Curious by nature. A genealogist at heart.

I'm Carla — founder of Diggin' for Clues, LLC, and a professional genealogist, writer, and educator. A native North Carolinian and lifelong family historian, I'm fortunate to live in the land of my ancestors.

Based in the Triangle, North Carolina

Where it began

Family history has always felt personal to me.

My father's love of family history inspired my own. I began researching the Stancil family of Johnston County, NC when I was ten, and that early curiosity became a lifelong endeavor—one that has brought me joy, insight, and a deeper understanding of the people who shaped my family.

My roots run deep through central and eastern North Carolina. Much of my family was born, lived, and died within a short distance of where I live today. When I visit a courthouse, follow an old road, or stand in a family cemetery, history does not feel remote. It feels close enough to touch.

“My greatest desire is to connect families—and to help people discover the story that belongs to them.”

“You are the result of thousands of ancestors, generations of love, and lives well lived.”

Carla with Atlas Allen and Lou Ada Stancil in 1960 — Carla with maternal grandfather Atlas Allen and paternal grandmother Lou Ada Stancil, 1960

Carla with her parents, Ann Gladys and Carl Stancil, in 1964 — Carla with her parents, Ann Gladys and Carl Stancil, 1964

Carla Anne Stancil around 1965 — Carla playing in grandma's back yard, circa 1965

Carla Stancil in 1976 — Carla Stancil, 1976

The experience behind the research

A lifetime of asking questions, finding meaning, and helping others learn

More than 40 years of research

My work has taken me across dozens of states and into other countries, with particular depth in North Carolina and the Southeast. Helping other families discover the joy, understanding, and connection that come from knowing their family's story is the work I love to do.

Writer, editor, librarian, and educator

I hold a Bachelor of Science degree and bring a career spent making information clear, useful, and understandable to every client project.

Deeply rooted in community

I have volunteered in shelters, scouting, schools, dog rescue, libraries, and genealogical societies—including more than 30 years with the Wake County Genealogical Society.

My approach

Warmth matters. So does evidence.

Every family carries stories that are tender, complicated, surprising, or unfinished. I approach them with curiosity, care, and respect. I also employ the Genealogical Proof Standard and adhere to the Association of Professional Genealogists Code of Ethics.

I will tell you what the records support, what remains uncertain, and where we might look next. You deserve research that is both meaningful and honest.

Read my professional commitments

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Let's discover your story

What would you like to know about your family?

Tell me what you know, what you'd like to know and we will discover it together.

Start a conversation

Check out Carla's family history blog