- The Summit of Excellence is a multi-track conference (Thursday - Saturday) with more than 50 presentations covering methodology, records types, DNA, professional topics, technology, international and ethnic research, and more. The full conference schedule can be viewed here
Online Research Track
Untangling Sticky Problems in Family Tree
by Kathryn Grant - 17 September, 9 AM
Have you ever found a tangle in FamilySearch Family Tree and wondered how to unravel it?
There are no magic wands, but there are principles and processes that will untangle these sticky
problems.
After years of watching from the sidelines, Kathryn dove into family history and has discovered
a new passion. She specializes in helping new family historians find success. With the right
guidance, she believes that everyone can find the joy in family history.
Kathryn teaches at the BYU Family History Library and presents at various family history events.
She's also a regular contributor to the FamilySearch blog. She is a technical writer and
instructional designer with a focus on usability and process improvement. She develops training
for use on mobile devices. She loves uplifting music, thought-provoking books, and clever puns.
Shaky Leaf Syndrome: Using Website-Generated Hints More Effectively
by Sara Cochran - 17 September, 10:30 AM
New computer tools make finding obscure family records easier than ever. Indexing, optical
character recognition have improved the game. But computers can’t distinguish between
people with the same name who lived in different places or at different times. In this class we
will practice evaluating hints and attach the keepers to our trees.
Sara is a professional genealogist with more than 28 years of experience. Her research has
taken her into nearly state in the US, and many countries in Europe, including Ireland, Italy,
Austria and Britain. She especially enjoys breaking down brick walls for clients and discovering
stories of black sheep ancestors. She specializes in preserving photographic legacies.
She has a genealogical research certificate from Boston University, a bachelor’s degree in
library science, and is an alumnus of the ProGen Study Group, and a regular attendee at SLIG,
SLIG Academy GRIP and IGHR institutes.
Traveling Back in Time Using Google Earth Pro
by Marie Palmer - 17 September, 1 PM
Discover how to visually wow friends and relatives with your family history research. Google
Earth Pro is a free program that offers a sophisticated way to map out your ancestors’ lives with
as many visuals and text as you can find. Organizing research within Google Earth Pro lets you
view findings through a unique lens, prompting new questions and further avenues of research.
It also offers a fresh way to share research and how its interactive nature appeals to many,
especially the younger generation. This session will demonstrate the exciting features of Google
Earth Pro by using genealogical case studies.
Marie Palmer is a professional genealogist, speaker, and writer based in Canada. She specializes
in United Kingdom and genetic genealogy research and she is passionate about helping others
share stories of their ancestors through writing and using technologies such as Google Earth
Pro. In addition to a Master of Science in information science and library management, Marie
holds bachelor degrees in Education and Engineering, a Certificate in Genealogical Research
from Boston University, and is the co-chair of her ProGen study group. Marie has taught
extensively over the past 20 years and most recently worked for Legacy Tree Genealogists.
A Hop, a Skip, and a Jump: How to Navigate FamilySearch's Browse-Only Collections More Effectively
by Alice Childs, AG - 17 September, 2:30 PM
Collections marked “browse only” can be daunting. This lecture will present strategies to help
you navigate like a pro. Your new-found confidence will have you skipping through the records
in no time.
Alice Childs is an Accredited Genealogist® specializing in U.S. Research, specifically the Mid-
Atlantic states of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware. She has a
passion for helping others connect with their ancestors. In addition to client work, Alice enjoys
serving as a mentor for the Research Like a Pro and ICAPGen Study Groups. She also volunteers
in her community, helping beginning genealogists learn more about their family history. When
she’s not researching, Alice enjoys spending time with her family, reading historical fiction,
quilting, and gardening.
