FGS 2015: October FGS Ambassadors Summary

Three weeks ago FGS Ambassadors were asked to tell us and their readers what they think of when they hear the FGS 2015 conference theme "Connect.Explore.Refresh." We've compiled a list of their responses along with their other posts about the conference below and also added three more Ambassadors to the team.


Each month we'll select one post to feature here on the FGS Voice. This month's feature is from Linda Stufflebean at Empty Branches on the Family Tree. 

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Republished with permission of the author:
FGS 2015 – February 11–14 in Salt Lake City

I am looking forward to attending the Federation of Genealogical Societies conference February 11-14 in Salt Lake City. It so happens that several of my recent blog posts focused on often overlooked resources and one of them was the treasure trove to be found through genealogical societies. Through the years, these societies have nurtured those newly interested in family history and enabled them to grow into seasoned researchers. Societies have also amassed huge amounts of localized genealogical information through the volunteer efforts of their members. Today, they continue to  promote education and camaraderie among family researchers and to help communities preserve their histories.

The memberships I held in genealogy societies during my first years of research were invaluable. I learned so much and always left meetings chomping at the bit, wanting  to follow up on new ideas. Fast forward 35 years – They have continued to teach and motivate me as my areas of interest grew and expanded. FGS 2015 is an opportunity to connect with new genealogy friends affiliated with societies from around the country and even worldwide. There is literally a society out there for just about any genealogical focus you might have.

There is a brand new aspect to the 2015 FGS conference, which I think is fabulous. FGS is partnering with RootsTech to share space, speakers and activities at the Salt Palace Convention Center. However, each organization will also host independent sessions and activities.  For only $39, I upgraded my registration to full access to sessions with both organizations. I couldn’t pass up the chance to explore double the number of sessions  without having to attend two separate events in two different locations at twice the price. What a cost savings and great value for keeping my genealogical skills current with the times.

Last, but certainly not least, every genealogist who visits Salt Lake City always wishes for time in the FamilySearch Library. After taking in all the new information gleaned in the conference sessions, I plan to refresh my family research focus with a visit to the library, which is just a short walk from the Salt Palace. (My “please, let me find them” list is already growing.)

Connect.Explore.Refresh - I can’t wait for February to get here! If you can attend just one genealogical event this year, this conference is a great choice.

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New Ambassadors:

Three more folks have joined the FGS Ambassadors since the original list was published October 9. Welcome Laurie, Tiffiny, and Richard.

Laurie Desmarais: Confuse the Dead, @confusethedead,  Google+, Facebook

Tiffiny Neal: RootStories, @rootsgenie, Google+, Facebook

Richard Young: Family History Tech, @fhtek, Google+, Facebook

October FGS Ambassador Blog Posts:

A Southern Sleuth: FGS 2015 — Time to Connect, Explore, Refresh

Always Anxiously Engaged: A Perfect Combination
Ancestral Breezes: Looking Forward to #FGS2015; an energetic experience

AncesTrees: Countdown to Salt Lake City ... 

Angelers Rest: Connect. Explore. Refresh; FGS – Connect. Explore. Refresh – Prompt One (Part One); FGS – Connect. Explore. Refresh – Prompt One (Part Two)

Carolina Girl Genealogy: Come Connect.Explore.Refresh~FGS 2015

Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter: FGS 2015 and RootsTech 2015 Together: How Will That Work?

Empty Branches on the Family Tree: FGS 2015 – February 11-14 in Salt Lake City

Genea-musings: Theme for FGS 2015 Conference is Connect. Explore. Refresh

Genealogy Tracker: FGS 2015 and RootsTech 2015 Genealogy Conference Together

Hanging from the Family Tree: FGS2014 Connect Explore Refresh! FGS and RootsTech working together

In Search of ...?: FGS 2015 Conference

Jollett, Etc.: FGS Ambassador: Do As I Say

Julie's Genealogy & History Hub: Connect.Explore.Refresh #FGS2015

Littleton Books Blog: Connect, Explore, Refresh at the Combined FGS/RootsTech Conference

NoTe's To MySeLf...: Connect.Explore.Refresh. 2015 FGS.

