Professional learning in Salt Lake City
So a number of comments posted on yesterday’s blog, “Copyright and the genealogy report,” raised concerns about the tension between a client’s desire to use a genealogy report freely and a genealogist’s desire to protect professional reputation.
And if you’re a professional, or thinking about becoming one, that’s one thing you can learn a lot more about if you’re willing to brave the January cold in Salt Lake City.
Because that’s when and where the Association of Professional Genealogists will offer its Professional Management Conference.
The PMC is a terrific two-day event offering insights and guidance for the professional and the professional-in-training on everything from making the transition from hobbyist to professional to understanding DNA well enough to advise clients.
The dates are January 10 and 11, 2014. The place is the Radisson Hotel Downtown in Salt Lake City. And the line-up in terms of presentations and workshops is amazing.
Friday’s keynoter, D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS, will talk about New Industries, New Worlds: Working for Entertainment and Corporate Clients: “While many genealogists are experts at communicating with individual clients, calls from corporations and production companies are increasing within our field. Uncover how best to work with these new industries, while providing a thorough—and ethical—final product.”
Participants then get to choose between a two-hour workshop by Harold Henderson, CG, The Story of Jethro’s Story: The Making of a NGSQ Article, and two one-hour presentations. J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA, will speak on Lights! Camera! Connection! Will Genealogy-based TV Improve my Business?, followed by Jean Wilcox Hibben, PhD, CG, on Gaining Recognition in the Genealogical Community: Climbing the Professional Ladder.
There’s a PMC reception on Friday night, and PMC attendees, attendees from the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (which begins right after PMC), and APG members are all welcome.
The Saturday line-up begins with … um… me. Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL, will talk about“Good Name in Man or Woman” — Protecting a Professional Reputation: “A professional genealogist’s stock-in-trade is reputation, and in few other occupations is success or failure as dependent on the professional’s good name. Discover how contract language together with intellectual property laws can minimize risks of ethical disputes with clients over your work product, help ensure that the integrity of that work product is maintained, and provide maximum protection for your business name and reputation.”
Participants then can choose among a wide variety of workshops and presentations:
• Angela Packer McGhie, in the morning on Networking for Genealogists: Making Connections Online and in Person, and in the afternoon on Writing a Genealogy Business Plan.
• CeCe Moore, who blogs as Your Genetic Genealogist, will offer a two-part workshop on Advanced DNA for Professionals, with the first part focusing on How Professionals Conduct a DNA Study and the second as a Hands-on Analysis of DNA Study Test Results.
• Mary Penner will offer another hands-on workshop, this one on genealogical writing: It’s Not a Report. It’s Not a Summary. It’s a Genealogical Narrative!
• Claire V. Brisson-Banks, AG, will speak on The Pursuit from Genealogy Hobbyist to Professional.
• Melissa A. Johnson will speak on Discovering and Communicating Your Unique Value: Personal Branding for Professional Genealogists.
Early bird registration is now open, and the full conference price is $125 for APG members, $175 for non-APG members, and there’s a student discount price of $95. Those prices go up by $20 after the early-bird price ends. If you can’t attend both days, there are discounted rates for Friday only and for Saturday only.
APG has gone above and beyond in helping making the conference affordable. There’s a special rate for hotel rooms at the Radisson, and even a discount available on Delta Airlines. More information about the conference, discounts and more is on the APG website.
And hey… if you’re going to be in Salt Lake City anyway, there are a few seats left in a few of the courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy…
What else are you doing in the cold of January anyway?
