GETTING STARTED SESSIONS
These classes are available for attendees with a RootsTech pass (three day or one day) or a Getting Started pass (either three day or one day). Popular classes
will be repeated. A schedule of class dates and times, along with speaker bios, will be available soon. The schedule is subject to change.
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
GS1406
Getting Started in
Genetic Genealogy
It is all the rage, this DNA testing for genealogy. But what can it tell you? Even more
importantly, what CAN’T it tell you? Learn the basics of DNA testing, and walk away with
confidence in this area of research.
Diahan Southard
DNA
Beginner
Beginner
GS1887
Getting the Most Out
of Ancestry.com
Are you getting the most out of your Ancestry.com subscription? Even if you don’t have a
subscription, are you aware there are many things you can access for free? This presentation
gives an overview of the five major areas of Ancestry.com and shows you our favorite tools
for advancing your family history research.
Crista Cowan
Juliana Smith
Amy Crow
Finding and
Organizing
All
All
GS1163
Fun with . . . Citing
Sources!
One of the most intimidating things about genealogy is identifying references. In this
electronic age, citing sources can actually be fun. Learn what needs to be cited and how
citations can be accomplished in a painless manner.
Jean Hibben
Finding and
Organizing
Beginner
Intermediate
GS1178
Finding Your Family on
Newspapers.com
This session will focus on how you can search, browse, and use newspapers in your family
history research. You'll learn how to find what you are looking for and what you can do with
it once you have it.
Peter Drinkwater
Finding and
Organizing
Beginner
Beginner
GS1425
Building a Genealogy
Research Toolbox
Participants will learn not only some of the most important online resources for genealogical
research, but also how to organize these resources into an easy-to-access and portable
virtual toolbox.
Thomas
MacEntee
Finding and
Organizing
Beginner
Beginner
GS1487
You’ve Mastered the
Census and Basic
Search. What Next?
Unsure of where to look next after you’ve searched Ancestry.com and FamilySearch? This
course will help you formulate a plan to dig deeper into online sources, including unindexed
material, local and state archives, and less-frequently-used portions of popular websites.
Karen Auman
Finding and
Organizing
Beginner
Beginner
GS1743
How to Speak Geek
Are you confused by terms such as “app,” “the cloud,” and “social media”? This session will
help you understand the tech terms and concepts needed to begin using the many new tools
to find, preserve, and share your family history.
Kathy
Warburton
General
All
Beginner
GS1185
An Affection for Our
Ancestors: Family
History Activities for
Kids
Looking to sponsor genealogy activities that appeal to the young? Come to gather ideas on
many family history activities. Learn specifics on how to execute these ideas that are tailored
specifically for young children and teenagers.
Deborah Gamble
General
Beginner
Beginner
GS1547
Using findmypast.com
to Unlock Your Irish
Ancestry
There are over 100 million unique Irish genealogical records at findmypast.com, by far the
largest collection anywhere online. Using them well is the subject of this talk. Brian will talk
about the many collections available on line, focusing on those records which are most
valuable for Irish research.
Brian Donovan
General
Beginner
Beginner
FEBRUARY 11-14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
GS1821
Bring Your Ancestor
Back to the Future
You’ve learned the WHY of family history—now it’s time to learn HOW! Discover how to
search original records to find family names to take to the temple and bring your ancestor
back to the future.
Anne Leishman
General
Beginner
Beginner
GS2141
The Global Family
Reunion: How You Can
Join the Biggest Family
Ever
The Internet and DNA testing have revolutionized genealogy. Learn how websites such as
Geni, WikiTree and FamilySearch let you to join a mega family tree containing millions. And
learn about the Global Family Reunion, an unprecedented event coming on June 6, 2015.
A. J. Jacobs
General
Beginner
Beginner
GS1514
What's Your Data
Backup Plan
We all know we should do it—backup our computers—but do we? This session will highlight
the different ways you can back up your data, and it will give you the knowledge to create
your own backup plan based on your own time, money, and technical capability.
Andrew Klein
Preserving
Your Work
and Legacy
Beginner
Beginner
GS1165
It's NOT Your
Grandma's Genealogy:
Making the Switch
from Paper to
Electronic Record
Keeping
Making the transition from paper record keeping to putting one's genealogy, documents,
and photos on the computer can be intimidating for a genealogist of the mid- to late-20th
century. Here people will learn the various options available for making this change.
Jean Hibben
Preserving
Your Work
and Legacy
All
Beginner
GS1601
Archiving and
Migrating Digital Files
This presentation emphasizes the importance of maintaining digital files accumulated by
today’s genealogists by selecting appropriate file formats, maintaining multiple copies on
archival media, and periodically migrating both file formats and media to guarantee future
usability.
Tony Hanson
Preserving
Your Work
and Legacy
Beginner
Intermediate
GS1180
Family History on the
Go Using Phones and
Tablet Apps
Too busy to do family history? Learn creative ways to use tablets and phones to get work
done while on the go: build a family tree, do research, create a digital scrapbook, keep a
journal, and so on.
Rhonna Farrer
Crystal Beutler
Sharing
Beginner
Beginner
GS1205
Right or Wrong: Six
Things You Need to
Know about Picture
Sharing Online
Upload, post, and share. Watch for pitfalls of permissions, resolution, and reuse. This
seminar covers resolution rules, the dangers of right-click copying, the ethics and safety of
picture sharing, popular photo-sharing platforms, and citing your photos.
Maureen Taylor
Sharing
Beginner
Beginner
GS1427
Pinning Your Family
History
Using social media pinning sites such as Pinterest, History Pin, and even Google Maps allows
you not only to share your family history photos, but you never know who will find your
content and what connections you could make!
Thomas
MacEntee
Sharing
Beginner
Beginner
GS1485
Pictures: Past, Present
and Future
Pictures are the most important way to remember the past. How do we preserve them and
how will our great-grandchildren remember us? We'll take a look into the past and explore
the future of pictures.
