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  • 15 Mar 2024 by APG Webmaster

    On 4 March 2024, a New Jersey legislator introduced Senate Bill 2930, which has the potential to disrupt New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act (OPRA).


    On 14 March 2024, the APG Board of Directors submitted a statement to several New Jersey legislators, expressing concern for the recent proposal:

     

    The overly broad definition of "personal identifying information," will make it more difficult, if not impossible, to gain access to currently-public records which facilitate our clients in understanding their origins, acquiring citizenship, and distributing assets to heirs. The failure of this bill to place time limits on these protections would likely inhibit access to unredacted historical records, and would place additional burdens on government staff to perform tedious, time-intensive reviews of records before providing access.

     

    APG’s comment also urges New Jersey legislators to reconsider the need for this proposal at all.

     

    The full text of APG’s comments can be found at https://silkstart.s3.amazonaws.com/ec45ee24-724c-4afe-96d3-8893b3c5ba56.pdf.

  • 11 Mar 2024 by APG Webmaster

    2024 PMC LogoAPG is now accepting proposals for creative, interactive, and actionable learning presentations to energize and boost attendees’ genealogy careers at the 2024 Virtual Professional Management Conference (PMC) Set Sail: Navigate Your Genealogy Career, scheduled for 19-21 September 2024. The deadline for submissions is 21 April 2024 at 11:59 PM EDT.

     

    The PMC is a premier event dedicated to exploring the latest trends, insights, and best practices in genealogical career development and business management. As we embrace the virtual format this year, we are inviting dynamic and knowledgeable speakers to share their expertise with our diverse and engaged international audience.

     

    For full submission details, suggested topics, and more information, visit the PMC website.


    Ready to submit? Click here to submit your proposal on Whova.

     

    APG welcomes speakers from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to participate in our event. Committed to creating an inclusive environment, we value and respect diversity, and we will strive to provide accommodations to ensure that every speaker can fully contribute their unique insights and experiences.

     

    New and original presentations tailored to professional genealogists and their businesses are preferred. APG will consider proposals from non-APG members and encourages submissions from international professionals.

     

    Suggested topics focused on the theme, Set Sail: Navigate Your Genealogy Career include, but are not limited to:

    • Advanced Technology/Artificial Intelligence Integration
    • Business Expansion Strategies
    • Client Relationship Management
    • Collaboration and Networking
    • Diversification of Services
    • Educational Services and Training
    • Ethical Considerations
    • Financial Management
    • Forensic Genealogy
    • International Business
    • Legal, Privacy, Confidentiality Insights
    • Marketing and Branding
    • Professional Development Opportunities
    • Professional Writing and Publication
    • Websites

    Deadline for submissions is 21 April 2024 at 11:59 PM EDT.

     

    Our programming team will carefully review all submissions and select presentations based on their relevance, innovation, and potential impact on the professional genealogy community. We look forward to receiving your proposals and creating an enriching virtual experience for our community.

     

    Feel free to share this call with your contacts and others who may be interested.

     

    Questions? Contact Dawn Carey Henry, PMC Manager at apgpmc@gmail.com.  

     

    Sponsorship Information: Contact APG Advertising Manager Pam Israel at admgr@apgen.org.

     

  • 22 Feb 2024 by APG Webmaster

    On 15 December the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Justice issued a consultation document on the storage and retention of original will documents, proposing to digitize and then destroy original wills after 25 years (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/storage-and-retention-of-original-will-documents). 

     

    On 21 February 2024, the APG Board of Directors submitted a response to the Ministry of Justice, expressing concern for the recent proposal:

     

    While APG applauds the initiative to digitize and make accessible the wills held by the Ministry of Justice, APG does not support the destruction of these valuable documents, as there are real risks in digitization. Wills provide a valuable glimpse into the networks, lives, and families of citizens and residents of the UK and the former Empire. They are of immense genealogical value and oftentimes paint a picture of the people being researched. Not only that, wills provide valuable data for social and economic history, telling the stories of the commonfolk and luminaries alike. The destruction of the original wills will effectively put three centuries of history at risk; in particular, the history of those often forgotten.

     

    APG’s comment also urges the Ministry of Justice and Parliament to reconsider this proposal and find a solution that will preserve and make accessible these valuable pieces of British and global history. 

