Jamboree - Meet the Speakers: Gena Philibert-Ortega

Gena Philibert-Ortega holds a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (Psychology and Women’s Studies) and a Master’s degree in Religion. Presenting on various subjects involving genealogy, women’s studies and social history, Gena has spoken to groups throughout the United States as well as virtually to audiences worldwide.

Gena is the author of hundreds of articles published in genealogy newsletters and magazines including FGS Forum, APG Quarterly, Internet Genealogy, Family Chronicle, Family Tree Magazine, and the GenWeekly newsletter. Her writings can also be found on her blogs, Gena’s Genealogy and Food.Family.Ephemera. She is the author of three books. Gena is the editor of the Utah Genealogical Association’s journal Crossroads.

She serves as President for the Southern California Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists and is a board member of the Utah Genealogical Association. Her current research interests include women’s social history, community cookbooks, signature quilts and researching women’s lives using material artifacts.

FR000E Friday June 6, 9:45 a.m.-10:45a.m.
10 Tips for Finding Newsletter Content
You have just been asked to edit your society newsletter, now what? Writing and editing a society newsletter is a vital job in the overall health of a society. The newsletter's mission can be a complex one including; informing members, potential members and non-members or upcoming events and projects, exposing members to new genealogical methods, research, websites and technology, providing a place where members can pass along information and get assistance and perhaps even a vehicle for some fundraising. With all that a society newsletter can be, it can feel like an overwhelming job that never ends. Whether you are a new newsletter editor or have been doing it awhile and need some new ideas, the ideas in this session will make your newsletter a must read and most importantly make your job much easier.

SA030 Saturday June 7, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Journals, Store Ledgers and Letters to Aunt Mary: Using Manuscript Collections
Manuscript collections are an overlooked resource in genealogy. Housed in archives, museums and libraries, manuscript collections can provide you with genealogical gems often overlooked when researching solely online. In this presentation we will look at what manuscript collections include and how to find them.

SA009 Saturday June 7, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Using America’s Ethnic Newspapers to Find and Document Your Family
Typically, when we consider newspaper research we narrow ourselves to a city newspaper that served our ancestor’s hometown. But the reality is that there could be multiple newspapers that reported on an area. In a large city, finding a mention of a person can be difficult at best. Ethnic communities often had their own newspapers. Because of possible prejudices, you may have a better chance at finding an ancestor in an ethnic newspaper than a general area newspaper. Join me as we discuss what treasures ethnic newspapers hold and how you can find them on GenealogyBank.

SU002 Sunday June 8, 7:00-8:30 a.m. - Scholarship Breakfast
Of Elephants, Gold, and Dashed Dreams: Researching the California Gold Rush
Did your ancestor come to California seeking their riches in gold? Maybe they came to make money off those with golden dreams. Whether your ancestor was a miner, a merchant or somewhere in between their story can be found in the social history and records.

SU021 Sunday June 8, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
GenealogyBank - Inside and Out
Everything you need to know about GenealogyBank.com
See practical examples of the genealogical information contained in newspapers. Learn about this extensive U.S. newspaper archive with more than 6,500 newspapers from all 50 states, spanning the years 1690 to today.