Jens Nielsen
Stories and
Photos
All
All
GS1172
The Two Sides of
Interviewing: Using
Tech Tools to Be an
Effective Interviewer
Interviewing is more than sitting down and asking a string of questions: it involves
courtesy, respect, and efficiency. Technology makes the interview easier than ever, but the
interpersonal touch is still needed. Learn about balancing these in this presentation.
Jean Hibben
Stories and
Photos
All
All
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
GS1445
New Media, New
Muse: Digital Tools for
Sharing Family Stories
Often, just the very idea of sharing personal or family memories can stop us before we even
put our fingers to the keyboard. Learn how to tell stories using digital platforms, and learn
about tools and apps for generating ideas and content.
Lisa Alzo
Stories and
Photos
Beginner
Intermediate
GS1554
Family, Food, and Fun:
Making a Family-Story
Cookbook with
Recipes
Do your best family memories revolve around food in some way? Learn some great ways to
capture and preserve favorite recipes and combine them with your favorite family stories to
make a cookbook your family won't want to put down.
Alison Taylor
Stories and
Photos
Beginner
Beginner
GS1969
Thirty Pieces of Tech I
Can't Live Without
From online subscriptions to the smallest accessories, come explore 30 essential gadgets and
gizmos a genealogists should always have up their sleeves.
D. Joshua Taylor
Tools
All
All
GS1206
Is That Uncle Harry
or Jesse James: Facial
Recognition Tools for
the Genealogist
Using actual photographic cases, this lecture explains how facial recognition works and
the tools currently on the market. The presentation encourages audience participation.
Examples show attendees how to examine facial features and spot key details.
Maureen Taylor
Tools
Beginner
Beginner
GS1395
Come Out, Come Out,
Wherever You Are!
Hide and Seek on the
Internet
Is your ancestor hiding? How will you find the mischievous ancestor who hides regardless
how hard you seek? Learning how the Internet is organized and the best tools to use may
make it harder for him to hide.
Donna Moughty
Tools
Beginner
Beginner
GS1803
Social Media and
Genealogy: An
Introduction to the
Basics
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, FlipBoard, and more. With so many choices, how do you
know where to begin? Learn how you can start slow or jump in the deep end of the social
media pool for genealogy.
Sandra Crowley
Tools
Beginner
All
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ROOTSTECH SESSIONS
These classes are available for attendees with a RootsTech pass (three day or one day). Popular classes will be repeated. A schedule of class dates and times,
along with speaker bios will be available soon. The list of classes is subject to change.
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
RT1460
Exploring Family
Stories with DNA from
PBS’s Finding Your
Roots, with Henry
Louis Gates Jr.
Genetic genealogy has been extensively used to explore the family stories of the guests on
season 2 of Finding Your Roots, but much of that research never makes it to the screen. Get a
behind-the-scenes look into the techniques used.
CeCe Moore
DNA
All
All
RT1759
Genetic Genealogy:
The Birth of the DNA
Revolution
This presentation describes how my personal quest to solve family genealogical mysteries
led to discoveries that sparked the genetic genealogy revolution. I’ll discuss how various
forms of DNA testing work for genealogy and what the future holds for the field.
Bennett
Greenspan
DNA
Beginner
Beginner
RT1517
Using 23andMe’s
Ancestry and
Genealogy tools to
learn about family
history.
We will focus on using 23andMe’s genetic genealogy tools to answer questions and make
discoveries about your family history. You will learn how how you are related to DNA relatives
based on shared DNA segments inherited from common ancestors.
Joanna
Mountain
DNA
Beginner
Intermediate
RT1496
Spit Please! A DNA
Case Study
This case study shows how amazing DNA testing can be. Through DNA, my mother
finally proved who her biological father was. This case study shows how using DNA and
conventional research can break down brick walls and family myths/legends.
A.C. Ivory
DNA
Beginner
Beginner
RT1662
Five Fun New Ways
to Improve Your
Genealogical Research
In this presentation, I will teach people how new features Family Tree DNA (FTDNA) launched
(or will launch) in 2014 will help their genealogical research. I’ll also give them a sneak
preview of what’s in store for the future at FTDNA.
Michael Gugel
DNA
Intermediate
Intermediate
RT2263
AncestryDNA
Discover how to make the most of AncestryDNA results with online tools.
AncestryDNA
Expert
DNA
All
All
RT1575
Are You Missing
Genealogy Gems in
Military Documents?
Fold3 has millions of digitized original documents for you to look at. But are you getting the
most out of the documents? Learn how to find the documents, how to analyze them and
what to do with them.
Anne Mitchell
Finding and
Organizing
All
All
RT1148
What's in a Name?
Trouble!
Ron shows the Genealogical Proof Standard in action with a complex example of identity
merging and separation. Ron discusses changing names and how to deal with them. Ron
discusses mind maps, a powerful technology for brainstorming and extraordinary data
correlation.
Ron Arons
Finding and
Organizing
Advanced
Advanced
RT2240
Tracing Your British
and Irish Roots with
Findmypast
Discover the key resources you need to get started with tracing your British and Irish
ancestry, including censuses, civil registration, parish records and census substitutes, as well
exploring the wealth of less obvious sources that could help unlock the lives of your ancestry
across the pond and add color to your family tree.
Elaine Collins
Finding and
Organizing
All
All
FEBRUARY 11-14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
RT1809
Lost Cousins
Downunder?
19th- and 20th-Century emigrants from Britiain and Europe often split up with family
members moving to Australia, Canada, or the U.S. Participants will join a virtual tour of
online resources for locating lost cousins who ventured to Australia .
Jill Ball
Finding and
Organizing
All
All
RT1775
Uncovering Family
Histories in Cemeteries
Cemeteries are a treasure-trove of vital family history data. From beginners to expert
genealogists, there is always something new to be discovered with a simple trip to the
cemetery. You will learn to use cemeteries to break down family barriers and discover how
fun and easy it is with BillionGraves!
Hudson Gunn
Finding and
Organizing
All
All
RT1658
21st-Century Italian
Genealogy
With so many records available digitally, there's never been a better time to conduct Italian
genealogical research. In this session, we will discover optimal ways to use FamilySearch and
other resources to break through brick walls and preserve our heritage.
