CeCe is an investigative genetic genealogist and media consultant. She is the Chief Genetic Genealogist for Parabon Nanolabs, heading their Genetic Genealogy Services for law enforcement unit, boasting the unparalleled record of over one hundred successful identifications of violent criminals in the two years since the unit’s launch. Her work has led to the first conviction, the first conviction through jury verdict, and the first exoneration in criminal cases where the suspect was identified through investigative genetic genealogy. The upcoming new ABC documentary series, The Genetic Detective, follows CeCe as she uses her unique research skills to assist law enforcement in the pursuit of justice.
Throughout the last decade, CeCe has been considered an innovator and pioneer in the use of autosomal DNA to resolve unknown parentage and family mysteries, frequently consulted by DNA testing companies, genealogists, adoptees, law enforcement and the press. In recognition of her contributions to the field, CeCe has been appointed a 2019 – 2020 Non-Resident Fellow of the Du Bois Research Institute at Harvard’s Hutchins Center. As a leading proponent of genetic genealogy education, CeCe is the co-founder of the Institute for Genetic Genealogy. She has taken a leadership role in creating educational resources for the genetic genealogy community and helped create and teach the groundbreaking first genetic genealogy courses at the premier genealogical institutes, including Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research and Forensic Genealogy Institute. Further, CeCe organized the groundbreaking Institute for Genetic Genealogy conferences, held in Washington D.C. in 2014, San Diego in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and Las Vegas in 2020. She founded and manages the largest educational online DNA-focused forum, the DNA Detectives Facebook group, which boasts a following of over 130,000 members, along with many other specialized subgroups.
CeCe has been a core production member as the full-time genetic genealogist of the PBS Television documentary series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. continually since 2013, and as a producer in Season Five (2019). She is an ABC News Consultant and collaborates regularly with 20/20, showcasing her cutting-edge work reuniting individuals of unknown parentage with biological relatives through genetic genealogy, and helping law enforcement to resolve cold cases. She has appeared frequently as a genetic genealogy expert on TV shows, including 60 Minutes, The Dr. Oz Show, The Today Show, Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, Nightline, CBS This Morning, PBS NewsHour, Fox News, CNN International’s Smerconish, Dr. Phil, The Doctors, Finding Your Roots and Canada’s The Fifth Estate, and has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, MIT Technology Review, The Guardian (UK), Le Monde (France) and Haaretz (Israel). Her work has also been featured in hundreds of articles and books including the New York Times, Washington Post, Business Insider, Wired, The Atlantic, Los Angeles Times, Live Science, Fox News, People Magazine, Harper’s Magazine, Washington Times, The Invisible History of the Human Race, The Foundling, and The Lost Family. In 2018, she was recognized by the Orange County Register as one of the Ten Most Influential People in Orange County, CA. She is a long-time member of Screen Actor’s Guild and Mensa, and a proud mother.