User:GerdaBals

[[Image:BalsGH.JPG|140x187px|BalsGH.JPG]] Gerda H. J. Bals
Gerda was born in ‘s-Gravenhage (The Hague), Zuid-Holland, the Netherlands and has been employed by the Family History Department since 1978. She has been part of the German Extraction Unit and assisted with various data record issues when connected with Central European Countries. She participated in the beta testing of the TempleReadyTMprogram. Working in the collections department she was able to help with acquistions of library materials from around the world. Currently she is a Reference Consultant on the International floor and helps patrons from all over the world. Since March 2011 Gerda has retired.

Education
Geurt Volkers School


 * Den Haag: Diploma, Language Emphasis: 1966

Utah Valley Community College


 * Provo, UT

Romney Travel Agent School


 * Provo, UT: Diploma

Accreditation

 * Accredited in Dutch from the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGenSM)

Experience

 * Extensive experience in reading old documents in Dutch, German, and some French and Latin.
 * Extensive experience in solving genealogical research problems, including pedigree connections, locality problems, etc..
 * Experienced in using various gazetteers.
 * Other known languages: German, English and some French.
 * Languages worked with a smidgin are: Danish, Norwegian and Swedish
 * 35 years research in the Netherlands as well as Germany and Belgium
 * Classes taught in Michigan at a Genealogical Conference
 * BYU Genealogical Conferences
 * FGS Conference
 * FamilySearch Library
 * Various different seminars and conferences