Eileen writes family histories as part of the Learning & Interpretation team. Under the Newbury Street Press imprint, she has authored several books, including Ancestral Lines of Iain W. F. Shepherd and Helen Waugh (Gray) Shepherd – Journeys in Time. She has written articles for American Ancestors magazine, and contributes to the Vita Brevis blog.

Among Eileen’s interests is Irish research. She frequently lectures on this topic for our Education department through online conferences and webinars, and provides consultations to patrons at various research events. Eileen also gives lectures on lesser-utilized resources such as bank records, providing strategies for thinking “outside the box” when conducting research.

Eileen’s love of history extends beyond her work as a member of the American Ancestors staff. Since 2015, she and her husband Paul have been live-in caretakers of the William Clapp House in Dorchester, Massachusetts, one of three historic homes owned by the Dorchester Historical Society. In 2019, Eileen wrote “In Her Own Words: The Life of Elizabeth (Clapp) Withington (1816-1845),” an article about a member of the Clapp family, for American Ancestors magazine.

Eileen earned a BA in English from Saint Anselm College, and an MS in Justice, Law, and Society from American University.