RootsTech 2026 – The Wind Beneath Our Wings

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I started writing this article on Sunday evening, the day after RootsTech ended, and I’m basking in the afterglow. Also, my back and feet may never forgive me.

As a tongue-in-cheek comment, I think someone coined the word “exhausterwhelmulated” and defined it as being exhausted, overwhelmed, and overstimulated all at once. Yep, that’s me.

However, I need to add another couple of words to this – gratitude and joy.

Gratitude and Joy

I’m going to try to express this without sounding too sappy.

Do you recall the joy you used to feel when you spotted a relative you loved dearly but didn’t get to see often? Think of the unbridled joy as you piled out of your parents’ car and spotted your grandmother coming out of the door because she saw the car pull up. You ran as fast as your little legs could carry you directly into her arms, and got hugged so tightly it nearly squeezed the breath out of you.

I don’t know what the word for that would be, but it’s similar to how RootsTech feels.

Let me explain.

As genealogists, most of the time, we work by ourselves, alone at our desks in solitude. The majority of the research is undertaken either online, reading books, or perhaps in libraries of one sort or another.

Genealogy research is seldom, if ever, performed with other people.

RootsTech is the largest family reunion ever, but only with the relatives you really want to see who have common interests.

Hugs happen everyday all over the place. They are so unremarkable that no one even notices unless you recognize one of the huggers and pause long enough to see if they are hugging someone you need to hug too.

It’s common for someone to comment to complete strangers walking past, “Hey, I love your shirt,” or whatever. Think of doing that on the street. The other person would cross the street to get away from the “crazy” person. Yet, at RootsTech, the recipient of the comment says “Thank you,” then probably proceeds to tell you where they got it, or notices your name on your badge and asks if your Estes line is the same as Estes Park, or some such.

RootsTech holds an energy like no other place on earth. Perhaps part of it is simply the anticipation of knowing we are going to see so many of our friends and cousins. Some of the energy is excitement about the learning opportunities. Add in the proximity to the FamilySearch library, and there’s just no comparison.

Over the years, I’ve met many people I only “knew” online, plus many I would never have known online, and developed an extended family for which I’m incredibly grateful.

By extended family, I’m not referring just to people I know I’m related to. I’m also referring to those who are my family of heart.

I’m not alone, so when you see two people hugging in an animated, joyful way, it’s genuine, not a “polite, distance” hug. It’s like everyone has come home for the reunion for 3 or 4 days. Then, we scatter, back to our own lives until next year, this time.

My own immediate family is much too small for reunions now. We all fit around the kitchen table with chairs left over – so when I’m talking about family in the context of RootsTech, I’m talking both about distant cousins who ARE my family and my family-of-heart, who also ARE my family.

We’re all related – we just don’t know how far back or exactly how.

Perspective

This last year has been incredibly difficult for a myriad of reasons. There has been a lot of loss, both in the community and personally. Layer upon layer of grief.

I thought I might have been alone in this cumulative grief, but seeing my RootTech family provided evidence otherwise. We shared things we don’t discuss online.

This realization was actually a relief – something I didn’t expect. I don’t wish any ill for anyone, nor do I want anyone to suffer, but it’s also nice to know you’re not alone. In a way, we joined together to celebrate the joy and mourn the loss – kind of like a funeral gathering of sorts where you’re so glad to see your family that you don’t see any other time.

We all had a reprieve from daily life – for just a little while – until it was time to return to life outside RootsTech

It gave us hope.

Our RootsTech extended family provided us with resilience.

Love is a universal prescription.

I’m going to try to share this feeling with you as I step through the RootsTech experience.

Come Along

I’m taking you along with me on my RootsTech journey. I’ll spare you most of the selfies  – although photos are one of my favorite things.

There’s just so much spontaneous joy erupting as people see others that they haven’t seen in a year or perhaps longer.

Monday

I flew to Salt Lake City on Sunday. As in leaving my house at 3:30 AM. What was I thinking?

Monday morning dawned sunny and beautiful. It would be the last of the sun we’d see in days. We experienced cold, driving rain and snow though.

No, that’s not a UFO, it’s the reflection of a light.