Michael Cassara
Finding and
Organizing
All
All
RT1641
Finding the Living
among the Dead:
Using the Internet
to Find Your Living
Cousins
The missing link in your family history may be one phone call or an email away. We will
explore clues available in family trees, obituaries, and online tools and the resources
available to identify your cousin’s contact information. Come discover your living cousins
online.
Amy Archibald
Finding and
Organizing
All
Beginner
RT1608
Little-Known and
Rarely-Used Google
Search Tips
Learn little-known Google search tips that greatly reduce online search time. Learn to use
Google sites for other countries, translation features, uppercase word “OR” and symbols
such as the tilde, minus sign, quotation marks, asterisks, double periods, and more.
Katherine
Willson
Finding and
Organizing
All
All
RT1402
Using Technology
to Uncover Your
Genealogical Treasure
Trove
Have you fallen down the “black hole of research”? Hit the brick wall? Is your research
stagnant? This lecture is for you. It presents a variety of unfamiliar, unsearched, databases,
and sources to reveal a treasure trove of study to reinvigorate and revitalize your research.
Janis Forte
Finding and
Organizing
All
All
RT1381
Maiden Aunts,
Bachelors, and
Childless Couples:
Don’t Forget the Dead
Ends
Many of your relatives have no living descendants today. Finding and recording their stories
will ensure that they are not forgotten. You will learn to do descendency research with the
goal to record each person’s impact on your family’s history.
Loretta Evans
Finding and
Organizing
All
All
RT1260
Google Searching and
Genealogy Research
Participants will learn about Google's search tools, including ways to narrow a search, and
learn how to apply those tools to family history research, including learning how to find
research helps and searching for specific ancestors.
David Smith
Finding and
Organizing
All
Intermediate
RT1218
Online Sources
for Proving Native
American Ancestry
Discover the Native American records currently online, and unravel the clues hiding in
current research that will lead to finding Indian ancestry.
Billie Fogarty
Finding and
Organizing
All
All
RT1940
Researching in
Australia Using Online
Resources
You can research your Australian family from afar with a wide range of online resources.
We’ll cover the jurisdictional distinctions between national and state repositories, and what
is freely available online and what is available through the pay sites.
Helen Smith
Finding and
Organizing
Beginner
Beginner
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
RT1805
Six Steps to
Choreograph Your
Research across the
Internet
Learn to correlate your research between the big family history sites. Distinguish the
difference between navigating your cousins' conclusions and actual sources about your
family history. Discover how to use tabs, and timelines to consistently create solid,
well-analyzed results.
Janet Hovorka
Finding and
Organizing
Beginner
Beginner
RT1621
What Can Public
Libraries Do for
Genealogists?
Public libraries are treasure troves of local history, especially as many libraries are digitizing
their special collections. But all too often genealogical researchers struggle to find the gems
in library collections. Why? What else can librarians offer genealogists? Come hear what two
different libraries have done to meet genealogists’ needs.
Cindy Aden
Steve Fox
Reann Poray
Curt Witcher
Finding and
Organizing
Beginner
Beginner
RT1210
File Organization for
Effective Genealogy
Data Management
This presentation shows best practice tools for managing genealogy records. Learn how to
collect, create, store, organize, and protect your records (document, photo, digital and word
processing) in an intuitive format and backup your data using disks, DVDs, and cloud storage.
Gale French
Finding and
Organizing
Beginner
Intermediate
RT1963
Before You Click:
Creating Your Online
Research Plan
Whether on Google or a subscription website, you should take certain steps before you click
Search. Explore how to maximize your search time with a little advanced preparation.
D. Joshua Taylor
Finding and
Organizing
Intermediate
Intermediate
RT1321
Up in Smoke! What
to Do When the
Courthouse Burns
All is not lost when we learn that the county courthouse has burned. This lecture will look at
alternatives for research in these “burned counties,” using records that are available on the
Internet.
Peggy Lauritzen,
AG
Finding and
Organizing
Intermediate
Intermediate
RT1320
School Daze-Finding
the School Records of
Our Ancestors
A little-known source for aging and placing our ancestors includes locating schools that may
have been a part of their lives. More of these records are being uploaded to various Internet
sites, many of which are available for free.
Peggy Lauritzen,
AG
Finding and
Organizing
Intermediate
Intermediate
RT1245
Deciphering Old
Handwriting Online
BYU’s paleography site (http://script.byu.edu), offers hands-on reading and transcription
training for handwriting in use since 1500. The workshop will focus on the website’s
hands-on exercises (in multiple languages) and provide attendees with practical tips for
reading and interpreting old handwriting.
Amy Harris
Finding and
Organizing
Intermediate
Intermediate
RT1150
Nifty and Powerful
Technologies for
Genealogical Analysis
and Documentation
This presentation will discuss and demonstrate VERY cool tools for genealogical analysis
and documentation, including language translation tools, timelines, timelines with maps,
genograms, mind maps, and video capture tools.
Ron Arons
Finding and
Organizing
Intermediate
Intermediate
RT1720
Impossible Immigrant!
Exhausting Research
to Find an Ancestor’s
Origins.
Learn how associations with neighbors and relatives are used to pinpoint the places of origin
for three “brick wall” immigrants. See how to use small clues from many sources to find
family origins in Europe.
Warren Bittner
General
Advanced
Beginner
RT1779
Family History
Adhesive: The Science
of Why History Binds
Families and the Tech
of How
Studies have shown that knowledge about family history strengthens your relationships
and creates a core identity that empowers your family. Come learn to creatively use the
technology your family already accesses daily to create a strong family narrative together.
Janet Hovorka
General
All
All
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
RT1771
Who Does That?
An Introduction to
One-Name (Surname)
Studies
Perhaps you have heard of a one-name (or surname) study, but wonder who does one and
why. Come learn what’s in it for you and how one-name study methodology can help you
take your genealogy research to the next level.
Tessa Keough
General
All
All
RT1701
Back to Your French
Ancestors
Discover how to find your ancestors in France. This is a presentation about basic knowledge,
sources, methods that allow you to connect your family history to France.
