This year marks the 10th anniversary of RootsTech, the world's largest family history conference. With hundreds of classes to choose from and keynote speakers like Emmitt Smith and Leigh Anne Tuohy, this milestone anniversary will be filled with education, entertainment and connection as you are immersed in the conference theme of “Discovering the Story of You”. Held in Salt Lake City, Utah, the conference will run from Wednesday, February 26th through Saturday, February 29th. Legacy Tree Genealogists will be there in full-force–exhibiting in the Expo Hall, teaching classes and hosting a Facebook Live Q&A from our booth.
Check out our schedule of events below, and be sure to stop by our booth (#429) and say hello!
Legacy Tree Genealogists RootsTech 2020 Schedule
Wednesday, February 26th
1:30 p.m. – RootsTech “DNA & Facebook: Finding Your Ancestral Community” Michelle Chubenko | Room 250
This presentation will explore the success of multiple DNA genealogy groups on Facebook with specific interest in autosomal DNA testing for Palatinate German, Polish, Lemko (Rusyn/Ukrainian), and Slovak ancestry. These groups or virtual communities offer opportunity for descendants to join group discussions to locate records and repositories, crowd-source genealogical ‘brick walls' solutions, contribute to a group member listing and use 3rd party comparison tools to identify familial connections across testing companies.
5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Expo Hall – Once again, the Expo Hall will be opening for a “sneak peek” on Wednesday evening, this year with extended hours. Make sure you stop by our booth to enter our giveaway!
8:00 p.m. Genealogy Business Alliance Get-Together – If you are involved in a genealogy-related business, come by our booth (#429) for details about this networking event.
Thursday, February 27th – Eastern European Day – Our European Research Team Lead, Michelle Chubenko, will be at our booth answering your questions about Eastern European research. Stop by and pick her brain!
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – We’re kicking off our Eastern European day with a Facebook live session, broadcast from our booth at RootsTech. Our European Research Team Lead, Michelle Chubenko, will be answering YOUR questions about tracing your Eastern European ancestry. Have a question? Submit it at https://legacytree.com/live, or join us on our Facebook page on Thursday, February 27th between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. MT and submit your question during the live broadcast!
10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Expo Hall – note the change in Expo Hall hours this year–now starting later in the morning and running later in the evening.
1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – Catch our DNA Team Lead, Paul Woodbury, presenting in the FamilySearch DNA Learning Center.
2:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Legacy Tree Genealogists researcher, Jacqueline Tritsch®, will be available to field questions at the Board for Certification of Genealogists booth. Stop by and say hello!
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Legacy Tree Genealogists European Research Team Lead, Michelle Chubenko, will be assisting at the Association of Professional Genealogists booth.
4:00 p.m. – “Brick Wall? How to Get the Most Out of Hiring a Genealogist” Jessica Taylor | MyHeritage booth
Have you come across an impasse in your family history research? If you're ready to finally solve your genealogy brick wall and enlist the help of a professional, then this class is for you! Legacy Tree Genealogists' president, Jessica Taylor, will share helpful tips for what to look for when hiring a professional genealogist, and how to get the most bang for your buck.
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Stop by the FamilySearch DNA Learning Center and talk with Paul Woodbury about you DNA research questions.
Friday, February 29th – DNA Day – Our DNA Research Team Lead, Paul Woodbury, will be at our booth answering your questions about DNA and genetic genealogy. Have questions about how to use your DNA test results to resolve a research question? Come ask Paul!
10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Expo Hall – note the change in Expo Hall hours this year–now starting later in the morning and running later in the evening.
12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. – “Targeted Testing for Genealogy Success” – Paul Woodbury | MyHeritage booth
Sometimes your own DNA is not sufficient to answer your research questions. You might need to invite someone else to help you. In this presentation learn how to find and recruit others for DNA testing to make your genetic genealogy efforts a success.
1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. – “Find Your Ancestors with MyHeritage SuperSearch” – Jessica Taylor | MyHeritage booth
MyHeritage calls their search engine for historical records ‘SuperSearch.’ It includes more than 6 billion genealogy records from all over the world, and an average of 200 million additional records are added every month. Jessica will share how to make the most of this useful tool.
2:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. – “Genealogist-on-Demand™: The Help You Need on a Budget You Can Afford” – Amber Brown | Demo Theater
You've come to that ominous “brick wall” in your genealogy research. You've tried every trick in the book and still can't seem to make progress. What's a savvy DIYer to do? Before you pull your hair out or throw in the towel, attend this session–where you'll learn about an exciting new offering from Legacy Tree Genealogists that will allow you to continue your genealogy sleuthing, pride AND wallet in tact.
3:00 p.m. – RootsTech “DNA & Facebook: Finding Your Ancestral Community” Michelle Chubenko | Ballroom J
This presentation will explore the success of multiple DNA genealogy groups on Facebook with specific interest in autosomal DNA testing for Palatinate German, Polish, Lemko (Rusyn/Ukrainian), and Slovak ancestry. These groups or virtual communities offer opportunity for descendants to join group discussions to locate records and repositories, crowd-source genealogical ‘brick walls' solutions, contribute to a group member listing and use 3rd party comparison tools to identify familial connections across testing companies.
3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Extreme Genes host, Scott Fisher, will be recording a session of his popular family history podcast from the Legacy Tree Genealogists booth. Come watch how the magic happens, and meet the man behind the mic.
4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. – “Mitochondrial DNA Testing Plans” – Paul Woodbury | Family Tree DNA booth
Mitochondrial DNA is most effectively utilized in genealogy research when you are dealing with targeted research questions and competing research hypotheses. Learn the ins and outs of mitohcondrial DNA testing plans so you can use this powerful tool to explore your own family history.
5:30 – 6:00 p.m. – “Tips and Tricks for MyHeritageDNA – Paul Woodbury | MyHeritage booth
MyHeritage DNA provides excellent resources, tools and information to help you with your exploration of your DNA test results. Learn expert tips on how to squeeze the most information out of your own DNA test results using ethnicity clues, shared matches, clustering and segment analysis to help you make genealogical discoveries.
5:45 p.m. – Passport Drawing (main stage in Expo Hall)– complete your Expo Hall Passport and be entered to win great prizes, including a free Genealogist-on-Demand Virtual DNA Consultation™ from Legacy Tree Genealogists! Whether you want help understanding your ethnicity estimate, advice on getting the most out of your DNA Match list, or strategies for using your DNA test results to break down your “genealogy brick walls”, your virtual consultation will allow you to have your questions answered in real-time by an expert–all from the comfort of your own home.
Saturday, March 2nd – Family Day – Do you LOVE family history? Aspiring genealogists, young and old, can stop by the Legacy Tree Genealogists booth (#429) for their official badge and a treat!
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Expo Hall – Note the extended hours of the Expo Hall this year.
12:00 p.m. – We'll announce the winner of our RootsTech booth giveaway on our Facebook page. Be sure to ‘Like' Legacy Tree Genealogists on Facebook to find out if you're the lucky winner!
Not Attending RootsTech This Year?
If RootsTech isn’t in your plans this year, you can still participate in the conference activities from the comfort of your home in one of two ways:
The RootsTech Virtual Pass is available to purchase for $129, and includes access to 30 exclusive recorded classes from the event that you'll be able to watch and rewatch whenever you want. Recordings will be posted 15-20 days following the end of the conference.
The RootsTech Free Livestream Schedule includes free access to popular general sessions and a sampling of technology and family history presentations appealing to varied interests. We’ll also share our RootsTech Rundown of conference highlights, so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for our recap of what you missed.
We’ll also be running a sweepstakes, just for our #NotatRootsTech crowd! Now through February 29th, 2020, enter to win a FREE Genealogist-on-Demand™ DNA Virtual Consultation with one of our genetic genealogists, who can explain your results and answer any questions you may have. Enter here: http://www.legacytree.com/blog/giveaway/notatrootstech2020. Winner will be announced on Saturday, February 29th at 12:30 p.m. MT on the Legacy Tree Genealogists Facebook page. Good luck!
If we can’t connect with you at RootsTech, we’d love to see you at another conference this year! Check out our upcoming conferences for 2020, and leave us a comment to let us know if you’ll be at any of the events listed!
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