Our list of recommended virtual sessions for RootsTech 2025

It’s that time of the year - Rootstech kicks off in less than a week! Even if you are not able to attend the genealogy expo in Salt Lake City from Thursday March 6 to Saturday March 8, there are hundreds of virtual events taking place. Even better: Registration for the online sessions is FREE.

I’ve combed through them all. Of particular interest this year are sessions relating to AI or AI-enabled tools such as Full-Text Search on FamilySearch. There are also many well-known genealogists giving presentations, including CeCe Moore, David Allen Lambert, Roberta Estes, and Shannon Combs-Bennett.

You can register for Rootstech here, and review the entire list of sessions (in person and online) including the popular main stage sessions. We have created a list of compelling virtual sessions below that can really help improve your genealogy research skills, along with some hybrid sessions for people visiting RootsTech in person. Note that the times below are EST; local time in SLC is 2 hours behind.

Thursday, March 6 RootsTech sessions

Robyn N. Smith: Mining the Census, Are You Finding Every Clue? Part 1 (March 6 at 8:30 am EST)

Julia A. Anderson: Beyond the Brick Wall: Strategies for Pre-1850 U.S. Research (Hybrid, March 6 at 10 am EST)

Multiple presenters: Introduction to Asian Research Power Hour (March 6 at 10 am EST)

James Tanner: Opening the Door to Latin American Genealogical Research with Full-text Searches (March 6 at 10 am EST)

Diahan Southard: How Does DNA Fit into Your Family Story? Identity. Connection. Answers.  (Hybrid, March 6 at 11:30 am EST)

Multiple presenters: Getting Started Part 1: Research Goals, logs, research plans, organization, being effective (Hybrid, March 6 at 11:30 am EST)

Renate Yarborough Sanders: Exploring Records of Antebellum Southern Plantations Through a Genealogical Lens (March 6 at 2:15 pm EST)

Crista Cowan: What’s New at Ancestry (Hybrid, March 6 at 3:30 pm EST)

Joanna Klein: From Memories to Legacy: 5 Steps to Write Your Life Story with Purpose (March 6 at 3:30 pm EST)

Melissa Barker: Preserving Documents and Ephemera (March 6 at 6:30 pm EST)

Robyn N. Smith: Fruit of the Earth, Using Deeds to Uncover Your Ancestors, Part I (March 6 at 8 pm EST)

Andrew Redfern: How Can Artificial Intelligence Assist Family Historians (March 6 at 9:15 pm EST)

Andrew Koch: Sea to Shining Sea: How to Research in Every U.S. State (March 6 at Midnight EST)

Friday, March 7 RootsTech sessions

David Rathbun: Tips for using built-in Apple tools to preserve memories and records (March 7 at 8:00 AM EST)

Aimee Rose-Haynes: Unveiling Family Legacies: Verifying Native American Ancestry and Tribal Affiliation (March 7 at 10:00 AM EST)

Multiple presenters: RootsTech Innovation and Tech Forum 2025 (March 7 at 11:30 AM EST)

Multiple presenters: Using Record Hints- Harnessing the Power of AI to Document Your Family (March 7 at 11:30 AM EST) 

Adina Newman: DNA and Endogamy: Strategies to Analyze Your DNA Matches (March 7 at 11:30 AM EST)

Steve Little: Beginning with AI Genealogy: Getting Started with Generative Artificial Intelligence in 2025 (March 7 at 11:30 AM EST)

Multiple presenters: Searching Smarter: Making the Most of Your Time and Resources (March 7 at 3:30 PM EST)

Diahan Southard: How Just One Match Can Help You Find Missing Ancestors in 2025 (March 7 at 3:30 PM EST)

Rich Venezia: Ship Manifests: An In-Depth Look (March 7 at 5:00 PM EST)

Julia A. Anderson: Utilizing AI and Full-Text Search to Advance Your African American Research (March 7 at 5:00 PM EST)

Kathryn Lake Hogan: So, You’ve Got a Canadian Ancestor, Eh? (March 7 at 5:00 PM EST)

David Allen Lambert: Exploring the 17th-Century Great Migration to New England (March 7 at 6:30 PM EST)

CeCe Moore: Telling Stories with DNA: Case Studies from PBS' Finding Your Roots (March 7 at 6:30 PM EST) 

Jenny Joyce: Using Newspapers to Break Down Brick Walls and Add Details to your Tree (March 7 at 10:30 PM EST)

Saturday, March 8 RootsTech sessions

Sheldon Martin: Discovering My Ancestors’ Stories Can Strengthen My Emotional Wellness (March 8 at 10:00 AM EST)

Nicole Dyer: AI-Powered Transcription of Handwritten Documents: Tools and Techniques (March 8 at 11:30 AM EST) 

Laura Hedgecock: Navigating Sensitive Topics: Writing about Difficult Chapters of the Family’s History (March 8 at 11:30 AM EST)

Roberta Estes: DNA for Native American Genealogy (March 8 at 11:30 AM EST)

Shannon Combs-Bennett: Finding Your Family Online at the Library of Congress (March 8 at 3:30 PM EST)

Robby Parker: Tree Integrity: Protecting Your Research in Family Tree (March 8 at 5:00 PM EST)

While Nicole and I won’t be able to attend RootsTech in person this year, we hope those of you who are attending in person can share some of your experiences. It’s a fabulous show that brings together an international community of genealogists, both amateur and professional.