Robin Stewart's Official RootsTech Dream Playlist 2025
What's on your dream playlist?
Robin’s Dream Playlist for RootsTech 2025
RootsTech Dream Playlist #1
Getting Started in Scottish Family History Research
Learn about how to get started in researching your Scottish Ancestors. This lecture will cover Civil and Parish records; Scottish Census and Census Substitutes; various other valuable Scottish records. We will use various strategies and case studies to better understand how to make use of local, national and online Scottish records.
Sponsored by American Ancestors
David Allen Lambert
David Allen Lambert has been on the staff of American Ancestors/NEHGS since 1993 and is the organization’s Chief Genealogist. David is an internationally recognized speaker on the topics of genealogy and history.
Lambert has published many articles in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, the New Hampshire Genealogical Record, Rhode Island Roots, Mayflower Descendant, and American Ancestors magazine. He has authored and or co-authored in the published genealogies presented to David McCullough, Ken Burns, Angela Lansbury, Michael and Kitty Dukakis, Nathaniel Philbrick, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. He has also published eleven books including A Guide to Massachusetts Cemeteries (NEHGS, 2018), and Vital Records of Stoughton, Massachusetts, to the end of the year 1850 (Massachusetts Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2008). David received his B.A. in History from Northeastern University with a focus on Colonial American and African-American history. David is an elected Honorary Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston, Mass., and a life member of the New Hampshire Society of the Cincinnati and the General Society of the War of 1812. David also serves as the tribal genealogist for the Massachusett Tribe at Punkapoag in Massachusetts.
Areas of expertise: New England and Atlantic Canadian records of the 17th through 21st century; Genealogy in the United Kingdom; American and international military records; DNA research; and African American and Native American genealogical research in New England.
Information and Image Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/getting-started-in-scottish-family-history-research
RootsTech Dream List #2
Obituary Gold
Have you ignored obituaries and death notices up to now? This vital source of information can lead to amazing discoveries including linking in DNA matches. This workshop will feature practice examples.
Claire Bradley, MA
Claire Bradley is an Irish professional genealogist working with both traditional records and genetic genealogy. She holds a Certificate in Genealogy from University College Dublin and a Masters in History of the Family from the University of Limerick. Claire is passionate about teaching people how to research their own ancestry. She is the creator and teacher of a beginners’ adult education course now running for over a decade covering all the Irish major sources in Dublin. She is also the Director of Irish Studies at the International Institute of Genealogical Studies and gives regular lectures both on and offline to libraries and family history societies everywhere there is an Irish diaspora.
Information and Image Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/speakers/claire-bradley/en
RootsTech Dream Playlist #3
Write Powerful AI Prompts to Unlock Your Family History
Explore the strategic use of artificial intelligence (AI) prompts in genealogical research. By understanding how to craft clear and compelling prompts, you will learn how to unlock the full potential of AI tools and improve your research outcomes.
Learn how AI can assist researchers in uncovering social history details about their ancestors, brainstorm brick wall ancestors, generate captivating story ideas for family narratives, and streamline the research process.
Lisa Lisson
Lisa Lisson is the genealogy expert behind Are You My Cousin?, a website designed to help genealogy researchers around the world grow their family trees without the overwhelm. Through hundreds of genealogy articles, YouTube videos and international speaking opportunities, Lisa shares research strategies and how-to genealogy tutorials. Callisto Media recently published her latest book 100 Questions for Grandma.
Information and Image Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/speakers/lisa-lisson/en
RootsTech Dream Playlist #4
Nelson Mandela’s grandson is a Keynote Speaker - Ndaba Mandela.
instagram.com/ndaba_man… was born into one of the most well-known families of the 20th century, but abc.net.au/news/2019-03…. His early life was marked by hardship and personal tragedy. For one thing, he grew up in South Africa when law.cornell.edu/wex/apa… was still active. He also had to deal with losing both his mother and father when he was still in his childhood and teenage years.
Information and Image Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/rootstech-2025-keynote-ndaba-mandela
RootsTech Dream Playlist #5
Beyond the Brick Wall: Strategies for Pre-1850 U.S. Research
Researching in the United States prior to 1850 presents unique challenges. Records contain less information, are seldom indexed, and can be difficult to find. In this class, we will introduce strategies for identifying relationships prior to 1850 and demonstrate advanced research skills, record analysis, and evidence correlation.
Beth Taylor
Beth Taylor has worked as a United States and Canada research specialist at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah for more than fifteen years. Her specialties include DNA, Quakers, land records, probate records, and more.
Information and Image Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/speakers/beth-taylor/en
RootsTech Dream Playlist #6
Using Tax Records in Your Family History Research
Benjamin Franklin one said that "in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." This quote is certainly true! This class will provide an overview and history of the U.S. tax records. We will explore the different types of tax records available, where to locate records, and how the information in these records can advance your research.
