{"id":4992,"date":"2026-02-08T05:07:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T05:07:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?page_id=4992"},"modified":"2026-07-29T23:50:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T23:50:18","slug":"2026-program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?page_id=4992","title":{"rendered":"2026 Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"4992\" class=\"elementor elementor-4992\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d0d0771 elementor-section-content-top elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no\" data-id=\"d0d0771\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3a0d8c9e\" data-id=\"3a0d8c9e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c9a7339 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c9a7339\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/program-e1682781846198.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/program-e1682781846198.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ecggc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/program-e1682781846198-300x69.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ecggc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/program-e1682781846198-768x177.jpg 768w\" width=\"1024\" height=\"236\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-2848 lazyload\" alt=\"Program\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"236\" src=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/program-e1682781846198.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-2848\" alt=\"Program\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/program-e1682781846198.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ecggc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/program-e1682781846198-300x69.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ecggc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/program-e1682781846198-768x177.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/noscript>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8ccbcf4 elementor-section-content-top elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no\" data-id=\"8ccbcf4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-308ccc9\" data-id=\"308ccc9\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" id=\"contactus\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-745f60c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"745f60c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3><span style=\"background-color: var( --e-global-color-astglobalcolor5 ); font-size: 1.625rem; font-weight: bolder;\">2026 Program<\/span><\/h3>\n<div><span style=\"font-weight: bolder;\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<p style=\"font-size: 16px; font-style: normal;\">On-Demand sessions are pre-recorded and all others will stream live except for the ISOGG meeting on Sunday morning.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400;\">All sessions will be accessible to conference attendees to watch and rewatch on the vFairs platform starting about 1 week after the Conference through December 31st.<\/p>\n<p><em>The contents below may be subject to minor changes or corrections.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/wp:paragraph --><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-cedd93e elementor-section-content-top elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no\" data-id=\"cedd93e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-dc94171\" data-id=\"dc94171\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fdf116d elementor-widget elementor-widget-eael-advanced-data-table\" data-id=\"fdf116d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"eael-advanced-data-table.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"ea-advanced-data-table-wrap\" data-id=\"fdf116d\"><div class=\"ea-advanced-data-table-search-wrap ea-advanced-data-table-search-right\"><input type=\"search\" placeholder=\"Search\" class=\"ea-advanced-data-table-search\"><\/div><div class=\"ea-advanced-data-table-wrap-inner\">\n                <table class=\"ea-advanced-data-table ea-advanced-data-table-static ea-advanced-data-table-fdf116d ea-advanced-data-table-searchable\" data-id=\"fdf116d\"><thead><tr><th><p>Day\/Time <\/p><\/th><th><p>Session Description<\/p><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Friday<\/strong><\/p><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>10:15am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Guided Tour of the Brim-DeForest Library at American Ancestors<\/strong><\/p><p>Discover the Brim-DeForest Library, a leading center for genealogical research and scholarship. During this tour, your group will learn about the library\u2019s archives, services, and research tools, gaining insight into how family history and historical documents are preserved and explored. This tour is an ideal starting point for groups planning to spend additional time conducting research.<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>11:00am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Tour of Brim-Deforest Library Research at American Ancestors<\/strong><\/p><p>Spend time exploring your own family history in the Brim-DeForest Library. With access to millions of genealogical records and resources, your group can begin to uncover personal connections to the past. Library staff are available to assist with general questions as you navigate the collections. We recommend allowing at least 3\u20136 hours to make the most of your research experience.<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>10:00am - 6:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Visit American Ancestors anytime<\/strong><\/p><p>No registration needed if you would like to go to the American Ancestors and browse around. You can come and go as you would like. This includes access to both the Brim-DeForest Library and the Family Heritage Experience.<\/p><p>They are open: 10:00am - 6:00pm Tuesday through Saturday.<\/p><p>Check out their website for the resources they have available!<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.americanancestors.