At breakfast, I ran into a friend from Israel who asked me to wait a minute while they went to their room because they had brought me something.

Originating with the Phoenicians, the Hamsa hand symbolizes protection, guarding against negative forces, and attracting positive energy.

This is particularly meaningful because with all this person has to deal with in their homeland right now, they thought of me and brought this all the way to the other side of the globe.

Any frustrations or challenges I might have pale in comparison and fade into oblivious compared to what they are facing. Their family is there, and their phone is constantly pinging with “take shelter, incoming missiles” notifications. Not to mention, they can’t get home for who knows how long. I can’t even begin to imagine.

Trust me, they have an offer of a place to stay should they need it. Family is family!

I fervently wish the Hand of protection for all of my family and family-of-heart.

Monday – Off to the FamilySearch Library

The FamilySearch Library holds special hours during RootsTech week for genealogists. (Thank you!)

Like swallows returning to Capistrano, we return to the library, filled with hope and hauling laptops and research lists.

The library always plants flowers early, and they nearly always wear snow as a necklace. Still, the splash of color always feels so good beneath the often gray and gloomy skies.

Monday’s With Myrt

My purpose for flying in on Sunday was so I could join “Myrt” on Monday’s with Myrt. Those of you who expect me to talk about DNA might be surprised that part of my topic had absolutely nothing to do with DNA and everything to do with love and family.

You can watch the livestream here.

My portion, along with Kirsty Gray who owns an heir-search company in the UK, starts at about 12:50 minutes in. Yes, I do talk about DNA (how could I not?)  – but keep going because there’s something really special after that.

I’m not saying more at this point – except it’s about untold stories in a unique love language. I tell the stories in the video and try not to cry.

I actually felt bad for Kirsty because her time got shortchanged. (I’m sorry Kirsty – here’s the link to her company.) And thanks to both Kirsty and Judy Nimer Muhn, my off-camera then on-camera cousin, who joined us! I might have accidentally spilled the beans about Judy’s upcoming book!

Research Time

I spent time after that trying to chase down one of my ancestors, who is very successfully hiding.

I’m a hair’s breadth from identifying my ancestor based on doing the genealogy of her full sequence exact matches which has led to families that neighbor her husband’s father.

I actually wasn’t searching for the Manifold family, but the Payne and Cowgill families are mentioned as being Quaker, and I am searching for those two families in order to attempt to figure out how my ancestor, who is an unknown Quaker, matches the descendants of Rachel Cowgill who married Henry Payne on their mitochondrial DNA line. Rachel’s father, Henry Cowgill, is later found to be the neighbor of James Crumley, the father of William Crumley, whose unknown wife is a mitochondrial DNA match to Rachel Cowgill. Rachel’s mother is Mary Boulton, but so far, we have not been able to identify the wife of William Crumley.

Tuesday found me sifting through the Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy.

I’m within sniffing distance of solving this (with the help of my wonderful cousin Rita) – but I’m not there yet, so you can imagine my focus during my few available hours in the library.

This story will have to wait for a separate article, but trust me, I’ll share the steps to solving this puzzle with no picture on the box lid, which began with mitochondrial DNA matches, as soon as it’s solved.

Impromptu Dinners

I had a chance meeting with cousin Judy Nimer Muhn in the hotel lobby and decided to have dinner. It’s interesting, we are occasionally mistaken for each other.

Confirming certain rumors, Judy and I neither one are fully adult. We both ordered from the kids menu and enjoyed coloring on our placemats.

Wednesday – RootsTech Prep Day

On Wednesday morning, I shared what I had learned about Quaker resources with my wonderful cousin, Audrey, who is also searching for an entirely different ancestor, but from the same location, who just might be Quaker.

Genealogy is all about collaboration and sharing. Audrey has made incredible headway on our Hill ancestors! She’s an extremely talented genealogist and I’m so grateful for her work on our behalf!

It’s wonderful to catch up with Audrey. The only place I ever see her is at RootsTech. I think this is our third or fourth year.

Outside the library, we often spot TV or other production crews filming before RootsTech.

