Exciting news, genealogy enthusiasts! MyHeritage’s Legacy Family Tree Webinars—the leading genealogy and DNA webinar series in the world—has just announced its 2025 lineup, and registration is officially open! This year marks the 15th anniversary of this incredible educational series, which offers 173 classes taught by 132 speakers from 17 countries. Among the highlights for 2025 are two brand-new members-only series:
I’m Honored to Be a Speaker! I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be part of this fantastic series again this year! I’ll be presenting two sessions:
Both topics are designed to provide practical tools, insights, and inspiration for genealogists at all levels. Why Register? All live webinars are free to attend, and recordings are available for free during the first week after each event. A webinar membership ($49.95/year) unlocks even more, including:
Ready to Register?Don’t miss out on this unparalleled opportunity to learn from genealogy’s leading educators! Whether you register for one class or all of them, you’ll gain valuable tools and strategies to enhance your family history research. 👉 View the full lineup and register here. 👉 Download PDF of 2025 full lineup here. Join me and many other passionate genealogists as we celebrate another year of advancing family history research through Legacy Family Tree Webinars. I look forward to seeing you there! More Genealogy Events and EducationStay tuned for more genealogy events and education under the Genealogy Events category.
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The Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) has long been at the forefront of genealogy education with its flagship event, Jamboree. This conference has earned its reputation as the largest "single society" genealogy conference in the U.S., attracting family historians and professional genealogists from across the globe. Last year marked a significant milestone, as they celebrated the 53rd Jamboree conference and the 10th Genetic Genealogy conference, featuring renowned speakers and enriching sessions that inspired attendees. Traditionally held at the Burbank Marriott in Burbank, California, Jamboree adapted to the challenges posed by the pandemic, by going virtual. In 2023, the event adopted a hybrid format, effectively separating the conferences into the Genetic Genealogy event in the spring and the Genealogy Jamboree in the fall. Introducing Genealogy Jam This year, I'm excited to announce a new evolution: Genealogy Jam! While the name may be new, the mission remains the same—offering a strong platform for genealogical learning and community building. Genealogy Jam will be a one-day event filled with targeted sessions, based off of a theme, designed to provide attendees with practical skills and insights. While we will miss the three full days of programming that everyone has come to love, I believe this focused format will deliver high-impact learning opportunities. Expect a thematic approach, which will guide the sessions and enhance your overall experience. This year's theme is "Discovering Our Southwest Heritage". Why Attend? If you’ve been longing for in-person connections, Genealogy Jam is the perfect opportunity to re-engage with the genealogical community. With many conferences shifting to virtual formats, this event offers a rare chance to participate in face-to-face learning. You will not only gain valuable knowledge but will also have the opportunity to meet fellow genealogists, share experiences, and build new friendships. Don’t miss out on:
Register Now! Be a part of this exciting day dedicated to genealogical education and community engagement. Whether you're a seasoned researcher or just starting your family history journey, Genealogy Jam promises to deliver valuable content and connections. Make sure to register soon to secure your spot for this hybrid event. Join a day that aims to inspire, educate, and celebrate our shared passion for genealogy! I can't wait!
9/8/2024 UGA Summit of Excellence 2024 Recap: A Fantastic Three Days of Genealogical LearningRead NowThe Utah Genealogical Association’s (UGA) Summit of Excellence 2024 just wrapped up, and what an amazing three days it was! From September 5-7, I had the privilege of attending this fantastic virtual event, packed with top-tier genealogical education from distinguished speakers across the field. As a presenter and attendee, I had an incredible time engaging with both familiar and new topics in genealogy. Day 1: Getting Started DayThe conference kicked off on Thursday, September 5th, with the Getting Started track, designed primarily for beginners. However, I had the opportunity to give my own presentation, A Closer Look at the 1850-1950 U.S. Census Records in Genealogy. It was an honor to share my insights on the value of U.S. Census records as vital genealogy resources, and I enjoyed the lively interaction with attendees during my session. In addition to my own presentation, I also had the chance to sit in on the other four courses offered that day. The variety and depth of the sessions provided great foundational knowledge for those just beginning their genealogical journey. Day 2: DNA, Records, Ethnic Research, and WritingFriday, September 6th, was a full day with 20 courses arranged across five time slots. Each time slot offered four sessions, and while it was difficult to choose, I was able to attend five different presentations throughout the day. The day ended with an inspiring keynote by J. Mark Lowe, FUGA, whose speech left everyone energized and excited to continue their genealogical work. One of my favorite sessions from Day 2 was The Art of Finding Living People by Dr. Adina Newman, EdD. Her passion and enthusiasm really shone through as she shared her approach to living people search, which resonated with me deeply as it aligns closely with my own methods and thought process. It was both informative and affirming, making it a standout session for me. Another fantastic session was Uncovering Unknown Ancestry through DNA and Documentary Research by Alice Childs, AG. Her presentation blended DNA analysis with documentary research in ways that mirror my own work in unknown parentage and brick wall research. It was a valuable refresher, and I walked away with some new insights. Day 3: Technology, International Research, Migration, and Military RecordsSaturday, September 7th, followed the same format as Day 2, with 20 presentations spread over five time slots. I had the pleasure of attending five more sessions throughout the day, each one filled with valuable knowledge and actionable tips. My absolute favorite presentation of the entire conference was Branches and Breaches: Cybersecurity Strategies for Genealogists by Ben Smith. This course was not only extremely informative but also relevant to anyone working in genealogy today. The importance of cybersecurity in protecting sensitive genealogical data cannot be overstated, and Ben Smith delivered a compelling and useful session that I would recommend to any researcher. His speaking skills and depth of knowledge made it the highlight of the event for me. Another notable session was Translating, Transcribing, and Summarizing Documents using AI by Thomas MacEntee, which explored how genealogists can leverage AI tools to make their research more efficient. As someone who has spoken about AI in genealogy, I found his take refreshing and filled with new ideas. Lastly, I thoroughly enjoyed Introduction to U.S. Naturalization by Sara Cochran. Even though I’ve seen this presentation before, it’s so well done that it was worth attending again. Sara’s ability to break down the complexities of U.S. naturalization records makes this topic accessible to genealogists at any level. Looking AheadThe best part about this virtual conference? If you missed any sessions, or want to revisit the ones you attended, the digital recordings will be available until December 31, 2024. This allows for flexibility and the chance to soak up even more knowledge at your own pace. UGA’s Summit of Excellence 2024 was a resounding success, and I’m already looking forward to next year’s event. If you missed this year, don’t worry—you can still register and catch up on the incredible presentations you may have missed, by watching the recordings. I highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity! Thank you to all the organizers, speakers, and attendees for making this an unforgettable event. I’m honored to have been part of it, both as a presenter and a learner. More Events, Classes, and PresentationsLearn about more fantastic genealogy events, classes and presentations in Genealogy Events.
The Utah Genealogical Association (UGA) is hosting its 53rd annual Summit of Excellence, a must-attend event for genealogists of all levels. This year’s virtual conference, running from September 5-7, 2024, promises to deliver top-notch genealogical education with presentations from distinguished speakers across the field. One highlight of this year’s conference is my presentation, “A Closer Look at the 1850-1950 U.S. Census Records in Genealogy.” This session will delve into the U.S. Census records from 1850 to 1950, a vital resource for genealogists. Whether you’re new to census research or have been using these records for years, my presentation will offer fresh insights, tips, and a closer examination of details you may have missed. The Summit of Excellence is designed to cater to a wide range of genealogical interests and expertise levels. On Thursday, their FREE “Getting-Started” day, September 5th, beginners can get started with foundational courses. My presentation, though part of the Getting-Started track, is tailored for intermediate researchers looking to deepen their understanding of census records. On Friday, September 6th, the focus shifts to DNA, records, ethnic research, and writing, with sessions for all skill levels. The conference wraps up on Saturday, September 7th, with topics on technology, international research, migration, and military records. One of the great benefits of this virtual conference is the flexibility it offers. If you miss any sessions, you’ll have access to digital recordings until December 31, 2024, allowing you to revisit or catch up on presentations at your own pace. Registration has been open since May 1st, and there’s still time to secure your spot. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your genealogical skills and knowledge. To view the full schedule and register, visit the UGA Website, under Summit of Excellence. I look forward to seeing you at the conference and sharing my insights on U.S. Census records with you! UGA Summit of Excellence 2024 SummaryDay 1:
RootsTech 2024: World’s Largest Family History Event Wrap-up If you don’t know what RootsTech is, it’s the largest family history and genealogy event, around the world, of the year, celebrating family! RootsTech has certainly done it again! That was a fantastic, fun-filled 3 days! They seem to top themselves each year! The RootsTech 2024 event, hosted by FamilySearch, has finally come to an end, but the learning has not. Did you know that you can still access RootsTech? Not only can you access almost everything in your playlist for 3 years, the sessions/classes, keynotes, and Expo Hall, but they are keeping your chats available (to copy down your info), and you can still access RootsTech Relatives for the rest of the month! So, if you want to view any of the more than 1,500+ RootsTech Sessions (most of the 414 in-person and online sessions for 2024 and most of the other sessions from the past 3 years), Keynote Speakers or the Expo Hall, they are all still available, and will continue to be available! RootsTech: The Event of the Year, Once AgainRootsTech began in 2011, in-person, in Salt Lake City, and for their 10th anniversary, had to get creative, due to Covid. RootsTech 2021 was such a hit going virtual and FREE three years ago, due to Covid, that they went from about 30,000 attendees the year before to over 1,000,000! It was so amazing that they decided to do it again for 2022, and once again broke their record to 3,000,000! Then, they really outdid themselves by going hybrid last year, keeping the virtual platform, they designed just to use with the 2021 pandemic event that reached the entire world, and combining it smoothly with an in-person event for those missing the in-person experience, in which they had over 4,000,000 attendees worldwide from 240 countries and territories! This year, hybrid as well, was no exception and was once again the most fantastic global, family discovery event of the year, genealogy or otherwise! My RootsTech 2024 FavesAlthough I joined virtually and missed out on some in-person only sessions and aspects Like MyHeritage's featured session and joing up with groups that I'm a part of), I had a great time! I absolutely loved everything about RootsTech, from ALL of the keynote speakers, the sessions, the new RootsTech theme song, “Out of Time”, the featured videos, the Relatives at RootsTech, the Expo Hall, to the chat and more, all of it was fantastic! All the keynote speakers were amazing, but my absolute faves were Kirbey Heyborne’s “Welcome to RootsTech 2024” opening, the CEO, Steve Rockwood's keynote speech, which is always so powerful and thought provoking; and Sony Ambassador, Nancy Borowick’s powerful and moving documented story through images and speech! My other absolute faves at RootsTech were the powerful theme video, “Your Story Is Worth Remembering” ; the relaxed vibe of “Brick Wall Ancestors Need a Search Party”, even though it was for beginners, it was quite informative and fun; along with featured talks from Microsoft’s, Jared Spataro, Ancestry’s, Crista Cowan and MyHeritage! RootsTech 2024 at a GlanceAttendees:
Main Stage:
Expo Hall:
Relatives at RootsTech 2024:Out of over 300, 000 participants of Relatives at RootsTech... I had 11,011 relatives at RootsTech this year! I had less than half of what I had last year, but that is most likely because I disconnected a lot of branches that others carelessly connected to the wrong people.😉 New 2024 Innovations and Tech I Got to Learn About
I saw as much of the main stage as possible and joined quite a few classes, and I’m so glad that I can save the rest to my playlist for later, in which you can now create playlist groups, as there is no way to get in everything in just 3 short days! 😉 It was such a big hit once again, that they’ll being going hybrid again next year! See you on March 6th of 2024! Don't forget to remember your past and those that came before, by including family, friends, strangers, communities, and the world! Remember to reflect on your life and those that have made the biggest impact on you, your stories, memories, traditions, and more, and preserve those memories for future generations so they can learn from our experiences! Remember to share your family history discoveries, knowledge, and resources to help others remember those that came before and who had the greatest impact on their lives! Remember, EVERYONE has a story worth remembering! If you missed the RootsTech 2024 event, you can still sign up for FREE online and view all the classes for FREE, at RootsTech! Don’t have an account? You can create your FREE FamilySearch account at FamilySearch! QuestionsI'd love to hear your experience at RootsTech 2024 below in the comments! How many RootsTech Relatives did you have attend? Have you saved your sessions for later yet? Did you take the time to chat and do any of the activities? Did you get to visit the exhibit hall? What were your faves? More on RootsTech and other Genealogy Events and ResourcesFollow more on the RootsTech Genealogy Conference in the Genealogy Events category, along with the Genealogy Resources category and my dedicated Genealogy Resources page! You can also find other fantastic events and resources there!
2023 Genealogy Wish Grants Winner!The 2023 Genealogy Wish Grants Winner has just been announced! Congratulations to Linda Pollard of Virginia, who won this year for her double adoptee story/Brick Wall! About This Year's Winner Linda Pollard has been researching her family history and genealogy for the past 20 years. She has been following Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family for close to 2 years, while being an active participant. Like many who have been working on their genealogy for decades, she has reached a brick wall that she just can’t seem to break through! A Tough Choice, Once Again There were many entries for this year's second Genealogy Wish Grants! It was down to two compelling stories that made it a tough choice. Not only did Linda meet all the criteria to apply, but her mystery was intriguing as well. This Year's Story Entry “I am the daughter of a deceased male adoptee (J) who was born in 1929 and we now know was the son of a female adoptee (F). I am trying to find a living descendant of the man named my paternal grandfather (R) to see if the family has any photos or can provide documentation of this man’s life. Or maybe they want to be in my life, one can hope. I am also trying to learn more about my paternal great grandmother (L), who disappears after 1910. I can’t find a birth certificate for my paternal grandmother nor her sister (E) and brother (D). I’d like to be able to say all three children were the offspring of my paternal great grandmother and great grandfather (G). He was married to someone else (O) but had no children with her. The three children disappear from records and the two girls separately appear with 1) an aunt and 2) another family and then one of the girls, my grandmother, is adopted out of the family. The births were 1901-1907. She is listed as divorced with three children, none of whom are living with her. I have taken a DNA test at both Ancestry and 23andMe and uploaded to the others, but I am not familiar with how to process matches at the other sites. My sister (N) and my father’s newfound maternal half-sister (M) have tested as well as the half-sister’s niece. I found a match on 23and me that didn’t make sense and after speaking with her I had her father (CJ) tested. I need to know what relation he is to my dad. My mother is deceased as never tested but her half nephew (WE) did so that has helped me sort matches. Because she was an only child and her father had other children, I have a match that helps me identify my mother’s paternal line. I have a lot of mystery matches. One female match (JB) is also adopted and knows who her father is but not her mother. We are related by her maternal and my paternal lineage. I have access to her DNA results. I have access to my dad’s half-sister’s (M) results, my sister’s results (N), and this new male match (Cj)on my dad’s paternal side. I’m a good researcher but I don’t know a lot about cMs and how to title how I’m related to people by the numbers. Dad’s half-sister (M) has turned over her mother’s (F, who we now know was also my dad’s mother) personal letters from her birth father (G), her sister (E), and her paternal grandmother(S). I’m cataloging those now to fill in some blanks. None of the letters mention my father’s father (R), my father’s maternal grandmother (L), nor my father (J). I would love to be considered for your grant. My parents are gone, and I have only my little family of three. It’s up to me to build this tree, verify all the sources, and pass it down to my child and her four cousins. Thank you for considering my request.”- Linda Pollard Thank You Thank you to all of this year's first Genealogy Wish Grants applicants! I hope you all continue to follow and participate! Don't forget to apply to Genealogy Wish Grants 2024, details coming soon! The entry start date will be posted on my Facebook Page, my Facebook Group, my blog, and on the Genealogy Wish Grants page, so stay tuned!
Those Texans Sure Know How to Throw a Genealogy Conference!Those Texans sure know how to throw a party! TxSGS definitely held up to one of Texas’ well-known sayings, “Everything’s bigger in Texas”! What a fantastic, fun filled, 2-day, live event of top-tier genealogical education that was! The genealogical presentations, on a wide variety of topics and by so many well-known speakers, were top notch! They also had some fantastic hosts, sponsors, and exhibitors for the event! But wait, that wasn’t, nor is, all there is to their outstanding genealogical event of the year! They kicked off their event 5 days earlier with pre-conference fun! Using the Whova all-in-one event management platform, which was my first time ever experiencing it. With this platform, the event hosts were able to set up some pretty cool features that dramatically enhanced their program, from challenges, games, networking, photo galleries, expo hall, and more! The coolest part, the majority stay up forever, so you can continue networking! And it’s nowhere near being over! TxSGS Live had 10 live sessions with Q&As, but that was nowhere near the only part of the event! There are still the other 36 pre-recorded, just for this event, sessions that start today, 2 days after the live portion, and available until February 10th! So, this event is really a 14 week-long, fun-filled, fantastic, all-in-one event! I am so honored to have been able to speak for them! If I hadn’t, I may never have known how amazing this event is! What Did We Get to Do in the Whova Platform and at This Event?
Which Sessions Were at the Live Portion of the Event?
And, since unlike many other events where presentations overlap and these did not, I got to watch them all! All the Presentations/Tracks for This EventSadly, I have to say that I most likely will not have time to watch all the other 36 presentations by well-known speakers, including my own (“Who Is That Mystery DNA Match?), as I’m not sure I have that kind of time. I will, however, carefully choose what seems to be the most useful to me.
If you missed this fantastic event, there is always next year, and trust me, you do not want to miss out on this opportunity! Well, Genealogy Jamboree 2023 has come to an end, but the learning has not! If you were a registered attendee, you still get access to any speakers you missed during the weekend, or rewatch them again!
Jamboree is the largest "single society" conference in the U.S. and draws family historians and professional genealogists from all over the world! Usually held yearly at the Burbank Marriott in Burbank, CA, but following the first ever virtual event during the beginning of the pandemic, this year's conferences were hybrid (virtual and/or in-person) and were held separately. The Genetic Genealogy conference was held in the spring, and the Genealogy Jamboree conference was held this past weekend, in the fall. After 53 years, they may no longer be at the Burbank Marriott and be smaller, but they are certainly still mighty! Day 1 of Jamboree started off virtually with a fun-filled social hour; the keynote speaker, Michael D Lacopo; and presentations by Daniel Horowitz from MyHeritage and Michael Provard, from FamilySearch! Day 2 of Jamboree was either in-person or virtual, but if you wanted a chance to bring in up to 25 photos to be scanned for free on their FamilySearch scanner then given to you on a free pen drive, you needed to be there in-person, along with those $10 (ONLY) consultations in a variety of topics! I was one of the consultants for AncestryDNA and brick wall research. 😉 There were 8 presentations to join on Day 2, but of course you wouldn’t have been able to see them concurrently, so you had to choose just 4. No worries though; they will all be available in their webinar library so you can watch the ones you missed! I will definitely have to do that, as I only had time for 3. 😉 I was able to catch German Research for Those Who Don’t Read German, by Jean Wilcox Hibben; Work Your Way to Ireland Using American Records, by Sheila Benedict; and Introduction to U.S. Naturalization, by Sara Cochran. They were all fantastic presentations, given by great speakers, but I’ve got to say that my fave was Sara Cochran’s! This was the one I joined at the end thinking that I really wasn’t going to join either of the end ones, as I don’t have Italian ancestry, nor have I ever had a client with Italian Ancestry. Also, Sara’s was on beginning immigration, and since I am a professional, I thought it would not be useful. Boy was I wrong! She pointed out so many details that I was aware of, but not to that length! This was a very useful presentation for beginners, intermediate, and advanced! She really should retitle it, so that others don’t miss out thinking it’s just the basics. 😉 Day 2 also included a yummy, boxed lunch from Corner Bakery; delicious! Day 3 of Jamboree, the last day of Jamboree, was a virtual day of different ethnic round tables that included British Isles, French Canadian and Canada, Portugues, Italian, Irish, Hispanic, Jewish, African American, German, and Chinese! At the end of the day, they even included tours and book sales! If you missed this educational and fun-packed genealogical event, there’s always next year! 😉 Stay on the lookout from the host, the Southern California Genealogical Society or right here at Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family! Learn about more fantastic genealogy events, classes and presentations under Genealogy Events. What a fantastic, fun filled, 3-day event of premier genealogical education that was! There were genealogical presentations on such a wide variety of topics, and from so many well-known speakers! With so many presentations going on live at the same time, you had to pick and choose carefully which ones you wanted to see live and right away. I’m not too worried about missing others that I really wanted to hear, because they’ll be available in a couple of weeks from now, until the end of December!
Even though I’m not a beginner, I still joined the FREE “Getting Started for Beginners Day”. I had the time, it’s always good to support and cheer on your peers, and it gave me an opportunity to see how others present and check out their slide shows! 😉 Which did I get to watch? I had the chance to hear:
Hopefully I’ll have time to watch a couple of others, I had to miss because of coinciding with other talks I wanted to hear, when the recordings come out. 😉 I don’t usually join a lot of presentations at an event, but I am learning that even if you think you know the topic inside and out, there is ALWAYS something new to learn! I learned a lot of new German research tips from Charlotte, in which most weren’t even part of the main presentation but rather the adlibs and sidenotes! I learned about the new, since June 2022, Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland from David Ryan, which I knew absoultely nothing about before this! Even though I’m not a beginner, I actually learned some new tips from Cheri Hudson Passey, on the beginners day! I loved how Whitney Tolman reminded us to “Find out what your clients like”, reminding us that not all clients need or want a long drawn-out report. Some like more details, while some may not and would rather have charts, graphs, or pictures. I definitely concur, thanks Whitney! And even though I have been using the majority of the same techniques since the beginning of my research days, I had never thought about the DAR descendant database for cousin bating, which I learned from Christine Cohan! I enjoyed all the presentations that I got to hear, and I commend everyone on a job well done! My absolute fave of the entire conference though, the Keynote Speaker, Craig Scott! I’ve got to say, he was about the best keynote I have ever heard, for ANY kind event! I learned some tips for business marketing analysis, being on the lookout for industry trends, and a few other business tips! Were you able to join the Summit of Excellence genealogy conference this year? If so, what were you able to learn? If you missed the UGA Summit of Excellence this year, don’t worry, there is always next year! 😉 Learn about more fantastic genealogy events, classes and presentations in Genealogy Events. 9/2/2023 UGA Summit of Excellence 2023: Learn Almost Everything in Genealogy All in One Event!Read NowAre you looking for an event with fantastic presentations on a variety of genealogical subjects all in one spot? UGA’s 52nd Summit of Excellence is coming up in just a couple of more weeks, and you don’t want to miss out!
The Summit of Excellence, is the Utah Genealogical Association’s annual virtual conference that provides premier genealogical education. Scanty family history? Unknown parents or other relatives? Learn how to document and follow every single clue to build your family tree! Register for UGA’s 52ndt Summit of Excellence, and come hear “It’s All in the Clues!”, under their Methodology and Problem Solving track! Distinguished genealogical speakers from all over; including from FamilySearch, Brigham Young University, the Board for Certification of Genealogists, the Family History Library, and more, will be giving presentations on a wide range of topics given over a three-day event, from September 21-23, 2023. Thursday, September 21st, will include getting started courses for beginners. On Friday, September 22nd, there will be international, immigration, methodology and problem solving, and technology courses for all levels. Saturday, September 23rd, topics will include DNA, records, writing, organization, and source citing courses for all. The best thing about a virtual conference is that you can still attend sessions that you’ve missed and will have access to the digital recordings of the sessions for several months after! You won’t want to miss out, and still have time to register! Register here!: Register View the schedule here to see all the premier genealogical presentations being offered this year!: Summit of Excellence 2023 Conference Schedule Follow more on the UGA Summit of Excellence 2023 here: Utah Genealogical Association's blog and Utah Genealogical Association Website |
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BlogI hope my family history and genealogy blog on genealogy research tips, resources, events, and more, along with my own genealogy journeys, will help you in your research and in building your family tree to learn more about your ancestors and family history to preserve for future generations to come! Come visit me at Know Who Wears the Genes in Your Family if you're interested in starting your family history journey, booking me for your next speaking event, or family history and genealogy heirloom products!
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