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><strong>https:\/\/www.americanancestors.org<\/strong><\/a> <\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>1:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Registration Opens<\/strong> (Outside Mystic Room)<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>2:30pm - 3:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Vfairs<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=greg-clarke\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Greg Clarke<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong><u>\ufeff<\/u>ON-DEMAND<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>3:00pm - 4:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>I Did Everything Right. So Where's My Ancestor?<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=diahan-southard\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Diahan Southard<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>You followed the plan. You built your network. You used Shared Matches of Matches. You did the genealogy. And yet you have a cluster of matches that seems to belong together \u2014 and still no ancestor to show for it. In this session, Diahan introduces the concept of the daisy chain: a subtle methodological trap that catches even experienced researchers, quietly pulling them further and further from their original anchor without ever feeling like a wrong turn. If you've ever done everything right and still come up empty, this one's for you.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>4:00pm - 5:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Turning a Brick Wall into a Community: Using Documents and DNA Together<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>\u00b7&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=janine-cloud\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Janine Cloud<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>A single record can feel like a dead end\u2014or it can open the door to an entire world. Beginning with a militia record for Isaac Cloud, my brick wall patrilineal ancestor, this session shows how I used one document to uncover the intersection of several family lines while reconstructing the community in Spring Place, Georgia between 1820 and 1840. By placing individuals within their historical and geographic context,&nbsp;we&nbsp;can move beyond isolated ancestors to understand how families, neighbors, and communities were connected across cultural lines\u2014and how those non-matching surnames may have entered our Y-DNA results. This presentation follows the process of tracing documentary evidence, expanding to associated families, and using that network to form testable hypotheses. It also demonstrates how DNA can be used not just for analysis, but to identify and recruit targeted testers to confirm\u2014or challenge\u2014those hypotheses. Along the way, we will examine how to evaluate conflicting evidence, how new information can shift conclusions, and why unexpected DNA results are still meaningful. You\u2019ll leave&nbsp;with a practical framework for breaking through brick walls by reconstructing the world your ancestors lived in\u2014using records, DNA, and historical context to build stronger conclusions.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>7:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Official Welcome <\/strong>followed by:<\/p><p><strong><span class=\"ql-cursor\">\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff<\/span>Keynote - The AI Frontier in Genetic Genealogy: Where We Are and Where We're Going<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=steve-little\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Steve Little<\/u><\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=mark-thompson\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Mark Thompson<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p><strong>Saturday<\/strong><\/p><\/td><td><p><br><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>7:00am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Registration <\/strong>(Outside Mystic Room)<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>9:00am - 9:50am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Keynote: It Takes a Village<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=jennifer-zinck\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Jennifer Zinck<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>C<span>ollaborating cousins, DNA testers, and surname project administrators used Y-DNA and autosomal DNA to identify the parents of an English-born Irish immigrant to New England.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>9:50am - 10:05am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Break<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>10:05am - 10:55am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session A - DNA and DAR<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=katherine-borges\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Katherine Borges<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>DNA and the Daughters of the American Revolution.<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>10:05am - 10:55am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session A - Understanding Your DNA Health Reports<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=kelli-bergheimer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Kelli Bergheimer<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>Learn to read your health report from 23andMe or Promethease and analyze magnitude, position, and frequency. A \u201ctendency toward\u201d is not a \u201cdiagnosis of.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>10:05am - 10:55am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session A - Understanding the What are the Odds tool as DNA Painter<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=jonny-perl\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Jonny Perl<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong>ON-DEMAND<\/strong><\/p><p><br><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>10:55am - 11:10am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Break<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>11:10am - 12:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session B - There's Always a Next Step<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=diahan-southard\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Diahan Southard<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>You followed the plan. You did everything you were supposed to do. But your results don't look like the examples, or you've hit a wall that nobody warned you about, and now you're wondering if you did something wrong. You didn't. DNA research rarely goes exactly as planned \u2014 and that's not a failure, that's just the reality of working with real data and real families. In this session, Diahan walks through the four key stages of the DNA research plan and the strategies available to you at each one, so that no matter what your results look like, you always know there's a next step. Leave with a comprehensive reference you'll return to every time your research stalls.