     
    The full text of APG’s comments can be found here.
  • 15 Feb 2024 by APG Webmaster

    Back by popular demand! Join your colleagues on Monday, 19 February 2024 from 2:00–3:00 PM EST for the APG Career Idea Exchange, a special hour of networking and discussion. In our focused breakout rooms, you will be able to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and visit with your fellow APG members. Register at https://www.apgen.org/events/career-idea-exchange-members-only

     
    If you have attended previous events, explore a new topic or revisit a topic with a new set of colleagues. Rooms will focus on the following topics:
     

    • Transitioning to a Genealogy Career

    • Self-Publishing

    • Building/Maintaining a Speaking Career

    • Technology Tips and Tricks

    • Marketing Your Business

    • Using AI for Genealogy

    • ¿Habla Español?

    • Open Discussion

    This event is open to APG members only and will not be recorded. Register at https://www.apgen.org/events/career-idea-exchange-members-only
  • 01 Feb 2024 by APG Webmaster

    In early 2023, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) proposed significant price increases to the fees required to access their genealogy records. Such increases would have negatively impacted genealogists’ ability to access the records, also impacting their businesses.

     

    As part of a campaign spearheaded by Records Not Revenue, genealogy professionals and others who would be affected submitted comments in opposition to the proposed fee increases. APG’s Advocacy Committee was quick to organize the association’s response, encouraging association members to submit their feedback to USCIS; you can read APG’s official comments on the proposed fee increases here.

     

    On 31 January 2024, the USCIS published the final rule, one that included a reduction in fees for the genealogy program.

     

    “The fee reduction announcement shows that grassroots advocacy works,” said Renée Carl, APG Advocacy Committee member and Records Not Revenue volunteer. “Hundreds of genealogists, hobbyists, and historians took the time to send comments to USCIS, and they let their members of Congress know about the issue. This accomplishment would not have happened without the groundswell of support.”

     

    According to Records Not Revenue, under the new rule, a Genealogy Program Index Search will drop from $65 to $30, if filed online. Genealogy Program Record Requests filed online will now cost $30 per record. This is a 54% fee cut to access the USCIS historical records. See the image for further details.

     

    The records held by the USCIS Genealogy Program include immigration and naturalization documents for millions of immigrants to the US. The new rule states that Genealogy Program records that have already been digitized (including Alien Registration Forms and Certificate Files created before about 1944) will be provided with the results of an Index Search, with no additional fee. Visa Files, Registry Files, high-numbered C-Files, and A-Files all remain in paper form.

  • 29 Jan 2024 by APG Executive Director

    It's that time! Please record your continuing education hours using our form at 

    https://www.apgen.org/cpages/continuing-ed-report . Members are required to report at least 12 hours or use the form to request an exemption. New members and honorary lifetime members are exempt.

    • Ward R. Bray I completed one, but got no confirmation of acceptance... did you receive it, and is it acceptable?
      28 days ago
  • 05 Jan 2024 by APG Webmaster

    Alec FerrettiDate: 10 January 2024
    Time: 1:00–2:30 p.m. Eastern Time
    Visit www.timeanddate.com for worldwide time equivalents.

     

    Join Alec Ferretti, chair of APG's Advocacy Committee, as he discusses how APG has been working to lobby for the interests of genealogists worldwide, and how all genealogists can — and should — be involved in advocacy efforts.

     

    This event is free and open to the public. Register to attend at
    https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BHYw51ttSWGs91FkMHwv5g

     

    About the Presenter: Alec Ferretti is a New York City-based professional genealogist specializing in the genealogy of 20th-century immigrants to the United States. He works for the Wells Fargo Family & Business History Center and is a graduate of NYU and LIU’s dual master’s program, with degrees in archives and library science. He is the President of the New York Genealogy & Technology Group, an informal organization that meets bimonthly to discuss topics brought forth by members. He is also on the board of Reclaim the Records, a nonprofit dedicated to wrangling public records from restrictive government agencies.

  • 30 Nov 2023 by APG Webmaster

    Date: 14 Dec 2023
    Time: 8:00pm - 9:30pm EST
    Visit www.timeanddate.com for worldwide time equivalents.

     

    Professional genealogists deal with sensitive issues all the time: family secrets; data impacting living people; copyright, and more. Navigating the ethical challenges can be daunting, especially since the consequences of an ethical breach can be devastating. In few other fields is success or failure as dependent on a good reputation as in this field, and an ethical violation can ruin that reputation. This updated review of the fundamental rules of genealogical ethics and the particular ways in which the professional genealogist can run afoul of ethical standards is designed to help keep us on the ethical straight-and-narrow.

