2022 PMC Program

All times are Eastern Daylight Time. Download the PMC World Timetable.

Wednesday

21 September 2022

2:00pm to 2:15pm – Welcome, Annette Burke Lyttle, APG President

2:15pm to 3:15 pm – Genealogy as a Profession in the 21^st Century with Massive Shifts in Access to Records—it’s Still a Bright Future!  David E. Rencher, AG^®, CG^®, FUGA, FIGRS

The breadth of professional genealogy careers has exploded in the last double decade. This, coupled with an exponential increase in online records, has opened opportunities throughout the world for those seeking a career in professional genealogy. In a time when some say the Internet is dismantling the profession, the future has really never looked better.

3:15pm to 3:30pm – Break 

3:30pm to 4:45pm – Pivot, Adapt, Survive, Thrive! Future-Proofing Your Business, Cathie Sherwood

Professional genealogists need to be innovative and entrepreneurial when faced with limits on in-person gatherings and research activities. Client expectations have also changed – virtual events are commonplace; communication methods are more varied, extending beyond email. What steps can we take to adapt or pivot our business model to meet changed expectations? This session will provide real-world examples of professional genealogists' adaptation strategies and customer relationship methods used to stay ahead of the game.

4:45pm to 5:00pm – Break

5:00pm to 6:00pm – Social / Networking

Thursday

22 September 2022

10:00am to 11:15am – DNA Evidence in Professional Genealogy Research: Aiming for a Moving Target, Paul Woodbury, AG^®

DNA test results are constantly changing. This constant flux of available DNA evidence presents a challenge for researchers seeking to incorporate DNA evidence into their professional practice. Learn to navigate the ever-changing world of genetic evidence through effective project set up around targeted goals, targeted testing, project and time management, preservation of key information, and prioritization and planning of efficient research sequence and evidence.

10:00am to 12:30pm – Workshop 1: When Bad Clients Happen to Good Genealogists, Meryl Schumacker, CG^® ($20.00 additional fee to attend) Limited to 30 participants.

Genealogy can be a dream job, but issues like non-payment or a mismatch in expectations can turn any client relationship into a nightmare. This workshop will teach essential customer service skills and how to turn new clients into good clients. Participants will learn mitigation strategies, such as spotting red flags and how to gracefully navigate stressful situations. This session is geared towards professional genealogists currently working full- or part-time at their own genealogy business.

11:15am to 11:30am – Break

11:30am to 12:45pm – Visual Business Planning, Shellee Morehead, Ph.D., CG^®

Does writing a business plan strike fear in your heart? You know you need one, and that you should update it regularly, but the templates can be so restrictive. Break free of the template and apply your creativity to develop your business plan. I review a visual method for developing your mission statement, SWOT analysis and ways to access the right side of your brain for your business plan to take to the bank.

12:45pm to 1:30pm – Break & Networking

1:30pm to 2:45pm – Ethics for Genealogists: What Clients Want to Know, Kathleen Brandt

This presentation initiates an inquiry of ethical practices prior to addressing client questions or undertaking client projects. It highlights the professional genealogists’ responsibility to consider ethics while creating privacy and disclosure statements. Topics covered include: 1) Social Media 2) Ownership of DNA 3) Law Enforcement 4) Licensing and Selling Genetic Data.

1:30pm to 2:45pm – Blogging for Clients: Bringing in Customers a Post at a Time, Cheri Hudson Passey

Although some have declared blogging dead, it is still alive and well and can be a successful avenue to drive traffic to you and your business. In Blogging for Clients: Bringing in Customers a Post at a Time learn how and why a blog can be a great way to showcase your knowledge and skills to potential clients.

2:45pm to 3:00pm – Break

3:00pm to 4:15pm – Pricing Strategies, Rhonda Lauritzen

The single biggest risk to your business viability is undercharging. This session will cover strategies for all levels of experience including the strategic value of a “low-cost consultation.” Learn how to keep research rabbit holes from eating eat your profits, the imperative to include sufficient overhead, and benchmark pricing data. We will review case studies and lessons learned the hard way. It takes guts to boldly bid, and this session will boost your confidence.

3:00pm to 5:30pm – Workshop 2: Designing & Delivering Virtual Genealogy Presentations, Colleen Robledo Greene, MLIS ($20.00 additional fee to attend) Limited to 30 participants. 

Creating and delivering high quality virtual lectures is about more than hitting that screenshare and/or record button on Zoom and playing your slides. Creating and delivering high quality institute or self-hosted courses is about more than videos and text. Learn best practices, time saving tips, and basic accessibility principles that will benefit all learners. Explore different digital tools and strategies for engaging your learners in active learning exercises.

Pre-Workshop homework will be sent to registrants in advance. Workshops registrants are welcome to attend even if they do not do the homework, but they will gain more by doing the pre-workshop homework.

4:15pm to 4:30pm – Break

4:30pm to 5:30pm – Social / Networking

Friday

23 September 2022

10:00am to 11:15am – Maximizing Your APG Profile, Sara Dawson

Learn how to create a memorable profile with keywords and creative marketing to ensure potential clients see your profile.

11:15am to 11:30am – Break

11:30am to 12:45pm – Writing Meaningful Reports for Clients, Shelley Bishop

Do you love to research but struggle to write client reports? Would you like to become more proficient at writing clear, interesting, and meaningful reports? This presentation will demonstrate how to write reports that not only effectively detail your research findings but also convey the significance of those findings in order to engage clients and give them a better sense of their family history.