&nbsp;<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>11:10am - 12:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session B - Using DNA to Identify Ancestral Origins<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=melanie-mccomb\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Melanie McComb<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>Ethnicity estimates are just a small part of your DNA results. They aren\u2019t always accurate or as precise as you\u2019d like them to be. This class will discuss how to triangulate ancestral origins by reviewing your matches carefully and by combing your DNA results with traditional genealogical research.<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>11:10am - 12:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session B - Common Ancestors at DNAGedcom - Building Trees<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=rob-warthen\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Rob Warthen<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong>ON-DEMAND<\/strong><\/p><p><span>How do you find Common Ancestors through your DNA? Whats happening with GWorks? Come find out the latest and greatest on Trees and DNAGedcom.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>12:00pm - 1:30pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Lunch Break<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>1:30pm - 2:20pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session C - Navigating Your Jewish DNA Results<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=adina-newman\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Adina Newman<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>Learn all about Jewish genetic genealogy! Topics include ethnicity estimates, tools to analyze DNA matches, nuances at each testing company, and strategies to tackle endogamy. <\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>1:30pm - 2:20pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session C - Your DNA Toolkit: Expanding Your Research with Third-Party Tools<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=peggy-jude\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Peggy Jude<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>A survey of the six categories of third-party DNA tools \u2014 from comparison and clustering to organizing and extraction \u2014 expanding your research beyond the testing companies.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>1:30pm - 2:20pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session C - MyHeritage DNA Basic Level<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=daniel-horowitz\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Daniel Horowitz<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong>ON-DEMAND<\/strong><\/p><p><br><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>2:20pm - 2:35pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Break<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>2:35pm - 3:25pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session D - When the Story Isn't True: DNA and the Family Legend Problem<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=kate-penney-howard\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Kate Penney Howard<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>Every family has a story everyone believes. DNA has a way of dismantling them. Drawing from her forthcoming book, Kate examines what happens when genetic evidence contradicts cherished family narratives and how researchers navigate what comes next.<\/span>&nbsp;<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>2:35pm - 3:25pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session D - Mitochondrial DNA-Z: My Results are Back, Now What?<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=roberta-estes\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Roberta Estes<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>Would you like to learn how to optimize your mitochondrial DNA results for genealogy? What do those numbers mean, and why are they important? This is just the class for you. We will take results, step-by-step through all of the reports and tools, including Discover, to help you interpret your results and how to use them for genealogy. Which brick walls are waiting to fall?<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>2:35pm - 3:25pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session D - The Power of DNA - Making Life-Changing Connections<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=rhonda-roederer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Rhonda Roederer<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong>ON-DEMAND<\/strong><\/p><p><span>What happens when DNA reveals long-hidden secrets? Follow an adoptee\u2019s emotional journey as he uses genetic testing to identify his birth parents and trace his German roots. Armed with a DNA kit and determination, he uncovers life-changing truths\u2014and forges powerful new family connections.