     

    This event is open to APG members only. Register at https://www.apgen.org/events/webinar-judy-russell-right-wrong-or-it-depends-ethics-for-the-professional-genealogist

     

    About the Presenter:
    Judy G. Russell, The Legal Genealogist ®, is a genealogist with a law degree. She writes, teaches, and lectures on various genealogical topics, providing expert guidance through the murky territory where law and family history intersect. A Colorado native with roots deep in the American South on her mother’s side and entirely in Germany on her father’s side, she holds a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University in Washington, DC, and a law degree from Rutgers School of Law-Newark. Before she retired, she worked as a newspaper reporter, trade association writer, legal investigator, defense attorney, federal prosecutor, law editor, and, for more than 20 years, as an adjunct member of the faculty at Rutgers Law School.

     

    She is a member of APG, NGS, and numerous state and regional genealogical societies. A recipient of the Silver Tray Award from the Utah Genealogical Association and the 2017 Award of Excellence from the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, she now serves as a member of the NGSQ editorial board. An internationally-known lecturer and course coordinator and faculty member at numerous genealogical institutes, she holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® and Certified Genealogical Lecturer℠ from the Board for Certification of Genealogists ®. Her award-winning blog appears at The Legal Genealogist® website (https://www.legalgenealogist.com).

  • 03 Nov 2023 by APG Webmaster

    The nomination period for APG’s annual awards has closed.  Thank you to all who nominated. Winners will be announced at the APG Annual Meeting and Awards Presentations, on 7 December 2023, at 2 pm Eastern time.  Members can register at https://www.apgen.org/cpages/annual-meeting

  • 03 Nov 2023 by APG Webmaster

    The 2023 Professional Management Conference (PMC) was a big success!

    Next year’s conference will be held 19-21 September, 2024. Stay tuned for more information on the location in the near future.

  • 04 Oct 2023 by APG Webmaster

    Through our awards program, APG honors our members' outstanding contributions to the organization and to the field of genealogy. Members can now submit nominations for several awards, listed below. The deadline for nominations is 1 November 2023.

     

    Laura G. Prescott Award for Exemplary Service to Professional Genealogy
    This recognizes a career devoted to uplifting fellow genealogists and improving their career circumstances and opportunities, and dedicated service to professional genealogy.

     

    Kathleen W. Hinckley Professional Achievement Award — This award is given to highlight a record of exceptional professional achievement with contributions to the field of genealogy through individual excellence and ethical behavior.

     

    Certificates of Appreciation — These certificates are awarded in recognition of outstanding, continual, or unusual contributions to APG, by a member or a non-member.

     

    For more information about the awards including criteria, eligibility, selection process, and to access the nomination form, please visit https://www.apgen.org/cpages/awards.

     

    Honorees will be selected from among the nominees by the APG Awards Committee and recognized at the APG Annual Meeting on 7 December 2023 at 2:00 p.m. ET. (Visit https://www.timeanddate.com for worldwide time equivalents.)

  • 07 Sep 2023 by APG Webmaster

    Time is running out for you to save money on your 2023 Professional Management Conference (PMC) registration! Take advantage of the early bird discounts before they end on 17 September 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. In-person registrants save $75 with the early bird rate and virtual registrants save $15.

     

    Attending the 2023 PMC, Reset, Refresh, Refine Your Genealogy Career, is a smart investment in your future. The speakers at the 2023 PMC will share innovative business practices and ideas you can implement immediately to directly benefit your career. It’s a great opportunity to network with genealogy pros from all over the world.

     

    Remember, the early bird deadline closes on 17 September 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, so register now!

     

    Register to attend PMC In Person -
    https://whova.com/portal/registration/apghy_202310/

     

    Register to attend PMC Virtually -
    https://whova.com/portal/registration/apghy_202310/8y0wgkzq

  • 15 Aug 2023 by APG Webmaster

    APG is pleased to announce Luis Ariel Rivera of The Bronx, New York, USA, as this year’s winner of the APG Young Professional Scholarship.

     

    The scholarship is awarded to students or young professionals between the ages of 18 and 35 who aspire to a professional career in genealogy. The scholarship includes registration for the APG Professional Management Conference (PMC) 19–21 October 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a stipend to defray the costs of travel and lodging at the conference.

     

    Rivera specializes in Puerto Rican genealogy, inspired by his own family’s roots on the island. His personal research also focuses on the French territorial islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, the regions of Andalucía and Mallorca in Spain, and using genetic testing to help piece together the untold stories of his ancestors. He is a member of the Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía, the National Genealogical Society, Comité March du 23 Mai 1998, and APG.