11:30am to 12:45pm – The Buck Stops Here: Options for Getting Paid, Lori Samuelson

Besides cash, many payment options are available and need to be considered as a service to clients. Types of checks, credit cards, PayPal, and other contactless payment options will be discussed.

12:45pm to 1:30pm – Break & Networking

1:30pm to 2:45pm – What Ten Questions Will Your Course Answer? Developing the Basic Scope & Sequence, J. Mark Lowe, FUGA

Compiling an effective course of study begins with addressing three key points: Who are your students? What are your topics? And how will learning be measured? However, the real dilemma comes when you begin building upon strong concepts and determining the order and details that will be covered. The difference in successful course design is a good plan and choosing what will be covered vs what might be covered. Let’s look at your ten.

1:30pm to 2:45pm – Enhance Your Virtual Presentation with Interaction, Angela Packer McGhie, CG^®, FUGA

Move beyond the lecture format of a webinar and encourage audience participation through discussion, breakout rooms, hands-on exercises, polls, live Q & A, and more. Come experience these techniques and decide which may be right for your audience.

2:45pm to 3:00pm – Break

3:00pm to 4:15pm – Naming Names: Trademarking that Business, Judy G. Russell, JD, CG^®, CGL^SM

Every genealogist spends time carefully crafting a business name to be memorable, catchy, unique. And if it isn't protected by law, in a world where almost everything is copied online, it likely won't stay unique. So, should we all trademark our business names to keep others from cashing in on our catchy names? And, if so, how? This presentation will go over all the ins and outs of protecting a business name under US law.

3:00pm to 5:30pm – Workshop 3 : Who Do Your Clients Think You Are? Fiona Brooker & Mia Bennett ($20.00 additional fee to attend) Limited to 45 participants.

An interactive workshop reviewing participants’ business websites live to identify their strengths and areas for improvement. As well as ideas for content and usability, we will be sharing tools for better understanding and interacting with your prospective clients.

4:15pm to 4:30pm – Break

4:30pm to 5:30pm – Social / Networking

Saturday

24 September 2022

9:00am to 10:15am – The Nightmare Presenter, or How NOT to Present Online, Judy G. Russell, JD, CG^®, CGL^SM

Both established and new speakers have expanded opportunities to present online. It's seemingly easy; there are no travel issues; the equipment is our own familiar gear. Best case? Online can be a dream. But there are “gotchas” that can turn that best case into a nightmare. Let's review what can go wrong, the ways to minimize the chances of a disaster, and how to mitigate the effects if the worst should happen.

10:15am to 10:30am – Break

10:30am – 11:45am – Building a Bridge Between Generations, John Boeren, LLM, PLCGS and PJ Elias

New genealogists experience multiple challenges. Finding the answers to their questions is difficult, especially if they do not have the means to connect with other genealogists. Those of us who have been in the field of professional genealogy longer can lend a hand to our new colleagues. In many cases we can learn a lot from them as well. How do we interact with new or emerging genealogists? How can we develop a valuable relationship?

10:30am – 11:45am – What Every Genealogist Ought to Know About Social Media Marketing, Amber Oldenburg

This presentation will demonstrate why genealogists should create a social media marketing plan and how to navigate the various channels to obtain the best exposure for themselves and their businesses.

11:45am to 1:00pm – Break & Networking

1:00pm to 2:15pm – Selecting Project Management Software: A Genealogist's Framework, Lisa Medina

Whether just beginning your genealogy business or reflecting on innovative ways to improve business processes, project management software can offer big benefits. But how do you evaluate which is right for your business? This lecture demonstrates a framework for assessing project management software, using two popular platforms as an illustration.

1:00pm to 2:15pm – Who Knows Where This Line Will Go - How to Learn Quickly on the Job, Paul Woodbury, AG^®

In professional genealogical research, it is not always known where an ancestral line may lead geographically. Therefore, professionals sometimes need to quickly learn the basics of research in an unfamiliar geographic region. Learn tips and tricks to quickly mastering new research areas, effectively collaborate with experts in a geographic region, determine how time spent learning should (or should not) be recorded or billed, and how to make progress in unfamiliar territory.

2:15pm to 2:30pm – Break

2:30pm to 3:45pm – Are You Squeezing What You Can Out of What You Are Doing? Diane Richard

As a sole practitioner, leveraging completed products is vital to the success and sustainability of my business. This session will show you how to examine your interests, knowledge base, and skills, and explore the myriad ways you might take a bit of research and "exploit" it in numerous ways to benefit your wallet and the genealogical community. Embrace the possibilities.

2:30pm to 3:45pm – Forensic Genetic Genealogy – Bridging Disciplines and Building a Path Forward, Claire Glynn, Ph.D.

This presentation will discuss the use of Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG) in criminal investigations since its inception in 2018. Common misconceptions surrounding the use of FGG will be examined. Existing best practices and standards for the independent fields of forensic DNA analysis and genealogical research will be discussed, followed by a strategy to draw on some of these and develop novel best practices and standards for the use of FGG. A comprehensive set of recommendations for the future will be presented.

3:45pm to 4:00pm – Break

4:00pm to 5:00pm – The Future of APG / Closing, Annette Burke Lyttle, APG President