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>3:45pm - 6:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Visit the Vendors in the virtual EX Hall &amp; Hotel<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>6:00pm - 8:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>DNA Academy<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=mags-gaulden\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Mags Gaulden<\/u><\/strong><\/a> (Host), <a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=dave-vance\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Dave Vance<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=roberta-estes\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Roberta Estes<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=rob-warthen\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Rob Warthen<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=katherine-borges\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Katherine Borges<\/u><\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=jennifer-zinck\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Jennifer Zinck<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p>Join Mags Gaulden, Dave Vance, Roberta Estes, Rob Warthen, Katherine Borges and Jennifer Zinck for a Q &amp; A panel with special guests to start, then sit back and enjoy a presentation on NGS testing for autosomal DNA, by Dave Vance, and \"Using Ancient Connections to Unlock Genealogy\", by Roberta Estes.<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p><strong>Sunday<\/strong><\/p><\/td><td><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>8:00am - 8:45am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>ISOGG Meeting<\/strong><\/p><p>\ufeff\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=katherine-borges\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Katherine Borges<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>9:00am - 9:50am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Keynote: Mining A Chromosome 22 Pile-Up: Clustering Through a Documented Colonial Lineage<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=kevin-borland\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Kevin Borland<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>How I tamed a crowded chromosome 22 match list: a systematic approach to tracing the origin of a segment and identifying relationships between matches.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>9:50am - 10:05am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Break<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>10:05am - 10:55am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session E - Unleash the Power of DNA<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=jennifer-zinck\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Jennifer Zinck<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>Testing family members improves genetic genealogy results. Learn how testing parents, siblings, and other relatives increases genetic coverage, assigns DNA to ancestors, and solves problems.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p><span>10:05am - 10:55am<\/span><\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session E - Step Up to the Plate: Winning Strategies for Connecting with Your DNA Matches<\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit;font-family: inherit\">\u00b7&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=peggy-jude\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit;font-family: inherit\"><strong><u>Peggy Jude<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>Master outreach preparation, messaging strategies, and follow-up techniques with DNA matches \u2014 because like baseball, a .300 batting average is an All Star Performance.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>10:05am - 10:55am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session E - Our Genetic Explorer's Journey<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=jerome-spears\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Jerome Spears<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong>ON-DEMAND<\/strong><\/p><p><span>Swim, hunt, and fish in multiple lakes. In family history\/genetic discovery terms, this means using all of the current major DNA testing companies in order to best achieve your research goals. Chromosome segment data can play significant roles in finding more of your family. Today we will show you how.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>10:55am - 11:10am<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Break<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>11:10am - 12:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session F - The DNA of a Revolution<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=mags-gaulden\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Mags Gaulden<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>We will also look at some revolutionary genetics work being done through DNA Group Projects and battlefield excavations to help confirm and identify the DNA of the American Revolution. A look at some of the men and women who fought to make America Free.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>11:10am - 12:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session F - Finding an Ohio Pioneer Family Using Mitochondrial DNA<\/strong><\/p><p><span>\u00b7&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=kelli-bergheimer\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Kelli Bergheimer<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>Learn tips on how to use mitochondrial DNA to trace your matrilineal line\u2014and you might even discover a pioneer in Ohio. <\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>11:10am - 12:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session F - Unraveling the Identity of Arthur Burton<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=dawn-kosmakos\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Dawn Kosmakos<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong>ON-DEMAND<\/strong><\/p><p>After reconnecting with her unknown paternal family, Dawn was told that her father's paternal grandfather, Arthur Burton, was born in Chatham, Ontario, Canada to Arthur and Fannie Burton, and that he had a twin brother named Fred. Family lore further suggested that as a young child, Arthur had been given up for adoption to a Michigan family... allegedly in exchange for a gas stove.<\/p><p>Through application of genetic genealogy methods, Dawn was able to separate fact from fiction, ultimately discovering the truth of Arthur's origins. Later, collaborative research with a third cousin twice removed led to the identification of a full sibling, along with evidence the brothers had met each other. Further research revealed their biological father's identity, including a surprise 18th century UK scandal in the process.