Karen Cummings

Dr Karen Cummings BPharm DipGen PGCert (Educational Practice) QG is an author, genealogist, tutor and the owner of Pharos Tutors. She has written and tutored a variety of Pharos courses for over ten years. She has also taught at the Society of Genealogists and is a former tutor and examiner for the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies (IHGS). Karen's areas of speciality are genetic genealogy (DNA Testing) and research methodology. Her book, Genealogy Methods and Techniques - A Practical Guide to Research, was published by Crowood Press in early 2026.

Karen's own interest in family history arose from her mother's tales of great aunts, distant cousins and great grandparents during her childhood. She began her career in the pharmaceutical industry and holds her doctorate in scientific research. However, once she began researching her own family history in earnest, she quickly became hooked. She set up her professional genealogy business, Professional Family History, in 2010, specialising in gift packages, research in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Essex, DNA testing and problem solving.

Karen has qualifications in both genealogy and teaching. She holds the Diploma in Genealogy (DipGen) from the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies (IHGS) and has a Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert) in Educational Practice from the University of Essex.

She is a Member of the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA), the accrediting body for genealogists in England and Wales, has served on both AGRA's Council and Board of Assessors. In addition she is a Member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) in the US, and is also a Qualified Genealogist, listed on the Register of Qualified Genelogists (RQG).