SALT LAKE CITY, 27 January 2016—RootsTech, the largest family
history conference in the world, is looking forward to over 20,000
visitors over four days with an exciting array of speakers and
entertainers, over 250 interesting and informative classes, a huge expo
hall with more than 160 exhibitors. There is something for every level
of family history—from the beginner to experienced. The three-day
conference begins on Thursday, February 4, and goes through Saturday,
February 6. For more information go to
RootsTech.org.
The
keynote speakers and offerings reflect the growing influence of family
history. Today multiple generations of all ages are engaging through
family storytelling and sharing memories within families using social
media and an expanding array of new technologies and mobile apps. The
opening session on February 4 will begin with Stephen T. Rockwood, who
is the managing director for the Family History Department of The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and President/CEO of FamilySearch
International.
Also featured is
Paula Williams Madison who
is chairman and CEO of Madison Media Management LLC, a Los Angeles
based media consultancy company with global reach. After her retirement
in 2011, Madison started doing research on her family lineage. She wrote
the book and produced a movie Finding Samuel Lowe: China, Jamaica,
Harlem in April 2015 about her experiences. A free screening of the
movie will be provided on Wednesday, February 3.
Bruce
Feiler is one of America’s most popular commentators about contemporary
life. He hosts the PBS series Walking the Bible and Sacred Journeys
with
Bruce Feiler.
He wrote The Secrets of Happy Families containing best practices for
busy parents from some of the country’s most creative minds. He has
appeared on many television shows on NRP, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and
others.
On Friday, February 5,
David Isay,
is a scheduled keynote. He’s the founder of StoryCorps, an
award-winning organization that provides people of all backgrounds and
beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve their life
stories. 50,000 interviews have been archived and preserved at the
American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. He has also written
several New York Times bestsellers, including Listening is an Act of
Love. He is a broadcaster and documentarian, and his research reveals
ways to tell great stories for the family historian.
Also on Friday, Josh and Naomi Davis, popular family bloggers known as
Love Taza,
will speak. On their blog, they relate their life with their three
children in bustling New York City. The blog has become a digital
destination viewed by millions around the world. People love the
inspiration about raising a family and the appreciation Naomi has for
life’s simple joys.
On Saturday, February 6,
Doris Kearns Goodwin is
a world-renowned presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning
author. She worked with Spielberg on the movie Lincoln, based in part on
her award winning Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham
Lincoln. She has written books about Frank and Eleanor Roosevelt, Lyndon
Johnson, and the Kennedys and shares her expertise and commentary on
many television shows. She has a PhD in government from Harvard and was
an assistant to Lyndon Johnson and has been a consultant in several PBS
and History Channel documentaries.
Also on Saturday,
Michael Leavitt,
a three-term former governor of Utah, will speak. He also served in
George W. Bush’s cabinet as an Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency and Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The second annual
Innovator Summit is
a one-day event on Wednesday, February 3, for developers,
entrepreneurs, and innovators from around the globe to explore, examine,
and discover business and technological opportunities within the family
history industry—a rapidly growing multibillion dollar industry.
Innovators from around the globe and from all industries will be
competing for a piece of the $100,000 in total cash and in-kind prizes.
The keynote speaker for this event will be
Ken Krogue,
an entrepreneur who has taken his business InsideSales.com from a small
beginning to a billion dollar industry. He will share his expertise
about social media and how to use the different forms effectively.
Along with the keynotes, RootsTech attendees will be able to hear from the
Crescent Super Band, featuring
Ryan Inness, and
Lower Lights, a popular gospel and folk band.
More information about speakers, entertainers, classes, and how to register at RootsTech can be found at
RootsTech.org.
