2025 Genealogy Webinar Series – Your Roots Pursuits
The Your Roots Pursuits live virtual presentations are free and open to the public. Recordings of the presentations are available to GSNJ Members Only as a member benefit for a limited time.
Schedule
Each webinar is scheduled for the third Wednesday of each month at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard or Daylight Savings time (depending on the date) for approximately one hour.
All 2025 webinars will have the ability for attendees to utilize Zoom’s Closed Captioning feature. The webinar host will explain how to select this option at the beginning of each monthly webinar.
January 15 – Kate Townsend – Beyond the Computer Screen: Planning for Repository Visits
If most of your genealogical research is conducted in your pajamas, it’s time to venture to the repository. Learn how to plan for this adventure.
February 19 – Andre Kearns – Finding Milly: Tracing Enslaved Ancestors Using Full-Text Search by FamilySearch
This presentation will focus on using FamilySearch Lab’s Full Text Search feature.
March 19 – Taneya Y. Koonce – Documenting Family History in the Digital Age
In the digital age, documenting family history requires more than just collecting names and dates—it demands a thoughtful, long-term strategy to ensure our research is preserved and accessible for future generations. This presentation will explore three essential pillars for modern family historians: sharing research on public platforms, transforming raw facts into meaningful stories, and creating a dedicated family history archive. Each of these elements plays a crucial role in safeguarding our work and ensuring that our efforts stand the test of time. Join us as we dive into these principles and discuss practical steps for strengthening your family history legacy in the digital era.
April 16 – Jennifer Zinck – DNA & Your Family Tree
Join us to explore different types of DNA tests and how they can help break through brick walls in your family research. Discover popular genealogy tools, techniques, and real-world challenges in tracing your ancestry.
May 21 – Judy Nimer Muhn – No Dead Ends: Finding Your Way Through Family Roadblocks
Learn about the tools, techniques, and ways of thinking of professional genealogists to find ways to navigate around those road blocks and continue your ancestral journey.
June 18 – Cheri Hudson Passey – In Other News…Finding Family in the Paper
Newspapers can be an excellent source for obituaries. But did you know there is so much more? Scandals, events, stories, and gossip are among the things you may find to put flesh on the bones of your ancestors. Tips on searching both online and off will help you to discover what your family may have been doing between their dashes! Warning! You never know what you may find!
July 16 – To Be Announced
August 20 – To Be Announced
September 17 – To Be Announced
October 15 – To Be Announced
November 19 – To Be Announced
December 17 – To Be Announced
Note: The schedule and speakers are subject to change.
Registration and System Requirements
The Zoom platform will be used for the webinars. A working internet connection is required to access the webinars.
Click on the Click Here to Register button for each webinar to register. You may register for each webinar until the webinar ends.
Each attendee will receive an email with the webinar link. A reminder will be sent prior to the webinar. To cancel, click on the cancellation link provided in the email received at the time of registration.
Handouts
The handout for each webinar will be provided during the webinar.
Speaker Biographies
Andre Kearns is a native Washingtonian, accomplished genealogist, writer, and speaker dedicated to uncovering and sharing the rich histories of his ancestors, with a focus on enslaved and free people of color in Virginia and the Carolinas. He serves as a Director at Large for the National Genealogical Society, where he chairs the Development Committee. He is also a charter member of the Society of the First African Families in English America, a member of the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage, and of the DC Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. Andre’s publications include multiple articles in the Journal of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society and his forthcoming book, Finding Cornerstone Stories: Drawing Inspiration from Your Family’s History. His own genealogical journey, including his participation in BYUtv’s Relative Race, reflects his passion for making genealogy accessible, transformative, and deeply personal.
Cheri Hudson Passey has been researching her family and helping others start their research since the early 1980s. Born in Camden, South Carolina, her ancestors have been in the state for many generations. She is truly a “Carolina Girl.” Her love of history and genealogy has grown into a passion for researching names, dates, and places and adding flesh to the bones with family pictures, stories, and ephemera.
Taneya Y. Kooncee, MSLS, MPH, is a dedicated genealogist with more than twenty-five years of professional expertise in information science, research, and the organization of genealogical resources. Her passion for family history is matched by her commitment to education and community involvement. As the national treasurer and Nashville Chapter president of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, as well as a national representative-at-large for the USGenWeb Project, Taneya plays an active role in advancing genealogical knowledge. Through her online community, Academy of Legacy Leaders, she provides instruction on effective research techniques and organizational strategies, helping others uncover and preserve their family histories.
Judy Nimer Muhn has been researching her family tree from the age of 12, specializing in French-Canadian, Acadian, Native American and Michigan, Ontario, Quebec research. Beginning as a professional genealogist in Europe in 1993, she has lectured at the National Genealogical Society’s conferences, RootsTech, Federation of Genealogical Societies as well as conferences in Europe and around the United States. She is currently writing a book of the matrilineal descent of her oldest female ancestor in Normandy, France.
Kate Townsend is a former professional investigator turned genealogist specializing in Pennsylvania genealogical research. She is the Immediate Past Chair of the NGS Delegate Council. Kate has spoken at national and local genealogical societies and conferences.
Jennifer Zinck, CG® is a genealogical researcher, speaker, and educator with a passion for learning and applying genealogy standards to help reclaim lost and forgotten stories of our ancestors. Jennifer earned her credential from the Board for Certification of Genealogists in 2021. She completed twenty semesters as Advanced Instructor of Forensic Research for Boston University in 2024.
Contact
If you have questions, please contact GSNJ at programs@gsnj.org.
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