     

    Rivera has completed Boston University’s 15-week Genealogical Research Certificate Program, ProGen’s 14-month study group program, and recently completed GenProof’s 8-week study group program. He earned both his bachelor’s degree in Russian and his master’s degree in Spanish Linguistics at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont.

     

    For more information about APG’s awards, visit www.apgen.org/cpages/awards.

     

  • 15 Aug 2023 by APG Webmaster

    Adrienne Abiodun APG is pleased to announce Adrienne Abiodun of Tampa, Florida, USA, as the winner of the inaugural Kenyatta D. Berry African American Research Scholarship.

     

    The scholarship, which recognizes an aspiring professional with a significant interest in developing a career in African American genealogy, is named for former APG President Kenyatta D. Berry, in recognition of her extensive contributions to the field of genealogy, especially African American genealogy and enslaved ancestral research.

     

    Abiodun is a professional genealogist and a staff genealogist with Legacy Tree Genealogists. Her personal and professional genealogical pursuits span two decades, with areas of expertise in African American genealogy, Deep South U.S. research, lineage societies, and genetic genealogy. She is a member of APG, the Florida Genealogical Society, Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage (also serving as a Board member), the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, and the Daughters of the American Revolution. She is also the current president of her local Children of the American Revolution society. Abiodun strives to make genealogy down-to-earth, fun, and attainable by anyone interested in their family history.

     

    The scholarship includes registration for the APG Professional Management Conference (PMC) 19–21 October 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a stipend to defray the costs of travel and lodging at the conference.

     

    For more information about APG’s awards, visit www.apgen.org/cpages/awards.

     

     

  • 08 Aug 2023 by APG Webmaster

    On July 27, 2023, APG submitted comments to the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration’s Freedom of Information Act Advisory Committee in support of the Model Determination Letter recently published by the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS). The letter instructs agencies to provide thorough explanations to requesters about things such as how searches were done, or which specific exemptions are being invoked. Based on experiences of APG members, the Association made suggestions for additional ways in which agencies can provide valuable information. Read the comments here: https://silkstart.s3.amazonaws.com/f2f3cafa-3733-4a87-918d-e68dfba1d862.pdf

     

  • 01 Aug 2023 by APG Webmaster

    Melissa Johnson, CG®Date: 14 November 2023
    Time: 5:00–6:30 p.m. Eastern Time
    Visit www.timeanddate.com for worldwide time equivalents.

     

    Genealogical research reports communicate research results, analysis, and conclusions in a clear, efficient, useful, and accurate way. Learn what it takes to develop a research report that meets standards in the field using different formats and including all necessary components. The discussion will focus on use, different formats, presentation of findings, documentation, and professional appearance.

     

    This event is open to APG members only. Registration information is coming soon.
    Please check www.apgen.org under Events/Calendar of Events for updated registration
    links.

     

    About the Presenter: Melissa Johnson is a board-certified genealogist with thirteen years of experience as a practicing professional genealogical researcher. Her practice specializes in family history research on New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, British, Irish, Italian, and Eastern European families, as well as forensic genealogy; using DNA to solve difficult genealogical problems; unknown parentage; genealogical writing, editing, and publishing; and genealogical education. Melissa’s work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, including the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, and Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey.

     

    Melissa has previously served as editor and a columnist for NGS Monthly. She is the author of the “Adoption and Misattributed Parentage Research” chapter in Debbie Parker Wayne’s Advanced Genetic Genealogy: Techniques and Case Studies. For eleven years, Melissa served as reviews editor for the APG Quarterly. Melissa has designed genealogical courses on a variety of topics for several institutions and organizations, including Boston University, the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, the Institute for Genealogy and Historical Research (University of Georgia-Athens), the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, and New Jersey Family History Institute. She is Program Director for Boston University’s Genealogy Studies programs. Melissa has served as a board member, trustee, and on executive boards of several genealogical organizations, and as a mentor in the ProGen Study Group.

  • 01 Aug 2023 by APG Webmaster

    Dr. Sophie KayDate: 11 October 2023
    Time: 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
    Visit www.timeanddate.com for worldwide time equivalents.

