About Tina.

Founder & CEO of DNA Family Finder

My interest in DNA Genealogy started many years ago with my father, John Rutherford. My father was always interested in something, always involved in a project. One day he just decided he wanted to know more about his roots, his ancestors of long ago. 

We soon discovered we didn’t really know that much at all. He contacted his 1st cousin’s family in Ireland, and found out that Thomas Rutherford (RIP), of Cootehill, Cavan, had been searching for his paternal family line with his daughter, Elaine, for many years. They had started to put together the puzzle by going to all the cemeteries and graveyards. Thomas had exhausted many record archives and wrote many letters. We took all the valuable information from that and put it together. But there was more we wanted to know. 

We researched and finally came to the conclusion that we needed the help of DNA Genealogy. My father then started ordering the DNA tests, one by one from each company. We spent many hours evaluating the results and eventually got to know our way around the sites. We spent many weekends contacting cousins from near and far, and long ago. The process was and is still incredibly enjoyable. 

This new world of DNA Genealogy brought me a wonderful revelation as to just how helpful people can be. I have found that my DNA family included thousands of cousins, quite willing to answer questions, instruct me as to what they know, and put me on the right path. It was a wonderful network I was building with my new world family. 

I learned so many tricks of the trade and began to really understand the inner workings of DNA matching, shared matching comparisons, triangulations, clusters, and the utmost importance of the family tree. I learned just how important the DNA results were and once I could understand them and put them to use, the rest was easy. I also realized how much easier it was to discover closer relationships than it was to research back into the past where the waters become muddy and any hope of DNA rules or records start to dwindle. 

Soon I became the teacher to those who had questions. Soon that evolved into I was the researcher for those who needed help and simply didn’t understand or didn’t have time to understand. This was the turning point for me where the student became the teacher.  

I have a passion for this work and with that comes the willingness to just keep doing it. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t my own tree anymore. I wanted to help people. What a great sense of satisfaction that was for me. 

I have worked with so many people in the last few years and enjoyed every moment of it. I told them I was practicing on them because I wanted to get good at it. I feel I have reached the point now where I can truly get the answers. With the need so great in the world and so many people in utter turmoil over questions unanswered in their biological background, I am here to put my knowledge and experience into action. 

Unfortunately, we lost my father in May of 2020, but his memory will live on. What he started continues. He got me involved in DNA Genealogy. He planted the seed. I would like to help others now. 

Let us take this journey together.