional development. She is a graduate of the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy's Intermediate United States Research course; the Virginia Institute of Genealogical Research; NIGR; NGS American Genealogy; and the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research's Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis course. She earned her certification through BCG in 2007. Her case study, "Tracking Basil Williams of Maryland and Pennsylvania through Changing Residences and Multiple Marriages," was published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly in 2008.

Nicki's analytical abilities, organizational skills, and leadership experience make her well-suited for the position of BCG Executive Director. As we bid farewell to Lynn-the ever-efficient, ever-cheerful Executive Director we've come to know over the last decade-we look forward to working with Nicki. We hope you will join us as we welcome her in her new role.

Since its founding in 1964, the Board for Certification of Genealogists has promoted - in research, lectures, and publications - attainable, uniform standards of competence and ethics that have become generally accepted throughout the field. Its publication The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual sets forth the currently accepted standards for all areas of genealogical research.