Back by popular demand

One big question in the genetic genealogy community in 2013 was: “if we hold it, will they come?”

The Southern California Genealogical Society (SCGS) and the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) took a big risk last year, adding a full day of DNA presentations — “Family History and DNA” — to the already-successful SCGS Jamboree.

Nobody had ever done that. The costs involved were substantial. Would it work? Could it work? Could a whole day of genetic genealogy education be successful?

The answer was: beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.

As I wrote last year: “More than 300 people from all over the world — seriously, there are attendees from Australia, China and more — came together in Burbank, California, for presentations ranging from basic introductions to using DNA testing in genealogy to finding the families of adoptees to using high-tech third party tools to understand the results. To put it mildly, it was wonderful.”¹

And it’s happening again.

SCGS and ISOGG have announced the 2014 Family History and DNA as a prequel to this year’s 45th Annual Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree. It’ll be held on Thursday, June 5, 2014, at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport, so if you were kicking yourself for missing this in 2013, here’s your chance.

There’s enough on the schedule for the 2014 DNA Day to keep anyone with even a mild interest in DNA testing — from beginner through advanced — occupied practically from dawn to dusk.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Maurice Gleeson, by profession a psychiatrist² and pharmaceutical physician — and he’s also a professional actor who’s appeared on the West End stage in London. Co-administrator of the Ireland mitochondrial DNA project, he’ll explain “How DNA will Change the Face of Irish Genealogy.”

Other speakers include many of the leaders of the genetic genealogical community:

• Blaine Bettinger, JD, a co-leader of the new DNA track at the Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP) in 2014, and author of The Genetic Genealogist blog;

CeCe Moore, also a co-leader ofauthor of Your Geneatic Genealogist blog;

Stephen Morse, creator of the One-Step Website

Tim Janzen, MD, who’s done some groundbreaking work in advanced techniques for autosomal DNA analysis;

Katherine Hope Borges, co-founder and director of ISOGG and a moving force behind the growth of the use of genetics in genealogy.

Diahan Southard, a microbiologist and genetic genealogy consultant;

Alice Fairhurst, former president of SCGS and a charter member of ISOGG and a genealogist of 50-years standing;

Cheri Mello, co-administrator for the Azores DNA project;

Bonny Cook, co-administrator of the SCGS DNA Project; and

Dr. Kathryn Johnston, a retired dermatologist, who’s been doing genealogical research for more than 25 years.

Oh, and me. Yup, I’ll be there and loving every minute of it. I get the beginner track again, doing what I love to do: introducing people who aren’t familiar with it to autosomal DNA testing.

The full line of speakers and topics is on the SCGS Jamboree website (here) and you can register online here (follow the links to DNA and Family History in the left). And there’s even a discount for folks who register for both DNA Day and Jamboree.

Will we see you in Burbank?

SOURCES