Melanie McComb holds a B.S. from the State University of New York at Oswego. She is an international lecturer who teaches on a variety of topics including colonial through twentieth-century American military research, genetic genealogy, Atlantic Canadian, African American, Jewish, and Irish genealogy. She is also an Honorary Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society. She has had articles published in American Ancestors Magazine and Fifty Plus Advocate. She is a blogger, known as The Shamrock Genealogist.
Information and Image Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/using-tax-records-in-your-family-history-research
RootsTech 2025 Dream Playlist #7
How To's of Writing a Life Story Everyone Will Want to Read
Do you want to your write your life or ancestor story and feel stuck? This class will give you tips on how to get started and finish writing a life story. We will walk you through the process of gathering what you have, knowing when you have enough, getting started - including how to do outlines, timelines and storyboards and tips on the writing process and how to make it accessible and comfortable. We will also talk about how to finish and stay consistent. We will offer valid writing tips that beginners through advanced writers will find useful and enjoyable.
Rhonda Anderson Lauritzen
Founder/Author at evalogue.life
Rhonda Lauritzen is a professional biographer who has written a dozen books. She specializes in life stories, collecting oral history, and historical storytelling. In 2007, her writing journey began with her parents’ family business saga. Since then, she has been hired to help tell the stories of families, cities, and nonprofits. She believes that when you tell your story, it changes the ending. This is why her passion is teaching, coaching, and presenting at conferences. She has an MBA from the University of Utah and was selected as the Outstanding Graduate in her undergrad major. Before she founded evalogue.life in 2016, she served as a college marketing director, Vice President, and was also a corporate CEO.
Rachel Trotter
Family History Storyteller and Guide
Rachel has been telling stories since she could walk and talk. As a little girl, she would draw for hours and make up stories to go along with her artwork. Before coming to evalogue.life, she worked as a newspaper reporter for 17 years at Ogden’s local newspaper, The Standard-Examiner. She reported on heavy topics ranging from heated city elections to local school issues. But her love for writing about people’s life stories and their triumphs over tragedy captured her heart. She loves family storytelling. A graduate of Weber State University, she has had articles featured on ldsliving.com, lds.org, familysearch.org and Meridian Magazine. She has been a speaker at RootsTech, Weber State University Family History Conference, Conference on Family History at BYU and the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree. She helps people tell and write their life stories and has written six life stories with several more in production. She has also helped several others write their own stories. She and her husband Mat have six children and she recently became a grandma! She and her family live on the East Bench in Ogden, Utah.
Information and Images Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/how-tos-of-writing-a-life-story-everyone-will-want-to-read
RootsTech 2025 Dream Playlist #8
Examining the Irish Census
This session will explore the history of the census in Ireland, what info you can extract from the different returns available and the different types of census returns while looking forward and discussing the 1926 census.
Daniel Loftus is a genealogist specialising in Irish genealogical research and research into mother and baby institutions around Ireland. He is the creator of Project Infant which endeavours to record the names of those who died in mother and baby institutions amongst other institutions around Ireland.
Information and Image Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/examining-the-irish-census
RootsTech Dream Playlist #9
AI Genealogy: Year Two: The 2025 Outlook: Where We’ve Been, Where We’re At, Where We’re Headed
Join Steve Little, the inaugural AI Program Director for the National Genealogical Society, for an introduction and review of AI-assisted genealogy, especially generative artificial intelligence and large language models, looking back at advancements over the past year, where we are now, and where we may be headed. This one-hour presentation is both accessible to newcomers and informative to practitioners.
Steve Little
Steve Little is the AI Program Director for the National Genealogical Society and has lifelong passions for language, technology, and genealogy. He completed graduate-level courses in applied linguistics, specializing in natural language processing and computational linguistics, two pillars of today’s large language models of AI; his first career was spent in and around libraries (law, local, university, and state archives) building information systems. Steve traces his deep roots to one Appalachian county, where, by 1820, all 32 of his 3rd-great-grandparents had settled—many even earlier than that. In fact, 60 of his most recent ancestors were born, lived, and died there, in Ashe County, North Carolina. His passion lies in AI & genetic genealogy: with a keen interest in endogamy, pedigree collapse, deciphering multiple relationships, and an insatiable curiosity to explore beneficial uses and current limits of artificial intelligence in genealogy. Beyond genealogy, Steve wears many hats: he’s a husband and a dad, a Methodist pastor, and a Virginian. His hobbies span from bird watching and sky gazing; to chess and film. Additionally, he’s an avid reader, writer, photographer, and regex script hacker.
Information and Image Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/ai-genealogy-year-two-the-2025-outlook-where-weve-been-where-were-at-where-were-headed
RootsTech Dream Playlist #10
Becoming Betsey: Find Female Ancestors with Cluster Research
Female ancestors are difficult to track without utilizing the methods of cluster research. This case study will show how only two personal records are extant for a female ancestor who died before 1875, but that her life may be recreated with records made by her associates and family.
Rebecca Whitman Koford
Rebecca Whitman Koford holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® and as a Certified Genealogical Lecturer (SM). Her focuses are Maryland and military records at the National Archives, especially those of the War of 1812. Rebecca has been taking clients and lecturing since 2004.She has spoken for the National Genealogical Society Conference (NGS), Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference (FGS), Association of Professional Genealogists Conference (APG), RootsTech, webinars for Legacy, APG, and the Maryland State Archives. She has published articles in the NGS Magazine, APG Magazine, SAR Magazine, Maryland Genealogical Society Journal, and is co-author of the recently released NGS Research in the States series book on Maryland. Rebecca is also the Course I coordinator for The Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR) and has been an instructor at the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG). She is a graduate and former mentor of the ProGen Study Group, an online peer-led study program, and served as the ProGen Administrator from 2015–2020.Rebecca currently works as Executive Director of the Board for Certification of Genealogists® and as Director of the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) held annually at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
Information and Image Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/session/becoming-betsey-find-female-ancestors-with-cluster-research
RootsTech Dream Playlist #11
How Can artificial Intelligence Assist Family Historians
Have you experimented with AI in your genealogical research but struggle to get the results you want? Are you looking for quick tips and hints to maximize the potential of AI tools? This session is designed to address these questions and more, providing you with a practical guide to leveraging Artificial Intelligence in family history research and storytelling. Using live demonstrations where you'll see how to manipulate AI technologies to streamline repetitive tasks effectively, this action-packed session will give you key skills to take away and use immediately. The creative potential of AI, including image generation, will also be demonstrated, particularly the required iterative process with real examples and actual prompts provided. Beyond the practical applications, this session will cover key principles of engaging with AI tools to help build a robust foundation for your ongoing AI endeavors. This includes important ethical considerations such as transparency, bias, and privacy.
Andrew Redfern is a keen family historian with an interesting array of ancestors, including convicts, murderers, priests, wealthy gentlemen, travelling musicians, and the odd asylum inmate. Inspired by his mother, he has been researching his ancestral roots since high school. An active member of the Society of Australian Genealogists, he is a member of their education and IT committees and was instrumental in Ironclad Sisterhood, a digitisation project of records of more than 4700 convict women. Andrew has particular interests in utilising technology to make the work of family historians more effective and in sharing findings in creative ways. More recently he has begun exploring artificial intelligence as a tool for genealogical work and is fast becoming a recognised front runner in the field, having presented to numerous groups across Australia and internationally. Similarly, Andrew is a DNA enthusiast, having tested hair from the 1830s to try and solve his patrilineal line brick walls. He regularly contributes to DNA groups with case studies, outlining his methodology to assist others to make effective use of their own DNA results. He is the administrator of a one name study and has recently begun a one place study around the community in which he grew up, a small locality in central New South Wales, Australia. Andrew is an accomplished speaker, having delivered presentations to various groups over many years. With backgrounds in education, technology and theatre, Andrew endeavours to engage his audience resulting in an informative and entertaining session. He often employs unique techniques to get the audience involved and strives to ensure questions are answered and concepts explored.
Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/rootstech/speakers/andrew-redfern/en
RootsTech Dream Playlist #12
Using ChatGPT as Your Personal Writing Coach
The best way to improve family history writing is through feedback. OpenAI's ChatGPT is the perfect tool for providing feedback, acting as your on-demand writing coach. This session will cover how to use it and five prompts to get you started.
By the end of this session, you will be able to:
• Improve family history writing by applying different styles and voices to existing writing
• Start working with AI as a writing coach using five different prompts to evaluate your writing and suggest improvements
• Explore ways to use ChatGPT as a friendly companion while you write, not a replacement for your writing
• Create your own ChatGPT prompts to use as you write your family history
Much of what is covered is also applicable to Claude, but this session will focus on ChatGPT.
Denyse Allen created Chronicle Makers in 2024 to help family historians capture their ancestor's stories. She shows how to use technology to enhance and assist in bringing research to life.
Denyse's first genealogy work focused on the public and private records in Pennsylvania. PAancestors.com offers hundreds of free resources for genealogy researchers. Her first book Pennsylvania Vital Records Research was the #1 best seller in genealogy in December 2022. Her second book Archives of Pennsylvania covers the 800 archives in the state, their collections, and how to research them.
Great choices, @Robin! I feel a bit like I did in Junior high when we’d compare schedules to see which classes we’d have together 🤣
Looks like just @Denyse’s, which is gonna be fantastic!
Can’t wait to see you in SLC!
Great post! I felt the same way as @Lori Olsen White, back in high school, can we save seats? Are you a front row or back row person? :) I was thinking last night that I wish there was an easy way to print out my schedule with the time blocks, have you seen a way by chance? Guess I'll just have to make my own spreadsheet.