Barnes, Twila M.: - Twila M. Barnes is a homeschooling grandma who is passionate about Cherokee culture, history, and education. She's raising the three oldest children of her deceased daughter and giving them a blended Cherokee American education. She's a professional genealogist who specializes in Cherokee lineages and history with more than 20 years of experience. She grew up in Windsor, Missouri, and earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Central Missouri. She's a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and a descendant of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians. She currently lives in southern Missouri with her family and three dogs.