Paula's Genealogical Eclectica: FGS Conference 2015: Connect. Explore. Refresh,

FGS & RootsTech Sat. Keynote speaker is Donny Osmond,

Donny Osmond and Cyndi's List. A connection,

FGS free talk show online debuts Nov 5 with 3 "interesting" guests

Rings of My Family Tree: Utah Calling

RootStories: FGS 2015–Connect. Explore. Refresh.
The Last Leaf on This Branch: Follow Friday: The Power of Connect. Explore. Refresh.

Tonia's Roots: Connect. Explore. Refresh. FGS 2015

Your Roots are Showing, Dearie!: Connect. Explore. Refresh. #FGS2015, Will you Connect? #FGS 2015

Follow our FGS Ambassadors list on Twitter and on Google+

It's not too late to add your name to the list. Visit the FGS Ambassadors Guidelines page on the conference website to register.

Don't forget to register for FGS 2015. 

Announcing FGS Ambassadors

FGS is pleased to welcome a wonderful group of bloggers and social media enthusiasts as FGS Ambassadors. These folks will be talking about the FGS 2015 conference scheduled for February 11–14, in Salt Lake City along with all the other content they share. Check out their blogs and other social media accounts to find out what they have to say.

Follow the FGS Ambassador Twitter List. Don't forget to follow FGS on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, and Pinterest.


If you aren't on this list, it's not too late to join. Register anytime.

