The Nashi Predky/Our Ancestors Family History Group

Who we are

The Nashi Predky ("Our Ancestors" in Ukrainian) Family History Group brings together aspiring genealogists and family historians with a wide range of worldwide experts on the various ethnic groups in current day Ukraine and neighboring countries. We organize online and in-person talks and conferences on topics related to Ukrainian genealogy and history writ large. The Group also founded and continues to maintain the Facebook group Ukrainian Genealogy: Our Ancestors -- Наші Предки, which is a vibrant community of nearly 5,000 individuals passionate about learning their family histories and helping others to do the same.

Family History Group programming is coordinated by Mike Buryk, Michelle Chubenko,  Justin Houser, Lara Diamond, and Cheryl Bock, working with the UHEC’s archivist Michael Andrec and director Natalia Honcharenko.

Mike Buryk is a writer and speaker whose research focuses on Lemko and Ukrainian genealogy and the history of Ukrainians in the United States. He also produces and hosts an original podcast series for The Ukrainian Weekly, as well as his own podcast called Krynytsya ("The Well" in Ukrainian).

Michelle Chubenko is a professional genealogist with almost 30 years experience. She is a Research Team Lead and professional genealogist with Legacy Tree Genealogists, and is their Specialist for Central & Eastern European research.

Justin Houser is a very experienced amateur genealogist on both the Ukrainian and Swiss Mennonite sides of his family. He has a particular passion for Ukrainian history and genealogy and delights in helping others to reverse the effects of totalitarian repression of Ukrainian history by re-discovering their family heritage.

Lara Diamond has been researching her Ashkenazic Jewish family roots for 25 years, and has traced all branches of her family multiple generations back in Europe using Russian Empire-era and Austria-Hungarian Empire records. Most of her research is in modern-day Ukraine, with a smattering of Belarus and Poland, and she writes prolifically on her blog Lara's Jewnealogy.

Read the UHEC Genealogy FAQ

Upcoming events

2022 Online Spring Conference

Sunday, May 15th, 2022

There will also be ongoing Virtual Office Hours and webinars

View all events on the UHEC calendar


For more information, please contact the coordinators (genealogy@UkrHEC.org).