Kath Ensor is a genealogist and public historian, having completed her MA in public history at Monash University in 2008. For the past fifteen years Kath has worked as a probate genealogist, researching hundreds of family trees with branches all around the world. She is currently undertaking doctoral research into the effects of institutionalisation of the mentally ill or disabled on individuals, families and communities. With this research she has a particular interest in discovering lost family stories and retrospectively connecting long-term patients from the past with their families from whom they may have been estranged. Kath was the recent recipient of the inaugural award of the Public Advocate of Victoria for her work with vulnerable Victorians in tracing aspects of their life stories.