Directory of Members

Linda Harms Okazaki is a fourth-generation Californian, active in the genealogy and Japanese American communities in California and beyond. She is passionate about teaching people to research, document, and share their personal family histories. Her other areas of research include upstate New York, England, and Australia, as well  the use of DNA in genealogy. Linda has been researching her husband’s ancestry since 2012, documenting his family in the internment camps and in Japan. A charter member of the Nikkei Genealogical Society, a research consultant for Ancestry.com’s Progenealogists and Densho.org, she is also a featured columnist for the Nichi Bei Weekly. Her column, Finding Your Nikkei Roots, is published bimonthly. She is a member of numerous Japanese American organizations, as well as the Association of Professional Genealogists, the Genealogical Speaker’s Guild, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. Linda is a past president of the California Genealogical Society and a past board member of the Nichi Bei Foundation.

Ms. Okazaki holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and a Master of Arts degree in Education.

Japanese American Research; Family History for Youth, Introduction to Genealogy, Introduction to DNA, Diversity and Inclusion

20th Century Immigrants to the West Coast and Hawaii

A Japanese American Family from 1902-1992: A Case Study (60 minutes; a shorter version called “Who was Raymond Hirai?” can be 20-30 minutes)

Family History for Young Children: A Developmental Approach (20-30 minutes; good for community events)

Finding Your Japanese Roots: In the U.S. and in Japan (can be one, two, or three lectures; title can be adjusted)

Find Your Family, Leave a Legacy (an introduction to genealogy for non-genealogy groups, 30-45 min)

The History of Angel Island – From the Early Native Americans to the Modern Day

Introduction to Genealogy

Organize Your Genealogy

A Tale of Two Ancestors: The Angel Island Experience (20-30 minutes, good for luncheons)

Volunteers: Recruitment, Training and Retention (20-30 minutes; for boards and non-profits)

What's All the Fuss About DNA?

Who's in Your Neighborhood? A Discussion About Diversity and Inclusion (good for boards and genealogical societies)

WWII "Internment Camps" and Mass Incarceration in the U.S.

All-day or two-day seminars for the Japanese American community can be arranged.

Who Was Gus Barrango? A Case Study

A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words: A Discussion About Picture Brides

An Immigrant Family in Pre-1906 San Francisco - A Case Study

Reconstructing A Japanese American Family Through Documents - A Case Study

Will present remotely or in-person.

Densho Genealogy Series

Japanese American Community and Cultural Center "Your Family, Your History," a nine-part genealogy series culminating in a Shutterfly book, 2022-2023

Legacy Family Tree Webinars, 2021, 2022,  2023

National Genealogical Society, May 2022

Shasta Genealogical Society, 2023

Sonoma County Genealogical Society, 2023

Tennessee Genealogical Society, 2023

Brentwood Library, Long Island, May 2022