Every year, sidewalk decals point the way from the Library to RootsTech. A free shuttle is also provided during RootsTech, but by then my research time is over.

RootsTech Prep

Welcome to the Salt Palace.

Wednesday is RootsTech prep day – tech checks, rehearsals on the livestream stages, the speaker dinner, and more.

If you’re wondering why speakers need rehearsals, in part, it’s because we don’t use our own equipment. So no laptops that we’re familiar with, no microphones and sound systems that we understand, and a myriad of other things that can go wrong.

Here’s the view from near the back of Ballroom A when the hall is emply.

Here’s the speaker’s view. We have to keep our eye on the countdown timer, make sure we don’t touch or bump the microphone, and we generally can’t see the laptop because if we stand in front of it, at least in my case, the audience can’t see my face. So, speakers stand to the side, and our slides appear on the floor teleprompter. However, sometimes we can’t see the smaller words, even though attendees can on the big screens.

Suffice it to say we practice a lot before arriving. The timing has to be perfect. Not to mention updating any slides because something has changed. And there’s always something that changes in the DNA products.

The vendors are setting up in the Exhibit Hall during this time.

Tonight, the Exhibit Hall is large, spacious, quiet, and empty, but tomorrow, this FamilyTreeDNA consultation area (with comfy seats), along with the rest of the vendors, will be crowded and bustling with activity.

Elevator Challenges

However, back at the Marriott Hotel, challenges were waiting. (For those at RootsTech who listened to me whine about the exploding frozen beers in the fridge left by the former room occupant, and clearly missed by housekeeping – I’m not even going there in this article.)

When I arrived on Sunday, three of four elevators were working. No problem.

The next day, two were working. Relatively short waits. No big deal.

But by Wednesday, with the hotel packed, only one elevator was working and the line for that single elevator was VERY long. 20 or 30 minutes long in fact. Some people reported waiting 40 minutes. This did not bode well for the rest of the week, especially as the hotel staff told us it had only been out for “a few minutes.”

By Friday evening, two elevators were working again, with a shorter line, but there were a lot of extremely unhappy, very exhausted guests, paying premium conference rates on Wednesday and Thursday. With 16 floors, walking really isn’t an option, and any stairs are an issue for people with disabilities or those using scooters.

Then, on Saturday morning, I was startled awake by what sounded like gunshots.

I launched out of bed like a rocket to see what was happening.

I discovered the street blocked off with a huge, and I mean HUGE crane outside my window, lifting something that was swinging back and forth.

As I realized that thing, whatever it was, was being lifted from the street to the roof, right past my window, I quickly decided I needed to get dressed and out of there ASAP. I really don’t have a good history with this hotel. Some of you may remember Panic in the Cavern of Doom. Yep, same hotel.

Here’s the scene from outside. In retrospect, I suspect what was being lifted into place was elevator equipment. They certainly needed it!

For Sessions You Couldn’t Attend

I know it’s frustrating for those not in Salt Lake City when there’s an in-person session that you can’t attend. It’s frustrating when you are there and can’t attend a session because there are too many to choose from and something conflicts.

However, all is not lost. Speakers provided syllabi that are available for their sessions. If you wanted to attend sessions and couldn’t, remember that you can download the syllabus for every class. Some speakers provide their slides too.

Just navigate on the RootsTech schedule to the class, then check to see what’s available.

This class, Digging into DNA: How Ancient Samples Reveal Your Modern Heritage by Katy Rowe-Schuranz, took place at a time when I had a conflict, so I’m downloading both the slides and the syllabus. Thanks, Katy!

RootsTech Officially Begins – Thursday

I do love my DNA vests, so today it’s the double helix vest with the conference purse that can be carried crossbody or around the waist, made by my wonderful cousin.

RootsTech is a huge conference, with attendees in Salt Lake counted in the tens of thousands, and more than 383,790 attendees in 195 countries worldwide.

Unless you’re used to speaking in front of large audiences and do it regularly, you’re going to experience at least a few butterflies. Before my livestreamed, recorded sessions, I have an entire flock of butterflies.

Even though Mitochondrial DNA to Z: My Results Are Back, Now What? wasn’t recorded, I’ve made my slides available as my conference syllabus, and you can still download them at this link. This session was packed to the gills.

