UGAGenealogy - Utah Genealogical Association

08/04/2026

Less than two hours until this month's Pro Talk which means there's still time to register! Genealogists spend their careers uncovering the past, but what about protecting the present for the future? With baby boomers downsizing and families facing the question of what to do with records, heirlooms, and decades of research, genealogists are uniquely positioned to guide clients through “legacy planning.” This session explores how professionals can add this service to their practice without venturing into financial or legal territory. Learn how to help clients identify what is worth preserving, organize family papers and digital files, prepare research for archival donation or inheritance, and craft meaningful narratives that endure. Attendees will gain practical strategies for packaging legacy planning as a service, from heirloom inventories to final family history books. By becoming trusted partners in preservation, genealogists ensure that the stories, artifacts, and research entrusted to them will outlast a single lifetime.

This webinar will be live at 6:00 pm MDT (8:00 EDT, 5:00 PDT) today on August 4th. Register for free at https://ugagenealogy.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_c56zh07bRDGD_NuJtKZVqw #/registration UGA members can also watch the recording afterward at ugagenealogy.org

Lori Samuelson is a professional genealogist, author, and lecturer specializing in Midwest research and sensitive genealogical finds. She publishes the weekly blog “Genealogy At Heart” and presents nationally and internationally, blending oral history and overlooked sources with traditional research to produce client-ready narratives.

07/31/2026

https://mailchi.mp/ugagenealogy/new-webinars-utah-genealogical-association-august-newsletter?e=c874d7dc12

     The wait is over — SLIG's Fall 2026 course offerings are live and ready for you to explore.       Seats are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to secure your spot as soon as possible.  

07/28/2026

Don't forget about our free webinar on Wednesday the 28th at 10:00 AM MDT (Noon EDT, 9:00 PDT)! Register at https://ugagenealogy.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_B8Q2ZICkTAeiMVSGGLpEUA #/registration Records tell us what happened, but maps tell us where and why. Historical maps allow us to visualize the world our ancestors inhabited. This session introduces helpful tools for digital cartography and addresses navigating some of our favorite map sites, such as Old Maps Online and Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps. We will share the basic steps to use Google My Maps and Google Earth to plot your own research, plan a heritage trip, or create engaging, visual family narratives.

Sterling Sudweeks is a faculty member at Brigham Young University (BYU), where he teaches courses in physiology, pharmacology, and biophysics, and heads a neuroscience research laboratory. Claudia Gibb Sudweeks is an Accredited Genealogist®. She serves as the DPAA Research Fellow for the repatriation project at the BYU Center for Family History and Genealogy, works as a research manager for a small genealogy company, and is a member of the UGA board. Together, they’ve shared a passion for family history for over 35 years, teaching classes, serving in their local historical society, researching their own family lines, and passing the stories on to their grandchildren.

07/06/2026

https://mailchi.mp/ugagenealogy/dont-miss-this-uga-webinars-this-week-july-newsletter?e=c874d7dc12

     The wait is over — SLIG's Fall 2026 course offerings are live and ready for you to explore.       Seats are filling up quickly, so we encourage you to secure your spot as soon as possible.  

07/03/2026

It can be more difficult to determine a vital date for a country than an ancestor, but the US has narrowed it down. American colonists had been at war with Great Britain for more than a year before the Continental Congress voted in favor of declaring independence. On June 11th, 1776, Congress appointed a committee to draft a document justifying independence. On July 2nd, the Resolution for Independence was adopted. The final text of the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4th & most of the delegates signed the formal copy on August 2nd. The Declaration explains why the Colonies regarded themselves as no longer subject to colonial rule. It outlines the belief that natural, civil rights are more important than a government regime.

The philosophy of the Declaration has been upheld as a defining value of the US. William Whipple freed his slave Prince Whipple after signing the Declaration & the abolitionist movement rapidly grew between 1790 & 1810. In 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention of women's rights advocates declared "all men & women are created equal." In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln made the Declaration a centerpiece of his Gettysburg Address & had argued before that the language of the Declaration was deliberately universal to set a high moral standard. In 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr., encouraged equality using the Declaration in his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Where were your ancestors in 1776? How do you think they felt about the Revolution, the Continental Congress, and the Declaration of Independence? How were your ancestors influenced by American history? How did they influence American history?

Remember, you have until July 15th to have your donation to the Veteran Bounty Lands Records Project (VBLR) with the NGS matched by the UGA! Go to https://academy.ugagenealogy.org/donations/form/ to support the preservation project!

07/01/2026

The Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Washington D.C. isn’t just for descendants of Revolutionary War soldiers! As one of the largest genealogical libraries in the country, the Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR] Library has something for everyone tracing their family history. This presentation will give an overview of the resources available both on-site in D.C. as well as digital tools and resources available for free from wherever you normally do your family history work. Come find out how your family history is on our shelves!

