Renee Wendinger is from Minnesota and is the youngest of five children. Her mother, orphan train rider Sophia (Kaminsky) Hillesheim, was a part of the phenomenal journey from New York City to the Midwest.  Inspired by her mother to reveal the factual story of the children of the orphan trains, her books, Extra! Extra! The Orphan Trains and Newsboys of New York, and Last Train Home: An Orphan Train Story, embrace the compelling stories from the people who made history aboard the orphan trains of New York.

Renee is an expert speaker on the subject of the orphan train experience and offers a historical PowerPoint symposium to educators, schools, community organizations, libraries, and historical centers. She is accredited by the National Orphan Train Speakers Bureau as an authentic orphan train presenter.