One of the best parts of conference speaking is that your cousins seek you out. Even long-lost cousins.

Maybe 30 years ago, my cousin, Pat, sent me a large envelope of information via snail mail. A few years before that, she had located the land of our ancestor, Michael McDowell c1747-c1840, in what is now Hancock County, TN.

The challenge was that access was through, not across, the Powell River. When Michael lived here, they forded the river with a wagon and had a swinging bridge that no longer exists – wiped out by a flood decades ago. His land was aptly named Slanting Misery – and trust me – I can vouch for why.

I am so incredibly grateful to Pat.

Eventually, I waded the river myself to visit Michael’s land and find the cemetery.

I’m also grateful I didn’t die the second time I visited, still trying to locate that abandoned cemetery.

It seems a bull thought HE owned the cemetery, which I did find with the help of a local man, and Mr. Bull proceeded to chase us back to the river. That time, we had forded the river in my Jeep – thankfully.

However, I was in such a hurry to escape that bull that I flooded the engine and stranded the Jeep in the middle of the river.

Oh, the memories! The things we do for genealogy!

All of this was courtesy of that packet of information Pat sent me long ago.

Imagine my surprise when she walked up to the podium and said she couldn’t leave without introducing herself! I was utterly thrilled!

THIS is exactly what RootsTech is about.

The General Sessions

Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch, always delivers a wonderful welcoming message, as does Kirby Hayborne, emcee, and I really do encourage you to take a look.

The RootsTech theme this year is “Together,” which is about connection!

Ancestry, MyHeritage, and FamilyTreeDNA were all platinum sponsors, which means that they receive about 5 minutes on the main stage during one of the daily General Sessions.

During the RootsTech Day 1 opening session, Howard Hochhauser, Ancestry’s CEO speaks at minute 30:28.

As a family historian, he reveals a mystery discovery about his mother and an airplane, found in Newspapers.com.

He showcased the Ancestry AI audio feature and stressed their new, unique content. Ancestry has added 250 new content collections featuring 4 billion records.

RootsTech Day 2 featured MyHeritage.

Myko Cleland with MyHeritage is speaking with a show attendee in their booth.

Myko spoke on the main stage, representing MyHeritage, and even sang. He has a LOT more gumption than I do. You can watch Myko for yourself, beginning at minute 6:13 into the General Session on the main stage, here, where he announces the new MyHeritage features this year, which include:

  • 6 billion historical records – this is the part you really want to see. I truly can’t believe he did this!
  • 438 million pages in OldNews newspapers in multiple languages
  • Country Coding on trees
  • 50 languages, up from 47
  • Scribe AI – this is a really wonderful new feature to decipher and interpret old documents, photos and more. MyHeritage provides a nice video example.
  • GAIA – genealogy AI assistance, coming soon. (I can’t wait to try this.)

  • Family InfoGraphics – example above
  • DNA Traits

RootsTech Day 3’s sponsored vendor during the general session was FamilyTreeDNA who is the only vendor to provide Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) tests in addition to Family Finder autosomal, which includes X-DNA matching.

Dave Vance, Senior Vice President and General Manager at FamilyTreeDNA provided updates and announcements during the General Session.

Beginning at minute 32, here, Dave spoke on the main stage, having the unenviable position of following the dancing Gardiner Brothers (Riverdance). He pointed out that FamilyTreeDNA now has:

  • 11,000 DNA projects with 8,000 volunteer project administrators
  • 10,000+ Ancient Connections, soon to be 15,000
  • Features and tools that no one else provides
  • Y-DNA – more than 100,000 branches reaching back 240,000 years
  • 11,000 Y-DNA branches added in 2025 alone

  • Mitotree, the mitochondrial DNA tree of Humankind, now has 53,000 branches
  • 12,000 branches were added in 2025

That’s thanks to both scientific breakthroughs, plus more testers who are breaking down  genealogical brick walls using mtDNA.

I’ve solved three genealogical puzzles in my own tree year using mitochondrial DNA, and a fourth is near falling.

You really never know who you’re going to match.

