Sybil Carey is the co-creator of The Heritage Project. She also works as a librarian and a freelance editor. 

She tells the story of the creation of The Heritage Project this way:

"One evening during a family visit, our conversation turned to 'the old days.' My grandfather, already in his nineties and in declining health, was re-telling the old family stories. As always, we asked him questions. How did he get to this country? What were his feelings about leaving his family and going to a strange land with a different language and new customs? What was his youth like? His new life in America? He was the only one who could answer these questions and the only family member from that generation still alive. As he talked, we turned on a small tape recorder. What resulted was a treasure: the story of a life told by the person who lived it, preserved for all generations to come. When I listen to the tapes now, I feel as though he is here with me. His voice, his accent, his essence are captured as a part of his living legacy of love. That's the magic of The Heritage Project."