The Panelists
Members of the Genealogy Panel are appointed for a period of a year. The current panel consists of a dedicated group of CFA members who are willing to devote time to helping other Chandler researchers. In addition to Dick Chandler, chairman, and Claudia Chandler Brocato, secretary, the current Genealogy Panel consists of nine regular panelists and twelve specialists who act as consultants to the panel on specific inquiries which relate to their own lineage or area of expertise.

Basic requirements to be a panelist are:

• Desire to serve other Chandler researchers
• Computer literacy (as user, not technician)
• Ability to work with other researchers in an amicable manner
• Basic knowledge of genealogical research, i.e.
  1. where to look for information
  2. how to document a lineage
  3. the ability to determine quickly whether a lineage is plausible e.g. by looking at dates of birth, marriage, and death.

The Process
The process normally followed by the Genealogy Panel is as follows:

1. Incoming messages to the panel from the website email link are automatically routed to the chairperson and the secretary of the panel at the same time. This reduces the risk of unanswered mail.
2. Secretary prepares standardized synopsis of request, agrees with chairperson, and sends back to inquirer for ratification and "full disclosure" (i.e. confirmation that we have been told all the inquirer knows about the subject and identification of the sources which he/she has searched). This is so that panelists' time is not wasted telling the inquirer things he/she already knows.
3. When ratified by inquirer, chairperson sends to a specific panelist, on a rotating basis, and copies to other panelists, who can provide advice to the nominated panelist if they have some knowledge of the subject. Nil responses are not required. If the work of the secretary and the chairperson has already answered the inquiry comprehensively, the result is sent directly to the inquirer without consuming the time of other panelists unnecessarily.
4. Nominated panelist examines inquiry, consults as appropriate, prepares response and sends to chairperson, copying those panelists who have contributed.
5. Chairperson reviews draft response and sends panel response to inquirer. Where appropriate, secretary posts query on CFA web site, as before. The chairperson and secretary prepare and submit a bi-monthly report to CFA Executive Committee and contribute appropriately to newsletters.

It is not the intention to do inquirers' research for them: rather, to advise them how they might overcome their brick walls. This does not preclude a panelist from doing some research to help an inquirer, if time and resources are available.