Participate live with this free webinar on July 16th at 7:00 PM MDT (9 PM EDT, 6 PM PDT). Register at https://ugagenealogy.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jkPSMKJ-QqSveoPF8kdWMg #/registration

Olivia Millunzi is the Reference Librarian at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library in Washington, D.C. She holds a BA in History and Museum Studies with a French minor from Juniata College, and an MLIS focusing in Diversity & Inclusion from the University of Maryland’s iSchool.

Before coming to the DAR, Olivia worked at local and county historical societies, historic homes, the National Park Service, and the National Anthropological Archives at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. She began working at the DAR as a Staff Genealogist in 2019, and in 2022 became the Reference Librarian for the DAR Library. Olivia lives in Frederick, MD with a cat and an unconscionably large number of books.

06/23/2026

Professional genealogy involves more than research. From handling taxes and client contracts to editing reports, marketing services, and responding to calls for presentations, genealogists face a wide range of administrative tasks that consume valuable time. AI tools can lighten this load. In this webinar, we will explore practical, real-world applications of AI for professional genealogists, from classifying expenses for Schedule C deductions, to reviewing contracts, to tailoring proposals to fit conference submission requirements. We will also discuss privacy and other concerns. Attendees will leave with specific ideas for using AI effectively, freeing time for the more satisfying research tasks.

This free webinar will be live on July 7th at 6:00 pm MDT (8:00 EDT, 5:00 PDT). Register at https://ugagenealogy.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mMJuQWFzT1SedV_kAE5iGA #/registration

Robert Cameron Weir is a genealogical researcher, educator, and author who lives in Dover, New Hampshire. He specializes in hard problems related to New England genealogy, from 1620 to the present. He is a member of the Association for Professional Genealogy and is Vice President and Publications Director for the New Hampshire Society of Genealogists.

06/04/2026

As Director of the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (gen-fed.org), our presenter has unique insights to the records preserved by our National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). This lecture will introduce a little of the history and explain how records are organized. Where major genealogically-rich collections are located and a peek into the NARA Catalog will round out this presentation.

This free webinar will be presented live on June 18th at 7:00 PM Mountain Daylight Time (9:00 EDT, 6:00 PDT). Register at https://ugagenealogy.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GDgSg6NwQaqtoJOPk-InOg #/registration

Rebecca Whitman Koford holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® and as a Certified Genealogical Lecturer®. She focuses on research in Maryland, Upstate New York, Virginia, the District of Columbia, colonial records, military records from the Revolution through the Civil War, federal records at the National Archives (D.C.), and land records of all types. She has published articles in the NGS Magazine, APG Magazine, SAR Magazine, and the Maryland Genealogical Society Journal and is co-author of the NGS Research in the States series book on Maryland.

Rebecca is a graduate and former mentor of the ProGen Study Group and served as its Administrator from 2015–2020. She speaks at national conferences and regularly teaches at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy ( ), International Institute of Genealogical Studies. She served as Executive Director of the Board for Certification of Genealogists from 2018–2024. In 2021, she was named as Director of Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) in Washington, D.C. Rebecca was elected as the vice-president of National Genealogical Society in October 2024. She takes clients and runs her business under the name Rebecca Whitman Koford Genealogical Research, LLC.

06/03/2026

Find connections to distant ancestral lines by utilizing the entirety of your DNA match list and the matches of your known relations. This free webinar will be live on June 10th at 6:00 PM MDT (8:00 PM Eastern, 5:00 PM Pacific). Register at https://ugagenealogy.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SIX930Z9T--qxdGnEv3rpA #/registration

Arun Konanur is a professional genealogist based in London, Ontario, Canada. For the past five years his research has focused on Genealogical Bioinformatics. To date he has developed and filed patents for four genealogically oriented bioinformatic processes.

06/02/2026

Don't forget about tonight's free Pro Talk by Natalie Webb at 6:00 PM Mountain Daylight Time! This webinar shows professional genealogists how to use AI as a practical business partner. Learn how well-crafted prompts can generate SEO-friendly website copy, develop branding ideas, and draft newsletters & social media posts. We’ll also explore how AI can streamline report writing, create citations, and repurpose research into client-ready narratives and images. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies for saving time, boosting visibility, and strengthening their professional brand. Register at https://ugagenealogy.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nLmg_BTWQa6U51zhg2MwAw #/registration

Natalie Webb isn’t your average genealogist. With a 25-year career as a project manager, technical trainer, and all-around computer wizard, she’s got the skills to tackle even the trickiest of technical problems. But she noticed that while genealogy is all about connecting the dots, many fellow researchers were struggling with the digital tools and online resources that are essential today. That’s when Family Tree Technology was born. They're all about making genealogy tools fun, accessible, and a little less daunting. Whether you’re just starting your family tree or you’re deep into the branches, Natalie’s here to guide you through the tech world with a smile and a few mouse clicks.