Laurent
Monpouet
General
All
All
RT1670
The Margarine
Moonshiners from
Minsk: How Curiosity
and Persistence
Uncover Buried Secrets
After uncovering ancestors imprisoned for selling margarine as butter, I had to expand my
research skills dramatically to unravel the mystery. Learn how you, too, armed with your
natural curiosity and persistence, can connect discoveries into amazing results.
Tammy Hepps
General
All
All
RT1588
Make History: A Guide
to Helping Teens
Connect with Their
Family History
Teens can connect with their family history by doing what they love to do. Whether they
like taking pictures, making movies, or learning a family recipe this class provides new and
engaging ways for teens to participate in family history.
Brooke Parker
Becca Potter
Summers
General
All
Beginner
RT2280
How Old Did He Have
to Be?
Is this man John the father or John the son? Could that man be my ancestor who married in
1802? Knowing a person's age is often the key to distinguishing between two people of the
same name. But if no record gives a birthdate, how do you know how old someone was? The
law can often give the answer.
Judy Russell
General
Intermediate
Intermediate
RT2281
Making a Federal Case
out of It
Even genealogists who have a good background in court records often overlook the wealth
of detail available in the records of the federal courts: the district court and the circuit
court (now circuit court of appeals). From bankruptcies to copyrights to patents to cases in
admiralty jurisdiction and more, federal court records merit a close look.
Judy Russell
General
Intermediate
Intermediate
RT1540
Irish Records–Beyond
the Obvious
This talk, by exploring lesser-known sources and offering novel solutions, should enable you
to take a fresh look at the obstacles you have encountered in your Irish research.
Rosalind
McCutcheon
General
All
All
RT1309
Jewish Geography
and Jewish Genealogy:
Researching Your
Jewish Roots
Exploring your Jewish roots? Learn how to identify towns of origin by analyzing passenger
and naturalization records and then accessing overseas archival databases containing
directories, metrical, landowner, and school records, to trace and document Jewish ancestry
going back to the 19th century.
Pamela
Weisberger
General
All
All
RT1290
Accessing England's
Probate Records and
Indexes Online
Probate records are an incredible source for linking family members. Indexes for many of
England's courts, and some probate records, are online. You will learn how to determine
which courts to search and how to find their indexes online.
Apryl Cox
General
All
Intermediate
RT2140
Essential Online
Resources for African
American Genealogy
Research
From email lists to social media, the African-American genealogy community offers many
resources. This session will explore essential resources available for African-American family
history research and illustrate methods of finding critical data on your family's history.
Angela
Walton-Raji
General
Beginner
Beginner
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
RT1913
The Future of
Genealogy-Indexed
Obituaries: Learn How
FamilySearch and
GenealogyBank Have
Partnered in Creating
an Indexed Obituary
Collection.
Obituaries tell the stories of people’s lives with a “treasure trove” of precious family
information “locked away” in newspapers. Attendees will learn about the massive collection
of obituaries (414+ Billion Family History Records) that are currently being indexed and
published through the partnership of FamilySearch and GenealogyBank.com.
John Alexander
Ross Allred
General
Beginner
Beginner
RT1613
The “Other Side” of
Jewish Genealogy:
Sephardic Research
Jewish genealogy—particularly Sephardic—has experienced a remarkable recent
proliferation of resources. Topics: geography, customs, traditions, history, languages, online
and archival resources, books, journals, projects, and conferences. Learn about Hispanic
research as it intersects with Jewish genealogy.
Schelly Talalay
Dardashti
General
Beginner
Beginner
RT1597
Antiquus Morbus:
Diseases and Causes
of Death
Antiquus Morbus is an online resource of archaic medical terms and their definitions and is
available to genealogists. This session will examine diseases and epidemics impacting our
ancestors’ lives and how to interpret causes of death from the 19th century and earlier.
Janet Camarata
General
Beginner
Beginner
RT1314
The Best Basic
Scandinavian Websites
Learn how to use and understand Scandinavian genealogical websites. Denmark and Norway
have free digital archive databases. Sweden has a great paid website and database. Tips and
ideas will be included in this presentation.
Anita Olsen
General
Beginner
Intermediate
RT1909
Using Ancestral
Quest to Record Your
Personal Family Tree
Ancestral Quest, based on the same code as PAF, is a FamilySearch certified, easy-to-use,
comprehensive desktop application to record your personal family tree. Enter individuals,
families, notes, sources, and scrapbook and research items. Locate and organize records and
print charts and reports.
Gaylon Findlay
Preserving
Your Work
and Legacy
All
All
RT1848
Save Your Stuff —
Collection-Care Tips
For Vintage Family
History Items
You will learn fun practical tips to protect and save treasured items important to your
family’s heritage. Questions will be answered by a renowned professional art conservator.
Free $27 multimedia downloadable manual. Bring original items to be evaluated free.
Scott Haskins
Preserving
Your Work
and Legacy
All
All
RT1393
Treasures in the Attic:
Digitize and Preserve
Heirloom preservation begins with digitization. Learn to create digital master images of
furniture, firearms, love letters, and lockets. Discover practical archival techniques to
safely preserve your keepsakes, and create a digital heirloom history album to share family
treasures.
Denise Levenick
Preserving
Your Work
and Legacy
All
Beginner
RT1326
The Write Stuff:
Leaving a Recorded
Legacy; Personal
Histories, Journals,
Diaries, and Letters
Discover technology that makes leaving a legacy easier. Learn about apps and software
to preserve your thoughts, stories, and memories. Still love paper? Find new ways for the
old-fashioned pen and paper that give you the best of both worlds.
Valerie Elkins
Preserving
Your Work
and Legacy
All
All
RT1296
A Sense of Belonging
Research shows that knowing the story of your people increases your ability to endure
personal trials. Explore how and why. Inspire confidence in your extended family. Learn how
to use your research to help yourself and others know where they belong.
