Megan's Talks

If your group, society, television or radio show is interested in having Megan speak, please review this current program list for topics that may be of interest to you. Megan is available for interviews, individual lectures or all-day events (usually four lectures). If you'd like additional information, please contact us briefly outlining what you're looking for and likely dates of your event. Thanks!

Want to add a little variety and pizzazz to your next event? Especially those all-day conferences? How about a mini-film festival to shake things up? Megan will bring and show a mutually agreed upon selection of documentaries, TV shows and videos that she's been a part of and share her behind-the-scenes experience. Consider replacing one or two talks (or perhaps a banquet) with some combination of the following (high-speed Internet access may be required)
More Information Here

Trace Your Roots with DNA
With amazing swiftness, "genetealogy" (the marriage of genetics and genealogy) is graduating from pioneering research to standard practice. But what is it exactly and how can we use it to further our genealogical endeavors? Come hear one of the co-authors of Trace Your Roots with DNA discuss her own and others' experience launching and managing a DNA project, including such considerations as test and vendor selection factors, privacy, and convincing others to participate. (Short and long versions available: one-hour version covers Y-DNA/surname testing only, while the extended 1.5-2 hour version also includes other types of testing, such as mtDNA, BioGeographical, etc. Also available for non-genealogical audiences.)

Beyond Y-DNA: Your Genetic Genealogy Options
Surname studies using Y-DNA tests are a popular and obvious application of genetic testing for genealogical purposes, but are you aware of your other options? Come learn about mtDNA, SNP, BioGeographical and ethnic tests, as well as the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation and the Genographic Project, and determine if one or more of them is right for you. (note: this talk makes an excellent follow-on to the one-hour Trace Your Roots with DNA talk)

Welcome to Roots Television!
Have you discovered all the terrific, free genealogical programming at Roots Television yet? Did you know that you could tune into all the Ancestors episodes that were featured on PBS? Or a whole channel of genetic genealogy shows? Or an impressive collection of programs on Irish roots? And those are just three of the 20 channels! Whatever your interest, Roots Television has something for you! Come learn how to navigate this site, contribute your own videos, and watch what you want when you want!

Introduction to Ancestry.com
Take a tour of Ancestry.com with special emphasis on its popular Member Trees. Learn how to effectively use Ancestry Hints (those shaky leaves you see!) to help swiftly tap into Ancestry.com's billions of records – and find all the traces your ancestors left for you to discover!

Cases That Made My Brain Hurt
How could brothers also be uncle and nephew? How could a soldier killed in Korea be alive 55 years later? How could the 1853 death of a toddler in Scotland help solve a Civil War history-mystery? Come and hear!

Right Annie, Wrong Annie
An Irish lass, Annie Moore, tripped down a gangplank and into the pages of history in 1892 when she became the first immigrant to arrive at Ellis Island. But less than a century later, an Illinois-born Annie Moore had somehow taken her place and was celebrated in song, statue and literature. That all ended when some stubborn genealogists decided to use their sleuthing skills to seek out the right Annie. Come learn how she and her true descendants reclaimed their rightful place in history when their reunion was featured on the front page of the New York Times.

Find That Obituary! Online Newspaper Research
The last couple of years have given us an amazing array of searchable online newspaper resources - both historical and contemporary (and some of them even digitized!). Come learn how to tap into this treasure trove of information - especially those elusive and detail-filled obituaries.

Reverse Genealogy: Techniques for Finding Your Lost Loved Ones
Although genealogy is at its heart the study of long-deceased ancestors, connecting with living relatives has become almost as important to many family historians. Some seek living kin in an effort to track down family photos; others do it to find family history playmates or DNA project participants. A few pioneers have begun exercising their skills to save lives - to locate potential donors or warn of possible medical dangers. Whatever the motivation, one of the most addicting aspects of genealogy is the thrill of finding distant cousins, or in some cases, parents, children, or siblings. But this "reverse genealogy" (working from the past to the present) has its own special challenges and requires the researcher to be part genealogist and part private investigator. This presentation covers proven techniques for tracing 20th century friends and relatives from the past to the present.

Remembering Our Ancestors
The author of Honoring Our Ancestors and In Search of Our Ancestors shares favorite stories from both books. Let yourself be amused, amazed and touched by stories of the many creative ways people have developed to pay tribute to those who came before us, as well as tales of how some stubborn brick walls have come tumbling down in the most unexpected ways. You'll leave convinced that our ancestors want to be found as much as we want to find them, and equipped with some creative ways to pay tribute to them. (note: makes a great luncheon, banquet or end-of-day talk)

Maximizing Your Results from the Ellis Island Database
Still can't find Great-Grandpa in the Ellis Island database? Or perhaps you've found him, but the manifest is missing or mislinked. Learn all the nuances of the Ellis Island website and about other online resources (such as Stephen P. Morse's tools) to help you find the elusive immigrants in your family.

No Man Left Behind Project
In recent years, the U.S. Army has stepped up its effort to trace the families of servicemen who were MIA in Korea 50+ years ago, so recently repatriated remains can be identified and interred. As part of this initiative, the Army is building a database of thousands of DNA samples from relatives of these soldiers. Unfortunately, most of the soldiers' recorded next of kin (frequently their parents) have passed away, so it is necessary to trace their families into the present in order to obtain samples. Mitochondrial DNA-testing is used, so only certain maternal relatives qualify. Learn about the techniques being used to locate the families today, hear some case studies, and see how you can help in this worthy effort.

Jump-Starting Your Eastern European Research
Certain aspects of Eastern European families - such as the relative rarity of many of our surnames and the timing of our arrival in North America - make particular records and techniques more useful than others for going back to the old country. This presentation covers those records that will help you identify your village(s) of origin and make contact with your European cousins most quickly. The best of the ever-expanding toolbox of Internet resources are discussed, as well port and naturalization records, Social Security applications, and FHL microfilms from Eastern Europe. Real world success stories - and a few potential pitfalls - are also shared.

Building a Village-Based Community
Many of us can trace our roots to small villages where almost everyone is ultimately related to each other. Building a village-based community - as an alternative to focusing exclusively on your own direct line - can advance your genealogical research and enhance your life in other ways you never imagined. By using a variety of approaches such as networking, newsletters, websites, reunions, and group projects, you can bridge the gap that separates most multi-continental cousins and create a community where there hasn't been one for a century or more. Talk includes guidance for getting started.