<\/p><p>This case study traces three distinct research threads that together unraveled the true identity of Dawn's great-grandfather.<\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>12:00pm - 1:30pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Visit the Vendors in the virtual EX Hall &amp; Hotel<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>1:30pm - 2:20pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session G - Solving a Paternity Puzzle: AI-Assisted Match List Analysis in Endogamous Appalachia<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=steve-little\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Steve Little<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>An introduction to AI and genealogy using a case study from my own Ashe County, NC research<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>1:30pm - 2:20pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session G - Between the Records and the Results: Tracing Ancestors in Mixed Lines<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=roberta-estes\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Roberta Estes<\/u><\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=janine-cloud\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Janine Cloud<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>Researchers often set out to find Native American ancestry because of family lore or a photo that suggests Native heritage. They soon find it difficult to identify\u2014much less document\u2014those connections, especially in mixed lines where records and DNA don\u2019t always align with those stories. This session moves beyond the basics of haplogroups and ancestry informative markers to focus on how to apply them in real research\u2014whether that leads to confirming those connections or ruling them out. Through complementary case studies, we demonstrate how DNA and documentary research work together to identify the families behind those results. One approach uses autosomal DNA analysis, clustering, and targeted testing to identify and confirm Native ancestry. The other follows a document-driven path, using non-Native ancestors, historical context, and community reconstruction to identify the families connected to those DNA signals when direct evidence is unclear or missing. You\u2019ll leave with practical, repeatable strategies for tracing Native ancestors in mixed lines by connecting DNA evidence to the broader family networks that produced it.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>1:30pm - 2:20pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session G - MyHeritageDNA Advanced Level<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=daniel-horowitz\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Daniel Horowitz<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong>ON-DEMAND<\/strong><\/p><p><br><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>2:20pm - 2:35pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Break<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>2:35pm - 3:25pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session H - Gerald Hawley and the Silence: What Erased Ancestors Teach Us About DNA Research<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=kate-penney-howard\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Kate Penney Howard<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>Some ancestors disappear not because records failed but because families chose to forget. Drawing from the introduction to her forthcoming book, Kate explores how grief, shame, and silence shape the DNA evidence we find, and what we owe the forgotten.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>2:35pm - 3:25pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session H - Introduction to DNA Painter: Strategies to Enhance Your Genealogical Research<\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit;font-family: inherit\">\u00b7&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=adina-newman\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"font-style: inherit;font-weight: inherit;font-family: inherit\"><strong><u>Adina Newman<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><span>An overview of the various tools available at DNA Painter, including the Shared cM Project, What Are the Odds (WATO), ancestral trees, and chromosome mapping. <\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>2:35pm - 3:25pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Session H - Applied Artificial Intelligence for Genetic Genealogists<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00b7&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/?team=mark-thompson\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><u>Mark Thompson<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p><p><strong>ON-DEMAND<\/strong><\/p><p><span>AI can deliver reliable results for genetic genealogists today. This session walks through the current AI use cases that work, and where AI still falls short.<\/span><\/p><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><p>3:35pm - 4:00pm<\/p><\/td><td><p><strong>Closing<\/strong><\/p><p><strong>ECGGC Committee &amp; mitoYDNA board<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n            <\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2026 Program &nbsp; On-Demand sessions are pre-recorded and all others will stream live except for the ISOGG meeting on Sunday morning. All sessions will be accessible to conference attendees to watch and rewatch on the vFairs platform starting about 1 week after the Conference through December 31st. The contents below may be subject to minor changes or corrections. Day\/Time Session Description Friday 10:15am Guided Tour of the Brim-DeForest Library at American Ancestors Discover the Brim-DeForest Library, a leading center for genealogical research and scholarship. During this tour, your group will learn about the library\u2019s archives, services, and research tools, gaining insight into how family history and historical documents are preserved and explored. This tour is an ideal starting point for groups planning to spend additional time conducting research. 