Teresa Clark
Preserving
Your Work
and Legacy
All
All
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
RT1899
Four Steps to Your
Digital Afterlife
These steps will ensure that heirs can use your permanent digital files after your death. They
distill 23 years of lectures on this topic. The talk helps you know how to act by following the
details in the handout and references.
John Wylie
Preserving
Your Work
and Legacy
Beginner
Beginner
RT1330
Storytelling in the
Cloud
This presentation will focus on tools and best practices for converting various storytelling
mediums into a digital format that can be saved in the cloud, tagged with metadata for easy
discoverability, and linked with your family tree.
Mike Davis
Preserving
Your Work
and Legacy
Beginner
Beginner
RT1527
Blogging Your
Research, Memories,
and Family Stories
Learn how to share research and stories with loved ones—or the world at large—through
blogging. Participants will gain a familiarity with various blog platforms and sharing options,
from password-protected private blogs to blogs integrated with social media and feeds.
Laura
Hedgecock
Sharing
All
Intermediate
RT1479
Do I Own My
Ancestors? Copyright,
Attribution,
Plagiarism, Sharing,
and Claims to
Research Ownership
You will learn legal and ethical limits surrounding genealogical research, data, and online
family trees. This presentation will define exactly what you do and do not “own.” The focus is
on copyright, attribution, and plagiarism and their relationship to the need for sharing data.
James Tanner
Sharing
All
All
RT1471
Using Online Radio
as a Platform to
Encourage Interest
and Participation in
Genealogy
This session will examine the feasibility and process of launching a daily, biweekly, or weekly
Internet radio show as a tool to promote family history and genealogy research techniques.
Bernice Bennett
Sharing
All
All
RT1778
RootsMagic: Sharing
and Publishing Your
Family Tree
Don’t keep your family history to yourself! RootsMagic is the award-winning genealogy
software that makes family history easy. Learn how to add pictures and media, create
beautiful charts and reports, publish complete books, make shareable CDs and DVDs, design
stunning websites, and share your research with friends and family.
Michael Booth
Sharing
Beginner
Beginner
RT1934
Why Attach?
Explore photos, stories, documents, extractions, and images of original documents. Examine
the evidence to prove that a document really does belong to a particular person. Carefully
explain the evidence proving the relationships that identify families and their members.
Jill Woodbury
Sharing
Intermediate
Intermediate
RT1930
Collaboration vs.
Control: Can I Have My
Cake and Eat It Too?
Publishing your data as "cousin bait" is easy, but what about really collaborating with
distant cousins over time? Is merging everyone's data into one big community tree the only
solution? This session will describe a solution from fifthcousin.com that might let you have
your cake and eat it too.
Bob Meyers
David Pugmire
Sharing
Intermediate
All
RT1456
Self-Publishing for
Genealogists: Tips,
Tricks, and Tools
You’ve done the research, written the content—now what? In this session, you will learn the
tips, tricks, and tools you need to successfully self-publish, distribute, and market your work.
Lisa Alzo
Thomas
MacEntee
Sharing
Intermediate
All
RT1453
I Couldn’t Put It Down!
Series: Flipboard Your
Family History
Watch as we build a personal Flipboard e-magazine with typical family history content and
genealogical artifacts. Learn how to use YouTube, Blogger, SoundCloud, and more to create
content, add web pages; arrange sections, create a cover, and share your e-magazine
Marlis Humphrey
Sharing
Intermediate
Intermediate
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
RT2262
The Findmypast Tree
The findmypast family tree is an easy and innovative way to share your research. Learn the
insider tricks for making your findmypast family tree one of a kind!
Jen Baldwin
Sharing
All
All
RT1680
Conducting
Story-Driven Research
Learn a new way of researching that combines searching out new kinds of records with more
story potential, extracting their narrative details, and assessing how these discoveries best
connect in a storyline. Research more broadly for a much richer result!
Tammy Hepps
Stories and
Photos
All
All
RT1594
60 Minutes—60 Ideas:
Workshop to Jumpstart
YOUR Personal or
Family History
Join with us for an hour of brainstorming, and walk out with pages full of things about YOUR
life. Events, people, places, and times you may have forgotten could become the backbone,
or fill in the gaps of your history.
Tom Taylor
Stories and
Photos
All
All
RT1442
Unite, Teach, and
Inspire a Community
or Organization
through Stories
Understand the importance of orally recording stories of individuals in an organization. The
presentation includes multiple scenarios with case-study evaluation. Learn how to start
a group legacy project, options for story collection, and recommended website criteria for
sharing these stories online.
Kathryn Larsen
Stories and
Photos
All
All
RT1391
Dirty Family Photos
Dirty negatives, smudged old photos, curled prints, rolled panorama pictures, and photos
stuck in sticky albums. Learn to rescue family photos, albums, and scrapbooks from the
ravages of time; digitize and store originals in your home archive.
Denise Levenick
Stories and
Photos
All
All
RT1293
Parenting Keys That
Unlock Hearts
Using your love for heritage and storytelling, learn to create amazing experiences with loved
ones. Storytelling is a parenting key that unlocks hearts in a unique way and ensures that
family is more than a group of people living under the same roof.
Carol Rice
Stories and
Photos
All
All
RT1551
Personal History
Triage: How to Tell
the Best 10 Stories of
Your Life
When writing a personal history, we struggle with questions such as: where do I start? How
much do I include? How do I handle sensitive issues? Learn a step-by-step method to make
writing a personal history easier and more fun.
Alison Taylor
Stories and
Photos
Beginner
Beginner
RT1142
Creating a Digital
Genealogy Album
Learn about tools and resources needed to complete a genealogy album project, including
the steps of creating a work-of-art digital scrapbook.
Barb Groth
Stories and
Photos
Intermediate
Intermediate
RT1816
Infamy in the Family:
Online Tools to Help
Identify Family
Members of Ill Repute
Disreputable professions and unpopular personages, such as murderers, thieves, prostitutes,
British loyalists, and slave overseers, can appear in anyone’s family tree and hinder accurate
research due to a formidable obstacle: fear of public family embarrassment. Learn of online
resources to transform the infamous into the understood without hiding or exploiting truth.