For decades, it was believed that the mitochondrial lineage of Otzi, the 5,000-year-old Tyrolean Iceman, had become extinct. Come to find out, that’s not true.

Recently, Heddi Abbad, a Frenchman of Algerian ancestry whose matrilineal family descends from the Berbers of Algeria matched Otzi, both sharing haplogroup K1f, as shown here using Heddi’s Ancient Connections Discover report

You can read more about this fascinating story, here.

Next, Dave announced FamilyTreeDNA’s brand new Family Finder autosomal DNA test.

Typical autosomal tests sample only .02% of your DNA, but the new Family Finder test, already being utilized for testers today, samples 400 times more – 9% of your DNA at high quality.

The new Family Finder test is entirely backward compatible, meaning it covers the .02% of your DNA tested on earlier versions and uploaded tests from other vendors, PLUS paves the way for future scientific innovation and discoveries.

As Dave put it, the new test:

  • Will provide deeper, more meaningful insights – not just today, but for years to come.
  • Will have fewer unexplained matches and a clearer understanding of how people are related to you and each other, providing more confidence in the conclusions you draw from your autosomal DNA.
  • Moves you from connections to explanations and from data to answers.
  • Is fully compatible with their current test, but paves the way to unlock new insights using the additional data when it becomes possible.

If you purchase a Family Finder test, it’s automatically processed on the new platform.

I’ll be writing more about this new test soon.

As if all that wasn’t enough, Dave announced that FamilyTreeDNA will be introducing Family Finder Discover Reports, similar in concept to the existing Y-DNA and mtDNA Discover reports.

These reports will provide new ways to interpret your autosomal DNA and understand what your matches actually mean.

Family Finder Discover will be available to all customers for all Family Finder tests and uploads, both for those taken in the past and people testing today.

I can hardly wait to see what’s going to be available. We all welcome more help with brick walls.

A Virtual Keynote was given by the Gardiner Brothers, Matthew and Michael, world-renowned Irish step dancing brothers featured in Riverdance. Please watch and enjoy their story, here. They really are amazing.

But that’s just the beginning!

You can also see them perform, live, beginning at minute 12:29, here, as surprise guests in the closing session on Day 3. This crushes me because I was preparing for something else and was not in thay session. Irish step dancing is my absolute favorite!

The brothers dance to more than one genre of music – I’d call it fusion.

They provide the audience with an amazing dance-off and then give us a mini-lesson. I stood up in my office and promptly discovered I have no talent whatsoever.

Please do watch!!

I can’t imagine being wired up for production, dancing like that, and THEN talking afterwards! Just WOW!!!

My Two Friday Sessions

I had two presentations on Friday.

My first presentation was Y-DNA to Z: My Results Are Back, Now What?

This session was not recorded, which is why I made all of my slides available as the syllabus. You can click here to download the session slides.

This session was packed.

My second session of the day, Mapping Maternal Connections: Where Science Meets Genealogy on the mtDNA Tree of Humankind, sponsored by FamilyTreeDNA, was  livestreamed and recorded.

You can watch it now at this link.

I discovered something interesting about attendees and session planning. Many people at RootsTech specifically don’t attend sessions in person that are being recorded, choosing to attend sessions that aren’t recorded instead.

That makes perfect sense, but it was a little disconcerting to have two very full sessions, then this one that had more vacant seats. In addition, I was also told by numerous people that they had been misdirected to the room. It seems there were some room changes that led to confusion.

In any case, it’s available for everyone now. Don’t forget to download the syllabus with additional resources.

Exhibit Hall

I love visiting the vendor booths in the Exhibit Hall. If you notice that someone is omitted, it’s not intentional. The hall is huge, busy, and crowded, and I’m positive I didn’t see all 200 vendors.

FamilySearch always does something fun just inside the entrance. This year, it’s an inspiration pool of 50,000 balls, or maybe they are supposed to be bubbles.

Each of the blue and green balls has a reflective question for genealogists to answer.

Do you know where your last name came from? Y-DNA can help answer this one.

Another asked what type of food reminds you of home? Another, what activities bring you back to you of your childhood?