11:00am Tour of Brim-Deforest Library Research at American Ancestors Spend time exploring your own family history in the Brim-DeForest Library. With access to millions of genealogical records and resources, your group can begin to uncover personal connections to the past. Library staff are available to assist with general questions as you navigate the collections. We recommend allowing at least 3\u20136 hours to make the most of your research experience. 10:00am &#8211; 6:00pm Visit American Ancestors anytime No registration needed if you would like to go to the American Ancestors and browse around. You can come and go as you would like. This includes access to both the Brim-DeForest Library and the Family Heritage Experience. They are open: 10:00am &#8211; 6:00pm Tuesday through Saturday. Check out their website for the resources they have available! https:\/\/www.americanancestors.org 1:00pm Registration Opens (Outside Mystic Room) 2:30pm &#8211; 3:00pm Vfairs \u00b7&nbsp;Greg Clarke \ufeffON-DEMAND 3:00pm &#8211; 4:00pm I Did Everything Right. So Where&#8217;s My Ancestor? \u00b7&nbsp;Diahan Southard You followed the plan. You built your network. You used Shared Matches of Matches. You did the genealogy. And yet you have a cluster of matches that seems to belong together \u2014 and still no ancestor to show for it. In this session, Diahan introduces the concept of the daisy chain: a subtle methodological trap that catches even experienced researchers, quietly pulling them further and further from their original anchor without ever feeling like a wrong turn. If you&#8217;ve ever done everything right and still come up empty, this one&#8217;s for you. 4:00pm &#8211; 5:00pm Turning a Brick Wall into a Community: Using Documents and DNA Together \u00b7&nbsp;Janine Cloud A single record can feel like a dead end\u2014or it can open the door to an entire world. Beginning with a militia record for Isaac Cloud, my brick wall patrilineal ancestor, this session shows how I used one document to uncover the intersection of several family lines while reconstructing the community in Spring Place, Georgia between 1820 and 1840. By placing individuals within their historical and geographic context,&nbsp;we&nbsp;can move beyond isolated ancestors to understand how families, neighbors, and communities were connected across cultural lines\u2014and how those non-matching surnames may have entered our Y-DNA results. This presentation follows the process of tracing documentary evidence, expanding to associated families, and using that network to form testable hypotheses. It also demonstrates how DNA can be used not just for analysis, but to identify and recruit targeted testers to confirm\u2014or challenge\u2014those hypotheses. Along the way, we will examine how to evaluate conflicting evidence, how new information can shift conclusions, and why unexpected DNA results are still meaningful. You\u2019ll leave&nbsp;with a practical framework for breaking through brick walls by reconstructing the world your ancestors lived in\u2014using records, DNA, and historical context to build stronger conclusions. 7:00pm Official Welcome followed by: \ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeff\ufeffKeynote &#8211; The AI Frontier in Genetic Genealogy: Where We Are and Where We&#8217;re Going \u00b7&nbsp;Steve Little and Mark Thompson Saturday 7:00am Registration (Outside Mystic Room) 9:00am &#8211; 9:50am Keynote: It Takes a Village \u00b7&nbsp;Jennifer Zinck Collaborating cousins, DNA testers, and surname project administrators used Y-DNA and autosomal DNA to identify the parents of an English-born Irish immigrant to New England. 9:50am &#8211; 10:05am Break 10:05am &#8211; 10:55am Session A &#8211; DNA and DAR \u00b7&nbsp;Katherine Borges DNA and the Daughters of the American Revolution. 10:05am &#8211; 10:55am Session A &#8211; Understanding Your DNA Health Reports \u00b7&nbsp;Kelli Bergheimer Learn to read your health report from 23andMe or Promethease and analyze magnitude, position, and frequency. A \u201ctendency toward\u201d is not a \u201cdiagnosis of.\u201d 10:05am &#8211; 10:55am Session A &#8211; Understanding the What are the Odds tool as DNA Painter \u00b7&nbsp;Jonny Perl ON-DEMAND 10:55am &#8211; 11:10am Break 11:10am &#8211; 12:00pm Session B &#8211; There&#8217;s Always a Next Step \u00b7&nbsp;Diahan Southard You followed the plan. You did everything you were supposed to do. But your results don&#8217;t look like the examples, or you&#8217;ve hit a wall that nobody warned you about, and now you&#8217;re wondering if you did something wrong. You didn&#8217;t. DNA research rarely goes exactly as planned \u2014 and that&#8217;s not a failure, that&#8217;s just the reality of working with real data and real families. In this session, Diahan walks through the four key stages of the DNA research plan and the strategies available to you at each one, so that no matter what your results look like, you always know there&#8217;s a next step. Leave with a comprehensive reference you&#8217;ll return to every time your research stalls.&nbsp; 11:10am &#8211; 12:00pm Session B &#8211; Using DNA to Identify Ancestral Origins \u00b7&nbsp;Melanie McComb Ethnicity estimates are just a small part of your DNA results. They aren\u2019t always accurate or as precise as you\u2019d like them to be. This class will discuss how to triangulate ancestral origins by reviewing your matches carefully and by combing your DNA results with traditional genealogical research. 11:10am &#8211; 12:00pm Session B &#8211; Common Ancestors at DNAGedcom &#8211; Building Trees \u00b7&nbsp;Rob Warthen ON-DEMAND How do you find Common Ancestors through your DNA? Whats happening with GWorks? Come find out the latest and greatest on Trees and DNAGedcom. 12:00pm &#8211; 1:30pm Lunch Break 1:30pm &#8211; 2:20pm Session C &#8211; Navigating Your Jewish DNA Results \u00b7&nbsp;Adina Newman Learn all about Jewish genetic genealogy! Topics include ethnicity estimates, tools<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4992","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4992","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4992"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4992\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5305,"href":"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4992\/revisions\/5305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ecggc.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4992"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}