Brian Conley
Tools
Advanced
Intermediate
RT1990
Bringing Families
Together through
Family Reunions
An overview on simple, free, and paid apps and gadgets that help you produce an amazing
family reunion that will look like you hired a professional. Use simple software, apps, and
social media that create lasting legacies.
Andrea Gooch
Tools
All
All
RT1960
APIs 101: What Are They,
and What Do They Have
to Do with Genealogy?
APIs are all the rage at RootsTech, and have opened up a whole new world of data sharing in
genealogy. In this introductory session, you will learn the basic concepts behind APIs, web
services, and mashups, and also gain an understanding of how these tools can be used in
genealogy.
Colleen Greene
Tools
All
Intermediate
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
RT1754
Using Microsoft Word
for Writing a Family
History: Tools, Tips,
and Tricks
Use Microsoft Word to help you turn your research into a ready-to-publish family history.
Topics include using templates, importing from genealogy software, automatically
numbering a genealogy, inserting citations, tracking changes,using Word for page layout;
indexing; and creating a PDF.
Penelope
Stratton
Tools
All
All
RT1715
How to Turn
Your Tablet (or
Smart Phone)
into a Genealogy
Powerhouse
Discover the top apps and best practices that will make your tablet (and even your smart
phone) a genealogical powerhouse! You’ll learn how to boost genealogical productivity, and
make strategic use of exciting built-in tools.
Lisa Cooke
Tools
All
All
RT1652
Getting the Most out
of NEHGS Online—
AmericanAncestors.org
Get the most out of the databases at the New England Historic Genealogical Society
in Boston. This session will best show how to best use the NEHGS website www.
AmericanAncestors.org.
David Lambert
Tools
All
All
RT1618
Microsoft Excel:
a Little-Known
Genealogy Research
Tool
Excel offers researchers more than a structure for timelines. Learn various functions that
help solve research problems. Learn how to work with dates prior to 1900, as well as ways to
sort and sift volumes of data for research purposes.
Jill Crandell
Tools
All
Intermediate
RT1576
The Family Tree
Compatible Programs
Treeseek, Recordseek,
Puzzilla, and
Rootsmapper
Learn about four of the FamilySearch Family Tree certified compatible programs: TreeSeek,
RecordSeek, Puzzilla, and RootsMapper. These work with your Family Tree data to display
reports, make edits, add sources, do descendancy research, and help you learn where your
ancestors came from.
Donald Snow
Linda Westover
Tools
All
Intermediate
RT1502
Research Your
Swedish Ancestors
in Living Color Using
ArkivDigital Online
ArkivDigital is the premier site for Swedish genealogical research. Discover the wealth of
records available, including the Swedish church books, estate inventories, military records,
ship manifests, tax registers, prison records, and much more that are available in this online
archive.
Kathy Meade
Tools
All
All
RT1458
Timesaving Apps for
Busy Genealogists
Today’s technology can help genealogists save time and effort while researching and writing
about their ancestors. In this session, you will learn about the latest timesaving apps for
family tree building, research, note taking, work-life management, productivity, writing, and
more!
Lisa Alzo
Tools
All
All
RT1284
Find-A-Record —
Discover New Research
Opportunities
Learn how to use the Find-A-Record Research Assistant to find opportunities for research in
your FamilySearch Family Tree. Opportunities include finding missing information, missing
people, sources, and ordinances and fixing problems.
Justin York
Tools
All
All
RT1893
Going Mobile with
Family Traditions
This class will help you learn a simple process to create engaging family tradition videos that
can be shared with others using a mobile device. Learn techniques to storyboard a video,
create multimedia assets, edit video, and share video in an online family tree.
Candace Turpin
Tools
Beginner
Intermediate
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
RT1784
The Power of Puzzilla
Puzzilla reveals the big-picture status of FamilyTree descendant and pedigree lines in
beautiful colors. Beginners discover starting places where other research stopped. Quality
issues stand out, showing sources or lack thereof, possible duplicates, hints for new sources,
and other problems and opportunities. Come master the many new features of Puzzilla.org.
Bill Harten
Tools
Beginner
Beginner
RT1684
Introducing Kinpoint:
Family History in 20
Minutes or Less
This presentation introduces users to the newly released Kinpoint products that allow
FamilySearch users to be productive in as little as 20 minutes a week.
Charles Knutson
Tools
Beginner
Beginner
RT1495
Map My Ancestors
There are thousands of historical maps that can help trace and plot your ancestors. Many
of these maps have been digitized and are freely available online. This presentation covers
some databases and websites where people can access these maps.
A. C. Ivory
Tools
Beginner
Intermediate
RT1421
Wearables and
Genealogy: Wacky
and Wild, or Worth the
Wait?
As technology advances, the Internet is being made personal in the form of wearable
devices. Learn about Google Glass, smart watches, and other devices that are slated to
become the next new genealogy tech tools.
Thomas
MacEntee
Tools
Beginner
Beginner
RT1895
Dropbox, OneNote,
and Whatnot: Using
Cloud Computing
Tools to Manage
Your Family History
Effectively
Have you heard of Dropbox, Evernote, OneNote, or Google Drive? This session will review
great ways to use these cloud computing tools to better capture, organize, share, and
preserve your family history.
Troy Davis
Tools
Intermediate
Intermediate
RT1782
Meyer's Gazetteer:
Gateway to Germany
See the layout and structure of the indispensable Meyer's Gazetteer of Germany. See
how to access it online and where to find online instructions. Learn to interpret its many
abbreviations and cross-references. Learn to use it to find levels of jurisdictions.
Warren Bittner
Tools
Intermediate
Beginner
RT1738
Free Online Tools for
British Research
There are many free websites for British research. Learn about some of these sites and how
to use them effectively. The class will include general sites for all areas of the British Isles, as
well as country-specific sites.
Kathy
Warburton
Tools
Intermediate
All
RT1616
Mapping and Sharing
Your Ancestor's
Military Experience
Whether a relative or ancestor was in the Revolutionary War or in Afghanistan, you can map
and record their experience using records, photos, letters, diaries, and so forth. to better
understand, share, or preserve that piece of their lives.