Come on in. The water, or maybe bubbles, are fine! Everyone was having a grand time!

WikiTree, one of my favorite tools.

Hey, look what I found in the WikiTree booth. I did say this, and it’s true! I love WikiTree!

Mags Gaulden was providing consultations for FamilyTreeDNA at the conference, but you may know her from her volunteer work with WikiTree. She’s also one of the coordinators of the East Coast Genetic Genealogy Conference (ECGGC), which will be held this year from August 21-23 at the Embassy Suites at Boston Logan Airport, and online. You just might recognize some of the speakers! You can register, here with the RootsTech special rate.

FamilySearch, as well as many other vendors, offer in-booth talks or classes.

RootsTech is the land of selfies. Me with Bennett Greenspan who founded this entire industry in 2000. Thank you, thank you, Bennett.

Bennett Greenspan at the FamilyTreeDNA booth knocking it out of the ballpark talking about his success in finding his paternal line and where it originated using the Big Y-700 test. If you’ve never heard Bennett speak, make it a priority.

Katy Rowe-Schuranz with FamilyTreeDNA showing how to use Ancient Connections, a favorite with both Y-DNA and mitochondrial DNA testers. You never know when one of the ancient burials will provide the hint you’ll need – not to mention they are both fun and educational.

Photo courtesy Christina Clark

Dave Vance illustrating how to use the Big Y-700 test results.

The Y-DNA Match Time tree shows your matches on the genetic Time Tree to help you visualize how closely people are related.

Goran Runfeldt and I are standing in front of the mtDNA Time Tree. Everyone’s mtDNA fits here someplace!

I love the webinars at Legacy Family Tree. All webinars are free for the first 7 days, then available in the library for subscribers.

GenealogyBank hosted book signing for Genealogical.com authors several times during RootsTech. Thank you GenealogyBank.

It made me feel good to see my book, The Complete Guide to FamilyTreeDNA: Y-DNA, Mitochondrial, Autosomal and X-DNA featured front and center in the Genealogical.com booth.

On Thursday, I gave a booth talk for MyHeritage

Photo credit Debbie Horowitz

I explained how Cousin Finder works, and how connecting with a cousin led to me receiving a photo of my 4th great-grandfather, who died in 1866, barely after photography was available. I repaired and enhanced the photo using the MyHeritage photo tools.

This is the oldest and farthest back photo I have of any of my ancestors.

Photo credit Debbie Horowitz

The booths were very busy this year. On Saturday, my friend was taking a photo outside the MyHeritage booth, and I was laughing. Everyone around me is smiling too. This photo exudes so much joy – and that’s exactly how we all felt. Laughter and joy is contagious.

Just Serve is a nonprofit organization that matches volunteers to local groups that need volunteers. You can also serve or volunteer remotely. If you are involved with an organization that needs volunteers, you can register your organization as well.

Go to this page and enter your zip code to see the organizations, opportunities and needs near where you live. A quick glance near me shows the Cold Weather Shelter where I already volunteer, plus several more organizations. Of note, and perhaps good fits for me, are Wrap the World in Quilts, an Animal Sanctuary, and the WikiTree US Black Heritage Project.

I had to take my photo holding a picture on my phone of the quilt I made in Douglas’s memory. He spent 35 years educating the children of Guatemala, breaking the cycle of generational poverty through educational opportunity. We lost him suddenly last September. Douglas has passed over to be with the ancestors, but please read about his incredible legacy, here. (Kleenex warning.)

Janine, my sister-of-heart and cousin introduced me to Douglas several years ago. The butterfly wings theory at work.

Every single one of us can make a difference, and that difference, rooted in love, lifts us all up and is the legacy we leave.

RootsTech features a “Society Row” where many societies and organizations are represented.

Judy Nimer Muhn at the Michigan Genealogy Society booth.

Every year RootsTech has a plushie plus other conference swag.

Hey look! I think I found my ancestor hanging out at RootsTech.

Oh wait, it’s David Lambert at American Ancestors. If you have early colonial ancestors, especially in New England, American Ancestors has lots of resources for you. They are headquartered in Boston, and I just might have to visit this summer when I’m in Boston for ECGGC.

