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NCGS 2024 Fall Conference Speakers

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Celebrating our 50th Anniversary (1974 – 2024)

October 25-26 (Friday-Saturday), McKimmon Center, Raleigh NC

15 lectures in person with 8 livestreamed, ALL recorded for viewing afterwards – you won’t miss a thing!

Only $89! ($79 for members)  Registration only available in person 10/24-25


Featured Speakers

Dana Leeds

Dana Leeds is a professional genealogist with over 25 years of experience. She is the creator of the highly respected Leeds Method, a tool for identifying unknown biological parents and grandparents, confirming biological relationships, and breaking through genealogical brick walls. Despite not having a formal background in artificial intelligence (AI), she has been an early adopter and has become a leader and innovator in using AI applications for genealogists. Dana is a well-known and sought-after speaker, educating genealogists on how DNA and AI can enhance their research. Through her presentations, blog, and YouTube channel, Dana helps genealogists see the possibilities of these tools and empowers them to apply these ideas to their own work.


Stephen J. Little, Jr.

Stephen J. Little is the AI Program Director for the National Genealogical Society and has lifelong passions for language, technology, and genealogy. He completed graduate-level courses in applied linguistics, specializing in natural language processing and computational linguistics, two pillars of today’s large language models of AI; his first career was spent in and around libraries (law, local, university, and state archives) building information systems. Steve traces his deep roots to one Appalachian County, where, by 1820, all 32 of his 3rd-great-grandparents had settled—many even earlier than that. Sixty of his most recent ancestors were born, lived, and died there in Ashe County, North Carolina. His passion lies in AI & genetic genealogy, with a keen interest in endogamy, pedigree collapse, and the art of deciphering multiple relationships through DNA segment triangulation, and an insatiable curiosity to explore beneficial uses and current limits of artificial intelligence in genealogy.


Speakers

Gay H. Baynes

Gay H. Baynes combines a colorful career path with a deep curiosity about the history of America. Through researching her own family’s past, she has uncovered untold stories. Gay holds a B.A. and M.A. in Dramatic Art from the University of North Carolina and a post-graduate certificate from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. In genealogy, she holds a certificate from the Boston University Certificate in Genealogical Research Course and ProGen. As a Tarheel native, Gay utilizes the resources of the North Carolina State Archives and the Library of Virginia. She has taught genealogy in libraries, online, and at senior communities. Gay especially enjoys mentoring beginning and intermediate family historians. She served on the board of the North Carolina Genealogical Society and was a Membership Chair for her local DAR chapter. In 2024, Gay will launch an online introductory genealogy course, “Gifts From Our Ancestors”. Gay is grateful to her ancestors who have enriched her life.


David M. McCorkle

David M. McCorkle is a land records expert with research experience in a wide variety of other records used by genealogists and is currently working with ways of using Artificial Intelligence tools to assist in genealogical research.  He created the free website http://nclandgrants.com which contains 1.2 million images of original NC land grant documents.  David has given webinars and in-person lectures to national, state, local, corporate, and government audiences on a wide variety of genealogy topics. He is actively involved with many genealogy organizations, including President of the North Carolina Genealogical Society. David is President and founder of NC Historical Records Online, a 501(c)(3) non-profit which provides public online access to images of original records useful to researching NC history and genealogy. He is a native of North Carolina with deep roots on many lines dating back to the mid-1700s, primarily in the Mecklenburg County area.  David has been working in the software industry for close to 50 years and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.


Cheri Hudson Passey

Cheri Hudson Passey is a professional genealogist, instructor, writer, and speaker and the owner of Carolina Girl Genealogy, LLC. She is the host of the genealogy chat show GenFriends and is a genealogical researcher, subcontracted by Eagle Investigative Services, Inc., for the US Army Past Conflict Repatriations Project. Cheri writes the blog “Carolina Girl Genealogy” where she has shared genealogy tips, methodologies, and family stories for over 10 years. She is a member of the National Genealogical Society, a past president of The Grand Strand Genealogy Club, and currently serves as its program chair. She served as secretary for the Federation of Genealogical Societies before the merger with NGS where she currently serves as vice president, Society & Organization Management.


Jon Marie Pearson

For the past three decades, Jon Marie Pearson has been on a journey to uncover her family’s history, starting with the search for her biological father. This quest opened doors to ancestors she never knew existed, profoundly shaping her understanding of who she is, and where she comes from. She has channeled her passion into serving the genealogy community in various leadership roles. She has served as President and Vice-President of the Mount Vernon Genealogical Society and has been a Trustee for nearly eight years at the Henderson Historical Society in Henderson, New York. Currently, she manages social media for the Indiana Genealogical Society and the Genealogical Society of New Jersey. For the last ten years, she has viewed the transformative power of social media in the genealogy community firsthand. Jon Marie focuses on empowering others to harness social media to connect, share, and preserve their family’s stories, ensuring their ancestors’ legacies live on.


Diane L. Richard

Diane L. Richard provides professional genealogical services, including research, lectures, and writing. She is the longtime editor of the North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal and the author of 500+ articles and lectures about the availability and richness of underutilized genealogically relevant records that provide research tips, techniques, tools, strategies, and more. Diane is a partner of GenWebinars, which provides live, in-depth, and interactive genealogy webinars, Co-leader of Tar Heel Discoveries, an in-person program offering guided North Carolina genealogical research, and Vice President of North Carolina Historical Records Online (NCHRO), a non-profit organization that provides public access to original North Carolina records.


Renate Yarborough Sanders

Renate Yarborough Sanders is a genealogist, speaker, and educator who has been documenting her family history for over three decades. She descends from formerly enslaved ancestors, enslavers, and free people of color – all of whom hail from North Carolina and she is cohost of “Let’s Talk North Carolina Genealogy,” an archived YouTube show and platform. Renate has been featured on radio and television and has conducted research for many notable organizations and entities. She authors two blogs and is a member of several genealogical organizations as well as the lineage society, Sons and Daughters of the U.S. Middle Passage.


Edward J. Swierczewski Jr.

Edward John Swierczewski, Jr. has been a professional educator for over 30 years and completed multiple courses from GRIP and SLIG. In addition, he has attended many webinars and conferences and graduated from ProGen. He founded Integrative Genealogy LLC and serves as the Chief Genealogical Officer. He is an award-winning genealogical writer and a Laura G. Prescott SLIG Scholarship recipient. He has presented at various genealogy venues both live and virtually, including in-person at RootsTech 2023 in Salt Lake City. Edward plans to earn the CG and CGL credentials. He possesses a deep passion for sharing his knowledge with others, and a commitment to life-long learning.