Renate Yarborough Sanders is a distinguished genealogist, educator, and speaker specializing in research methodology, with an emphasis on African American ancestral research. A retired educator (who still loves to teach), she leverages her instructional background to provide genealogy education for institutions of higher learning, professional organizations, and individuals. Her extensive leadership includes serving on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Genealogical Society and holding various roles within the Afro-American Genealogical and Historical Society (AAHGS), including member of the National Editorial Board and Vice-President of the Hampton Roads Chapter. She is a contributing member of several national, state, and local genealogy societies, and is a member of the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage (SDUSMP) lineage society. Additionally, Renate is a member of the newly formed Somerset Place Descendants Circle and the is on the Board of the Somerset Place Foundation, Inc. She also holds an advisory position for the Board of the Descendants of Enslaved Communities of Virginia.

Renate’s contributions to the field of genealogy are recognized nationally; her research has been featured by PBS Radio and National Geographic Magazine. She recently conducted a significant research project for Wake Forest University to identify descendants of 16 enslaved persons connected to the institution's history. In 2024, she was honored with the Solomon Northup Family Award by the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage, where she recently completed a term as Deputy Registrar. She also serves as an instructor for the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI) and has taught at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburg (GRIP), along with managing her own research databases and blogs.

Renate is the proud mother of two adult daughters, 4 precious granddaughters and a beloved grand dog.