     

    The varied work of a professional genealogist involves many different audiences across a range of media. Accessibility matters: ensuring your outputs are suitable for users with disabilities and sensory impairments is paramount. In this seminar, presenter Dr. Sophie Kay will explore practical tips, tools, and training to support you to meet a range of visual, neurological, and auditory needs, whether you’re producing a presentation, writing a report or blog post, or building a website. Examine the implications for accessible provision within the researcher-client relationship and discuss how accessibility can be realized when working and marketing in a digital world.

     

    This event is open to APG members only. Registration information is coming soon. Please check https://www.apgen.org under Events/Calendar of Events for updated registration links.

     

    About the Presenter: Dr. Sophie Kay is a professional genealogist and geneticist at Khronicle and an Associate of AGRA. She is also the “Ancestry and Genealogy Expert” for the UK’s popular “Time Team” archaeology television series. A former cancer researcher, Sophie attained her D.Phil. in Systems Biology from the University of Oxford in 2015, where she also trained in DNA extraction and analysis. Sophie is an experienced educator, international speaker, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She teaches historical mapping techniques and research methodology at Pharos Tutors, and is the tutor in DNA and Genetic Genealogy at the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies. She is the creator of the #OccupationOfTheDay hashtag on Twitter, and tackles all manner of family history subjects on her blog, The Parchment Rustler, at www.parchmentrustler.com.

  • 30 Jun 2023 by APG Webmaster

    APG is pleased to announce the creation of the Kenyatta D. Berry African American Research Scholarship, which recognizes an aspiring professional with a significant interest in developing a career in African American genealogy. The scholarship is named for former APG President Kenyatta D. Berry, in recognition of her extensive contributions in the field of genealogy, especially African American genealogy and enslaved ancestral research.

     

    Applicants wishing to be considered for the inaugural scholarship must complete an application by 10 July 2023 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. For scholarship criteria, eligibility, details on the selection process, and to view the online application, visit https://www.apgen.org/cpages/awards-kenyatta-berry-african-american-research-scholarship

     

    The scholarship is open to both APG members and non-members and will be presented at the APG Professional Management Conference (PMC). The scholarship includes one registration for the PMC and reimbursement of up to $1,000 USD for hotel and travel expenses when attending the PMC in person. The scholarship recipient will be notified in advance.

  • 30 Jun 2023 by APG Webmaster

    Whether you are just beginning your career or if you are a seasoned professional, the program at the 2023 Professional Management Conference (PMC) has content that will help you “Refresh, Reset, Refine Your Genealogy Career.”  Registration is now open! View the in-person and virtual program details and pricing information at https://www.apgen.org/cpages/2023-professional-management-conference.

     

    Join professional genealogists from all over the world in Salt Lake City from 19-21 October (and virtually on Whova) for this year’s PMC. The conference will open on Thursday morning with a welcome from APG President Annette Burke Lyttle, followed by our keynote address “Reset, Refresh, Refine...and Smell the Roses” delivered by Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL. Known by many as “The Legal Genealogist,” Judy is a genealogist with a law degree and an educator who provides expert guidance through the murky territory where law and family history intersect. Judy will share her inspiring story of resetting and refining her genealogy career many times over – and why it is so important to stop and smell the roses.

     

    PMC presentation sessions will be 75 minutes each — a 60-minute presentation allowing in-depth exploration of topics, followed by a 15-minute question-and-answer period. Closed captioning will be available for virtual presentations.

     

    Three in-person workshops will take a deep dive into practical topics: Planning a Year's Worth of Social Media Content in One Workshop, with Carly Lane Morgan, J.D.; Planning for Profit, with Rhonda Lauritzen; and Crafting Compelling Genealogy Presentations with Cathie Sherwood. Workshops are an additional fee and space is limited.

  • 03 May 2023 by APG Webmaster

    Professional genealogists from all over the world will gather this October in Salt Lake City (and virtually) for the 2023 Professional Management Conference, Reset Refresh Refine Your Genealogy Career. APG is pleased to announce that Judy G. Russell, JD, CG®, CGL,will deliver the keynote address at this year’s conference.

     

    Known by many around the world as ‘The Legal Genealogist,’  Judy G. Russell is a genealogist with a law degree, and an educator who provides expert guidance through the murky territory where law and family history intersect. Judy will share her own inspiring story of resetting and refining her own genealogy career many times over—and why it is so very important to stop and smell the roses.

     

    In addition to the keynote presentation, in-person attendees will have 22 sessions included with registration, in addition to networking events; virtual registrants will have access to 11 sessions (plus the live stream of the keynote). Workshops will be available each day for an additional fee (limited spaces available).

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