Jane Haldeman
Tools
Intermediate
Intermediate
RT2261
Discover Family Stories
with findmypast and
Mocavo
Dates and places are the skeletons on which we build our research. The combined resources
of findmypast and Mocavo can help you fill in the details about your ancestors' lives. Learn
tips and tricks for accessing these powerful tools.
Michael LeClerc
Tools
All
All
RT2264
Family History on the
Go: Ancestry's Mobile
World
Discover how the Ancestry mobile app, FindAGrave app, and Shoebox can enable you to
share and preserve your family history discoveries in new and exciting ways.
Take your family history discoveries to the next level with Ancestry's mobile world.
Crista Cowan
Tools
All
All
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
COMPUTER LABS
Computer lab are available for attendees with a RootsTech pass (three day or one day) or Getting Started pass (three day or one day). Lab topics may be offered
at multiple times during the conference. Due to limited seating, registration is required. A minimal fee of $10 covers the cost of equipment, software, and the
Internet. Wait lists, standby lines, or audit seats are not available for the computer labs.
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
LAB1884
Finding and Using
Digitized Historical
Newspapers for Your
Research
Around the world there are hundreds of digitized historical newspaper collections, some
freely available in libraries, others behind paywalls. Genealogists are their biggest users,
however, it's not always easy to find or use these collections. This lab will give hands-on
experience with these collections.
Frederick Zarndt
Finding and
Organizing
All
Intermediate
LAB1560
Batch Processing
of Photos and Their
Metadata Using
XnView
Building on previous RootsTech workshops, this session will demonstrate how to edit photos
in batches. Participants will learn how to apply cropping, naming, and other edits to multiple
photos at once, as well as how to manipulate existing metadata.
Randy Whited
Finding and
Organizing
Beginner
Intermediate
LAB1156
A Billion+ Hidden
Records on
FamilySearch.org
If you're using just the search button, you’re missing out on more than a billion records
hidden in record collections without digital indexes. Learn to successfully use these
browse-only collections.
Robert Raymond
Finding and
Organizing
Intermediate
Intermediate
LAB1283
What Help is Available
for FamilySearch Users
FamilySearch has many types of help available: videos, tutorials, FAQs, strategies, guides,
blogs, and classes to assist users and consultants in using FamilySearch. Come to learn what
is available and how to get the most out of it.
Danielle Batson
Anne Metcalf
Susan Milliner
Lynne Van
Wagenen
General
All
Beginner
LAB1577
FamilySearch.org:
Finding and Adding
Sources to Your Family
Tree
"In this class we will find and add sources to our family trees. This will be a hands on class and
students will work on their own family tree.
•Learn about the Hints feature
•Learn to search for records
•Learn to examine and attach records.
Kelly Summers
Preserving
Your Work
and Legacy
Beginner
Beginner
LAB1141
Preserving Your Family
History Artistically
With trial Adobe Photoshop software, cloud-stored data, and photos plus a template,
workshop attendees will perform initial steps in creating a digital genealogy scrapbook page,
as part of a family history album to preserve and share their research with others.
Barb Groth
Preserving
Your Work
and Legacy
Intermediate
Intermediate
LAB1921
Historical Photo
Restoration with
Photoshop Creative
Cloud
"This hands-on workshop guides participants through sample photo restorations to build
Photoshop skills.
•Identifying the problems: missing content vs. altered content
•Selecting, masking, and correcting elements and areas
•Crucial correction methods, in the right order
•Color: issues and tools
•Noise: plug-ins to achieve clarity”
Nancy Barnes
Stories and
Photos
All
Intermediate
FEBRUARY 11-14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
LAB1430
Using Evernote as
Your Primary Tool for
Capturing Notes and
Ideas
Evernote is a free tool allowing anyone to capture, organize, preserve, and synchronize
(across multiple devices) information, including ideas, notes, photos, online articles, web
pages, and URLs. Learn how to get started with Evernote and apply it to genealogical
research.
Drew Smith
Tools
All
All
LAB1860
Google Docs as a
Collaborative Tool
Participants will learn how to use Google Docs as a collaborative tool for collecting and
sharing information with specified fellow researchers or family members.
Gregg Legutki
Tools
All
All
LAB1851
Genealogy Tips and
Tricks
Participates will be introduced to computer tricks and tips used by genealogists in the
process of family history and research including using bookmarks, bookmark folders, browser
history, print screen, keyboard shortcuts, Google searches, and file-folder naming and
organization.
Roland Astorga
Tools
Intermediate
Intermediate
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
INNOVATOR SUMMIT CLASSES
For Wednesday, February 11, a full lineup of cutting-edge content is available for developers and business leaders with an Innovator Summit pass. A limited
selection of Innovator Summit classes will also be offered on Thursday and Friday. Registration is required. This schedule is subject to change.
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
IS1200
API Simplicity +
Consistency == Speed:
Designing APIs That
Are Easy and Fun to
Use
Application developers like building apps and want to do it quickly. What’s needed in the
family history category are APIs that are sufficiently simple to build useful applications
quickly. We'll explore designing consistent, easy-to-use APIs in a hands-on, team-learning
environment.
Harold Madsen
Developer
All
All
IS1285
FS-Traversal—a
JavaScript Traversal
Framework for the
FamilySearch Family
Tree
Learn how fs-traversal works and how to use it for traversing through the FamilySearch
Family Tree. Learn about its different configuration options and callback functions. Discuss
possible use cases and view some demos.
Justin York
Developer
All
Beginner
IS1327
Developing a
Storytelling API
This presentation will focus on the lessons learned in the development of the StoryPress
backend and API, including concepts and best practices on web and mobile clients and
selecting backend service providers for redundancy, speed, and scale.
Eric London
Developer
All
Intermediate
IS1328
How to Raise a Seed
Round for a Family
History Start-Up
This panel will be led by an accredited and seasoned angel investor who invests in consumer
products. He will explain what he looks for in start-ups and why the family history space is
exciting. Joined by StoryPress founder.
