• April Program: Karen A. Chase – Eliza Trist: Tracking and Tracing Woman’s Journal of Westward Exploration

    Eliza Trist ventured west two decades before Lewis & Clark. But who was she? And who are her descendants? Friend to Thomas Jefferson, Eliza kept a journal (that still exists) detailing her 1783-1785 adventures west to Pittsburgh, and down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers into Spanish-owned territory in Louisiana. This presentation covers her founding friendships, her extensive journey, and her burial and death at Monticello. Discover the extent of genealogical research the speaker conducted to uncover Eliza Trist, her famous descendants, and her life-long contributions to the development of early America.

  • August 2026 DNA SIG – Making the Most of 23andMe

    Whether you've just received your results or have had them for years, 23andMe can be a valuable tool for genealogical research. Join us as we explore strategies for exploring results, analyzing DNA matches, and collaborating ... Read more

  • September Program: Diane L. Richard, MEng, MBA – Finding Females: Ledgers are a Unique Looking Glass into Women’s Lives

    Surviving small business ledgers document everyday business transactions that involved our ancestors, including our female ancestors—usually underrepresented in governmental records. Almost every kind of ledger examined mentions women transacting business, regardless of station in life and ethnicity. This webinar focuses on the many kinds of ledgers used by small businesses and discoverable by researchers. We will explore ledgers of general stores, cotton/tobacco pickers and midwives, just to name a few. In addition to placing individuals and families in space and time, relationship information is sometimes noted. Life events are sometimes indicated, including family members of an employer/employee, entries for free people of color (FPOC), the enslaved, and so much more!

  • GRIVA Fall Conference – Digging Up Your Ancestors: An Introduction to Using AI featuring Diana Elder, AG, AGL

    Diana Elder, AG, AGL, is a professional genealogist accredited in the Gulf South region and serves on the advisory board for The International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen). She is the author of Research Like a Pro: A Genealogist's Guide and co-author of Research Like a Pro with DNA, which have helped thousands of researchers strengthen their genealogical methodology.

    With her daughter Nicole, Diana has built a comprehensive educational platform teaching the Research Like a Pro methodology through study groups, an interactive eCourse, and The Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast. She shares research strategies on Family Locket (familylocket.com), making professional-level techniques accessible to genealogists worldwide.

    A sought-after speaker, Diana presents regularly at RootsTech, the National Genealogical Society Conference, and institutes, as well as genealogy societies throughout the United States and internationally.