Among other projects, American Ancestors has recently introduced the 10 Million Names Project to recover the names and stories of the estimated 10 million people of African descent who were enslaved in America.

American Ancestors has a LOT of resources – far more than I realized, including early newspapers and even access to French Canadian records. Take a look.

Terrible photo of me, but wonderful one of my friend and television host, Shamele Jordon. You can find her program at Genealogy Quick Start TV, on Facebook, here, and YouTube, here.

It was wonderful to see Shamele again. Not only is Shamele a success story, our relationship is an example of synchronicity on a bus ride. Both of us were taking the airport bus, either to or from the Midwestern Roots conference in Indianapolis, about 20 years ago.

Shamele had an amazing, incredible story to tell, and we talked about our dreams and aspirations. That bus ride probably wasn’t more than half an hour, but we both remember it quite well. We did what colleagues and friends do for each other – we encouraged each other to be the best we can be. To take that leap of faith.

Everyone doubts themselves and wonders if they can actually “do it.” Fear of failure or lack of opportunity is probably the most common reason for not attempting something.

Shamele didn’t let any of that take root, and I’m so proud of her today. It was wonderful to reconnect and hug, decades apart.

AI – The 2026 Overarching Theme

Two years ago, when I took the first AI class taught by Steve Little and Mark Thompson, almost no one knew what AI was or how to use it.

Now, everyone has at least heard of AI, but very few know how to use it CORRECTLY and responsibly.

I intentionally have not written about AI, yet. I do use AI, but NEVER FOR ANYTHING I CAN’T AND DON’T VERIFY.

Let me say this out of the gate, please do not, DO NOT, rely on AI for genetic answers. I see genetic “AI slop” everyplace, and I cringe every single time. Remember, AI learns what it reads – so think about how much incorrect information is out there about genetic topics. Then when someone else posts something incorrect, AI learns from that incorrect information  – so it’s self-reinforcing..

I’m very grateful to RootsTech for bringing us AI classes

I’ve compiled a table of the AI classes. Remember that the presentations that are not recorded will probably have a syllabus and/or slides to download, so you’re not out of luck.

I heartily recommend anything by Steve Little and Mark Thompson. AI changes almost daily and has improved a lot in the past couple of years. They will not steer you wrong.

AI is being integrated by many vendors into tools such as full-text searches. In a sense, AI, meaning a computer tool, has been in use one way or another for decades. The difference today is that users are individually driving, and everyone needs some level of driver’s ed because the vehicles are imperfect.

As genealogists, we need to educate ourselves, not only so that we can use AI tools successfully, without generating even more incorrect information than is already out there – but so that we can recognize when someone else has used AI as well.

While it’s not explicitly AI, I strongly encourage you to watch the FamilySearch Full-Text Search – Your Golden Path to Ancestral Discovery session by David Ouimette, here, and download both the slides and syllabus. I promise you – this will change your research forever and yield unbelievable discoveries! This is an example of using AI within a tool provided by someone else. PS – You still need to verify the text output.

Session and Type Presenter(s) Syllabus and/or slides
Your AI Toolkit: Essential Tools for Family History Success (Online) Laryn Brown – sponsored by Storied Both
AI-Powered Transcription of Handwritten Documents: What’s New in 2026 (In Person) Nicole Dyer Syllabus
Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Genealogy in 2026 (Online) Panel of David Ouimette, Steve Little, Katherine Borges, James Tanner, Lynn Broderick Both
Musical Memories: Transforming Family History into Song with AI (Online) Brandon Camp – sponsored by Storied Both
Your AI Research Partner: A Live Demo of Genealogy AI That Actually Reaches the Records (In Person) Richard K. Miller – sponsored by Goldie May None
AI Meets Archives: Enhancing Historical Records Through AI (In Person) Allison DePrey Singleton Both
FamilySearch for Latinos: Using AI to Grow Your Tree (Online) Ada Luque Nelson Both
AI and Family History: Help or Hype (Online) Andrew Redfern Syllabus
Yes, You Can Research with AI (In Person) Mark Thompson Both
Read All About It: How Newspaper Indexes are Changing Genealogy (In Person) Andrew Koch Both
Discover Lost Details: Photo Analysis with AI (In Person) Allyson Maughan Syllabus
User-created AI Tools and Workspaces for Family History: Structured Data from Multimedia (In Person) Steve Little Both
Using AI to Write and Share Compelling Stories (In Person) Liz Snow, Molly Petersen – sponsored by BYU Family History Program Both
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Genealogy (In Person) Drew Smith Both
AI and Family History: Foundations & First Steps: Mastering AI Basics for Genealogy (Online) Steve Little Both
AI-Powered Research Logs: From Chaos to Clarify in Your Genealogy Data (In Person) Diana Elder Both
A New Way to Search: Exploring FamilySearch’s Full Text Feature (In Person) Suzanne Russo Adams, Kate Peless – sponsored by BYU Family History Program Both
Beyond the Prompt: Take Your AI to the Next Level (In Person) Mark Thompson Both
Analyze and Research Family Photographs with AI (In Person) Mark Thompson Both
From Complex to Clear: Transform Court Records with AI Tools (In Person) Diana Elder Both
ACTIGEN 2.0 – One Engine, Multiple Solutions (Online) Navin K S – sponsored by FamilyaConnect (Purvaj.com) Slides
The Future of AI in Genealogy (Online) David Ouimette, Steve Little, Diana Elder, Mark Thompson, Dave Vance Both

In Closing

RootsTech for 2026 has concluded. Attendees have departed Salt Lake City and returned home, but we’re taking something very valuable with us. And I’m not talking about education.

When all is said and done in this life, it’s not our education, or how well we’ve done that matters.

It’s the good we’ve done. It’s how we’ve made other people feel. Did we bring joy and happiness? To put it gently, did we make people happy when we were coming, or going?

What is our legacy?

How will people remember us? Those closest to us, those who knew us but not well, and those whose lives we touched and weren’t even aware of it.

When every tangible item in our life is left behind, all that will be left of us is the intangible – whatever goodness we’ve created.

At RootsTech, and elsewhere, we make friends and family of heart. We affect others with a kind, or maybe a harsh word.

We touch people in ways we’ll never know.

Individual lives and even the world at large is not changed by “one big thing.” Change happens one action at a time. One kind word. One smile. One gift of grace.

The true measure of character and integrity is defined by what we do when no one is looking. When no one knows. When you’re not going to receive “credit” publicly or at all.

It’s what happens in the quiet of need. It’s reaching out to help vulnerable, helpless humans and animals that not only can’t help themselves, but can never repay you or credit you.

That’s the joy we share at and surrounding RootsTech. That’s why there are so many smiles. That’s why people bring small, and sometimes not-so-small mementos, often hand-made, to their friends. To say, I’ve been thinking of you. I’ve missed you. And yes, I love you. You’ll hear those words often as people part.

Perhaps the most valuable gift you can give is a gift of your time, one way or another. Making something, listening, volunteering, whatever is needed. You can only spend each minute of your life once.

We never really know that we’ll see each other again on this side of the veil. So do what you need to do, or say what you need to say, now.

I’ve been the grateful recipient of several gifts of heart – this year and previous years as well. I’m incredibly blessed.

This year, Charis, who has become my family of heart, gifted me with this stunningly beautiful Diamond Painting of a double helix family tree. It goes without saying that I am touched beyond measure. Might have had something in my eye.

Charis belongs to the next generation. Her gentle kindness, combined with her empathy, dedication and skill give me hope for the future, which will be built by her generation on top of whatever we leave. It is to them that we pass the torch.

As humans, we become the wind beneath each other’s wings, sometimes a generation or more apart, buoying each other, raising each other up with positive encouragement. So often, we have no idea that the other person needs exactly that in the moment. Mostly, people will never tell you when they are hurting or at their most vulnerable.

So, as we part for another year, taking with us wonderful memories and a renewed hope for humanity, we don’t say goodbye, because, as Charis’s grandfather would say, goodbye means forever, and “so long” means we’ll see each other again.

Thank you to everyone who works so hard to make RootsTech successful, and so long – until next year!

_____________________________________________________________

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