Tanya Evans is a public historian who specializes in the history of the family, motherhood, poverty and sexuality. She teaches history at Macquarie University and is passionate about researching ordinary people and places in the past and incorporating ordinary people and places in her research and writing. Her three books so far have been about the history of 'illegitimacy', poverty and philanthropy. Her last book Fractured Families: Life on the Margins in Colonial New South Wales was a history of Australia's oldest surviving charity, The Benevolent Society, written in collaboration with family historians. She loves teaching and producing history in a variety of forms including online and in exhibitions. She has worked as a consultant on the television series Who do you think you are? for the past 7 years. She is also President of the History Council of NSW and remains committed to incorporating diverse communities in the production and consumption of history. Her next book and exhibition is based on the history of her local swimming club.