Ancestry Insider: The Ancestry Insider, @AncestryInsider, Facebook
Jen Baldwin: Ancestral Breezes. @ancestryjourney, Google+, Facebook
Claire Brisson Banks: Budding Genealogists, @timelessgen 
Sandra Benward: In Search of . . . ? 
Diane Boumenot: One Rhode Island Family, @onerifamily
Carolyn M. Caflisch: @carolyncaf
Rorey Cathcart: The Who Hunter: On the Hunt, @RoreyCathcart
Lisa-Dawn Crawley: LDC: The Zombie Genealogist, @elle_dee_see, Google+, Facebook 
Amy Johnson Crow: No Story Too Small, @amycrow
Dick Eastman: Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter, @dickeastman, Google+, Facebook
Emily Garber: (going) The Extra Yad
Linda Geiger: Musings By Linda: Anamnesis, @lwgeiger
Michelle Goodrum: The Turning of Generations, @MichelleGoodrum, Google+
Julie Goucher: Anglers Rest, @juliegoucher, Google+, Facebook 
Caitlin Gow: Genealogicaly Speaking, @caitieamanda, Google+, Facebook
J. Paul Hawthorne: @jphawthorne, Google+, Facebook
Kathryn Lake Hogan: Looking4Ancestors, @look4ancestors, Google+, Facebook
Anita Hopkins: [no public social media accounts]
Valerie Hughes: Genealogy with Valerie, @VHughesAuthor, Facebook
Debbie Hutchison: AncesTrees
Cyndi Ingle: Cyndi's List Blog, @CyndisList, Google+, Facebook
Joshua: Genealogy Tracker, @GenealogyTrackr, Facebook
Tonia Kendrick: Tonia's Roots, @toniasroots, Google+
Dawn Kogutkiewicz: Dawning Genealogy, Google+, Facebook
Valerie Eichler Lair: @ValsRoots
Eowyn Langholff: WikiChicks, @WikiChicksGNN
Nancy Lauer: [no public social media accounts]
Peggy Clemens Lauritzen: Always Anxiously Engaged, @MissPeggy55, Google+, Facebook
Carolyn B. Leonard: Writing is easy . . ., @writerpal 
Sir Leprechaunrabbit: Your Roots Are Showing Dearie, @leprchaunrabbit
True A. Lewis: My True Roots, @MyTrueRoots, Google+
Chuck Livermore: Littleton Books Blog, @LittletonBooks
Laura Cosgrove Lorenzana: The Last Leaf on this Branch, @ArchivalBiz, Google+, Facebook
Larry W. Luckett: Facebook
Annette Lyttle: Heritage Detective, @HeritageDetect, Facebook
Thomas MacEntee: GeneaBloggers, @geneabloggers, Facebook
Kenneth R. Marks: The Ancestor Hunt, @marksology
Wendy Mathias: Jollett Etc., @Wendymath, Facebook
Linda McCauley: Documenting the Details, @lfmccauley, Google+, Facebook
CeCe Moore: Your Genetic Genealogist, @CeCeLMoore, Google+, Facebook
Donna M. Moughty: Donna's Irish Genealogy Resources, @DMoughty, Facebook
Shelley Murphy: familytreegirl, @familytreegirl, Facebook
Amanda Pape: ABT UNK, @riofriotex 
Cheri Hudson Passey: Carolina Girl Genealogy, @CarolinaGirlGen, Google+, Facebook
Kirk Woosley Patton: Fincastle Ancestry Research, Facebook
Donna Peterson: Hanging from the Family Tree, @DonnaPe45949068, Google+, Facebook 
Caroline Pointer: 4YourFamilyStory.com, @FamilyStories 
Jackie Reiss: Jackie's Genealogy Research, Facebook
Nancy Rivers: Facebook
Ann Royal: Royal Genealogist, @RoyalGenealogy 
Diane Scannell: [no public social media accounts]
Randy Seaver: Genea-Musing, @rjseaver, Google+, Facebook
John Simmons: [no public social media accounts]
Helen Smith: From Helen V. Smith's Keyboard, @HVSresearch, Google+, Facebook
Paula Stuart-Warren, CG: Paula's Genealogical Eclectica, @PaulaStuartWarr, Facebook
Linda Stufflebean: Empty Branches on the Family Tree
Michelle Taggart: A Southern Sleuth, @SoSleuth, Google+, Facebook
Cari Taplin: GenealogyPANTS, @cataplin, Google+, Facebook
Julie Cahill Tarr: Julie's Genealogy & History Hub, @geneaJulie, Google+, Facebook
Amy Urman: The Genealogy Search, Facebook
Pamela Whitaker: Rings of My Family Tree
Katherine R. Wilson: @MoonSwings, Google+, Facebook
Gayle Ficarra Wolcott: Genealogy Dragnet, @GFWolcott 
Elise Ann Wormuth: Living in the Past, @ortburgene, 
Russ Worthington: A Worthington Web Log, @hrworth, Google+, Facebook

Register for FGS 2015 now.

Become an FGS Ambassador

FGS Invites You to Participate

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) is pleased to announce an invitation for FGS Ambassadors. If you are a blogger, social media enthusiast, writer, editor, or in any way interested in spreading the word about the FGS 2015 Conference, FGS is looking for you.

The 2015 FGS Conference scheduled for February 11–14 in Salt Lake City, Utah, will be a one-time special event with RootsTech. FGS Ambassadors will blog, share, like, +1, and tweet to spread the news about this unique FGS conference to their friends, colleagues, and everyone interested in genealogy.

Benefits to FGS Ambassadors include:

• Link to your blog, website, Twitter, or other social media accounts on the FGS 2015 Conference Ambassadors Page.
• Potential to be guest blogger on the FGS Voice Blog.
• Direct contact with the FGS 2015 Marketing Committee.
• Advance notice of press releases and other important updates from the Conference Committee.
• Participation in the FGS Ambassadors Facebook Group.
• Meet-up with other Ambassadors at FGS 2015—group photo for FGS publicity.
• Ambassador badge ribbon at the conference.

Having a genealogy blog or planning to attend the FGS 2015 conference are not requirements for participating.

Visit FGS Ambassadors on the FGS conference website to review the full guidelines for participating and to register as an FGS Ambassador. 

Please register by October 8, 2014. 

Contact Linda McCauley at conferences@fgs.org with any questions.