Steve Wagh
Business
All
Beginner
IS1476
Reimagining the
Family Tree
Family trees help people document their past, but family trees don’t have to look like the
past. Learn about how Harrison Tang and the team at Family.me have applied cutting-edge
design philosophies, such as gamification and transitional interfaces, to make the family tree
building process more interactive and fun.
Harrison Tang
Developer
All
Intermediate
IS1505
The Ecosystem of
Genealogical Data
Exchange
This presentation is an introduction to the technologies that define the flows and establish
the infrastructure for sharing genealogical data. It is an overview of the sources of
genealogical data, where data is flowing, how it moves between systems, and how service
providers use these mechanisms to deliver value to customers.
Ryan Heaton
Developer
All
Beginner
IS1513
Facing the
Opportunity to Fail: A
Case Study
Every start-up faces the opportunity to fail. How it navigates these situations can determine
success or failure. In this case study, the CEO of Backblaze will reveal how Backblaze tackled
multiple failure opportunities and used them to improve the overall business.
Gleb Budman
Business
All
Intermediate
IS1545
Name Entities
Recognition for Family
History Searching
This talk describes the need for name-entitiesrecognition in search-service development.
It highlights the advent of existing technologies and discusses how these can be integrated
into search engines for the searching of unstructured family history data, such as family
notices and obituaries from historical newspapers.
Boon Low
Developer
All
Intermediate
FEBRUARY 11-14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
IS1657
The M&M's (Money
and Marketing) of
Partnering with
FamilySearch
We hear time and time again that new developers and companies in the family history space
struggle with finding the money and marketing expertise to become key players. This class
provides tips for how you can access both by partnering with FamilySearch.
Thom Reed
Bruce Brand
Business
All
Intermediate
IS1692
Becoming Investment
Ready—What ItTakes
to Get Investors
Interested in Your
Business
Drawing on the insights from a panel of investment experts arranged by Grow Utah, this
discussion will address how to make a genealogy tech start-up of interest to investors.
The main takeaway for the audience will be an understanding of how best to position their
opportunity for investment.
T. Craig Bott
Business
All
Beginner
IS1695
So You Think You Have
a Good Idea—Think
Again!
This presentation will provide insight into determining if an innovation has market potential
and designing a strategy to capture it. The discussion will center on using the Business
Model Canvas as the premier tool to develop and test a business strategy.
T. Craig Bott
Business
All
Beginner
IS1699
Starting It the Right
Way. Lessons Learned
from Successful
Start-ups
This presentation will draw insights from a panel of entrepreneurs and executives as they
discuss what it takes to create a successful start-up. The panel will address a range of topics
relevant to start-ups. Attendees will be better positioned to start their own business.
T. Craig Bott
Business
All
Beginner
IS1721
Show Me the Data:
Applying Modern
Data Visualization
Principles to Family
History
Data visualization is a fascinating mixture of science and art that has lately become its own
discipline. We'll explore principles from statistics, aesthetics, and human visual perception
and see how to use them to draw out the stories in family history data, making the data
more useful, understandable, and even beautiful.
Bob Meyers
Developer
All
All
IS1730
From 20 to 1.5
million Downloads:
Audience-Building
Lessons for Your
Business
Genealogy entrepreneurs can either wait for their audiences to show up, or proactively draw
them in. Lisa Louise Cooke (Genealogy Gems) shares strategies that dramatically grew her
business that you can employ regardless of your product or service.
Lisa Cooke
Business
All
All
IS1761
Don't Make Me Write
Citations, Please!
Writing citations for online sources is difficult and error prone. Let's talk about a new
approach to citations and data exchange that could change how we do genealogy.
Jimmy
Zimmerman
Business
All
All
IS1762
Hot Open Source
Projects for the
Genealogy Industry
Open-source code for family history is growing. During this past year, organizations have
begun collaborating on reusable code that will have tremendous impact on the industry.
Come learn how these projects could benefit your organization.
Jimmy
Zimmerman
Jordan Mulford
Business
All
All
IS1765
Kickstarter: Create the
Future
Kickstarter is a crowdfunding site that helps creative people launch projects. This
presentation will explain the basics of Kickstarter, provide insights from those who have
successfully funded a project, and explore successful Kickstarter projects that could impact
family history.
Jimmy
Zimmerman
Business
All
All
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
ID #
Title
Abstract
Speakers
Category
FH Skill Level
Tech Skill Level
IS1830
Mission Impossible?
Tough Challenges,
Which Need
Automated Solutions.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to develop automated solutions for some
of the toughest family history research challenges. You will learn details about specific
challenges faced by those doing family history research for which automated solutions have
yet to be found.
Robert Anderson
Diane Loosle
David E. Rencher
John Wylie
Developer
All
Advanced
IS1902
Starting or Growing
Your Business with
FamilySearch
This session will help individuals and organizations to better understand the options and
opportunities available to them by partnering with FamilySearch.
Brian
Braithwaite
Business
All
All
IS1974
Don't Reinvent the
Genealogy App Wheel
We introduce a free open-source platform for genealogy applications, for both mobile
devices and the web, and show how you can easily extend this platform by writing plug-ins,
such as Eclipse or WordPress, for genealogy.
Dallan Quass
Developer
All
Intermediate
IS2000
What You Wish
Your Mama Would
Have Told You
about FamilySearch
Application
Certification
What must I do for FamilySearch to certify my software application? Is FamilySearch
application certification worth the effort? Is there a “fast lane” to certification? If these
questions have entered your mind, and you wished your mama had given you the answers,
this session is for you.
Rich Running
Vaughn
Hepworth
Developer
All
Beginner
IS2180
Inside Look at
Ancestry.com’s
Innovation and
Product Development
Join three Ancestry leaders as they host a lively discussion on what drives the company’s
product development process and how every aspect of its product development is geared
toward the customer experience.
Chris Bradford
Kendall Hulet
Josh Pedrod
Developer
All
All
FEBRUARY 11–14, 2015 • SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH