Join FamilyTreeDNA at RootsTech 2026!
We’re excited to share our full schedule of booth talks and class sessions taking place throughout the conference. Booth talks are presented twice, so you won’t miss your opportunity to attend.
Plan your RootsTech 2026 experience with our complete schedule and make sure you don’t miss out on all that we have to offer!
Visit Us at Booth #419
Find us in the Expo Hall at Booth #419 for live booth talks, one-on-one consultations with our expert genetic genealogists, daily raffle drawings, and exclusive discounts on DNA tests, bundles, and upgrades. Whether you’re just getting started or breaking through advanced brick walls, our team is ready to help you move your research forward.
We’re located just to the left of the FamilySearch booth, directly behind the RootsTech welcome area.
Live Booth Talks
Explore booth talks designed for genealogists at every level. Dig deeper into DNA methodology, discover practical ways to apply genetic tools to your family history, and walk through reports with the experts who helped design them.
15-Minute Consultations with FamilyTreeDNA Experts
Have questions about your DNA results? Sign up for a 15-minute consultation and sit down with one of our experts for personalized guidance. We’ll review your results together and help you identify next steps in your research.
Consultations are first come, first served during Expo Hall hours. Please bring your kit number and your questions to make the most of your time.
Five Chances to Win: Daily Booth Talk Raffles
Every booth talk you attend earns you an entry into our daily raffle drawings. We’ll hold two drawings on Thursday, two on Friday, and one final drawing on Saturday.
Prizes include Family Finder, mtFull Sequence, Big Y-700, and more. Attend multiple talks to increase your chances of winning.
Winners must be present to claim their prize. Check the schedule below for raffle drawing times.
Plan Your RootsTech Experience
Use the schedule below to plan your time with FamilyTreeDNA at RootsTech 2026. Live-streamed sessions are clearly marked, and raffle drawings are noted so you don’t miss your chance to win.
Time
MST
Class Sessions Schedule
All sessions are one hour each.
8:00 AM
1 HR LIVE
New Englanders to Nova Scotia, Canada: Soldiers, Settlers and Refugees
David Allen Lambert
Ballroom E
9:00 AM
Expo Hall Opens
30 MIN
The Year in Y-DNA and What’s New for Your Research
Katy Rowe-Schurwanz
9:30 AM
1 HR LIVE
DNA Swim School – Part 1: Floating with One DNA Match
Diahan Southard
Ballroom B
10:00 AM
30 MIN
Set Your Account Up for Success Before You Receive Your DNA Results
Christina Clark
11:00 AM
30 MIN
Bennett’s Big Y Chromosomal Time Machine: How Deep Y-DNA Testing Transforms Genealogy Research
Bennett Greenspan
1 HR LIVE
General Session
Marlee Matlin
Main Hall
12:00 PM
30 MIN
The Year in mtDNA and What’s New for Your Research
Katy Rowe-Schurwanz
12:45 PM
Raffle Drawing & Giveaway
1:00 PM
30 MIN
What High-Resolution Y-DNA Haplogroups Mean for Your Research
Haydar Alyassery
1:30 PM
1 HR FAMILYTREEDNA
DNA Group Projects: Bringing Your Family Together Through Research
Mags Gaulden
Room 155 BC
2:00 PM
30 MIN
Strengthening Revolutionary-Era Lineage Research with DNA Evidence
Katherine Borges
3:00 PM
30 MIN
Using DNA Group Projects to Break Through Genealogy Brick Walls
Janine Cloud
1 HR LIVE FAMILYTREEDNA
Illuminating Our Ancestors: Are We Done Peering Through The Keyhole?
Dave Vance
Live Webinar
4:00 PM
30 MIN
Choosing the Right Y-DNA Test Level for Your Research
Mags Gaulden
4:30 PM
1 HR
Mitochondrial DNA to Z: My Results Are Back, Now What?
Roberta Estes
Room 151
5:00 PM
30 MIN
mtDNA 101: Make Sense of Your mtFull Sequence Matches and What They Reveal
Katy Rowe-Schurwanz
5:30 PM
Night at the Expo Hall Begins
30 MIN
Big Y 101: Explore Your Big Y-700 Reports and Identify Key Clues
Dave Vance
6:00 PM
Raffle Drawing & Giveaway
Expo Hall Closes
8:00 AM
1 HR FAMILYTREEDNA
Digging into DNA: How Ancient Samples Reveal Your Modern Heritage
Katy Rowe-Schurwanz
Room 255 A
9:00 AM
Expo Hall Opens
30 MIN
Set Your Account Up for Success Before You Receive Your DNA Results
Christina Clark
9:30 AM
1 HR LIVE
RootsTech Innovation and Tech Forum 2026
Dave Vance
Main Hall
10:00 AM
30 MIN
The Year in Y-DNA and What’s New for Your Research
Katy Rowe-Schurwanz
11:00 AM
30 MIN
Strengthening Revolutionary-Era Lineage Research with DNA Evidence
Katherine Borges
1 HR LIVE
General Session
Tara Roberts
Main Hall
12:00 PM
30 MIN
Bennett’s Big Y Chromosomal Time Machine: How Deep Y-DNA Testing Transforms Genealogy Research
Bennett Greenspan
12:45 PM
Raffle Drawing & Giveaway
1:00 PM
30 MIN
mtDNA 101: Make Sense of Your mtFull Sequence Matches and What They Reveal
Katy Rowe-Schurwanz
1:30 PM
1 HR LIVE FAMILYTREEDNA
Mapping Maternal Connections: Where Science Meets Genealogy on the mtDNA Tree of Humankind
Roberta Estes
Ballroom A
2:00 PM
30 MIN
Choosing the Right Y-DNA Test Level for Your Research
Mags Gaulden
2:30 PM
Greenlight Special
3:00 PM
30 MIN
What High-Resolution Y-DNA Haplogroups Mean for Your Research
Haydar Alyassery
1 HR LIVE
AI & Family History: Foundations & First Steps: Mastering AI Basics for Genealogy
Steve Little
Ballroom B
4:00 PM
30 MIN
Using DNA Group Projects to Break Through Genealogy Brick Walls
Janine Cloud
4:30 PM
1 HR
A Toboggan Ride Through Canadian Records
Lianne Kruger
Room 155 D
5:00 PM
30 MIN
Big Y 101: Explore Your Big Y-700 Reports and Identify Key Clues
Dave Vance
5:30 PM
Raffle Drawing & Giveaway
6:00 PM
Expo Hall Closes
1 HR LIVE FAMILYTREEDNA
Reviving Hidden Branches: A Genetic Study of George Washington’s Extended Family Tree
Sherman McRae
Live Webinar
8:00 AM
1 HR LIVE
DNA Analysis Methodology: Defeat the Genealogy Gremlin
Karen Stanbary
Room 255 EF
9:00 AM
Expo Hall Opens
30 MIN
Bennett’s Big Y Chromosomal Time Machine: How Deep Y-DNA Testing Transforms Genealogy Research
Bennett Greenspan
9:30 AM
1 HR
Successful Online Genealogical Searching
Kelli Berheimer
Room 255 D
10:00 AM
30 MIN
Choosing the Right Y-DNA Test Level for Your Research
Mags Gaulden
11:00 AM
30 MIN
The Year in mtDNA and What’s New for Your Research
Katy Rowe-Schurwanz
1 HR LIVE
General Session
Steve Young
Main Hall
12:00 PM
30 MIN
What High-Resolution Y-DNA Haplogroups Mean for Your Research
Haydar Alyassery
12:45 PM
Raffle Drawing & Giveaway
1:30 PM
1 HR FAMILYTREEDNA
Big Y for Real-World Genealogy: Using Case Studies to Demostrate Y-DNA Tools
Janine Cloud
Room 155 BC
1 HR LIVE
The Future of AI in Genealogy
Dave Vance
Ballroom A
3:00 PM
Expo Hall Closes
1 HR LIVE
DNA Swim School – Part 3: Swimming Toward Your Ancestors
Diahan Southard
Ballroom B
Attending Virtually?
If you’re joining RootsTech 2026 online, we’ve got you covered. Live-streamed sessions are marked with a LIVE badge in the schedule above. At the scheduled time, simply click the “Watch [Speaker’s Name]’s Class” button to access the livestream through the RootsTech platform.
Each live session includes a chat feature, giving you the opportunity to connect with fellow attendees, FamilyTreeDNA team members, and volunteers while engaging in real-time throughout the presentation.
For a full overview of our virtual experience—including additional resources, demos, and how to participate—visit our RootsTech 2026 Virtual Guide.
About Our Speakers
Our speakers include leading experts in Y-DNA, mtDNA, and autosomal research. Whether you’re just getting started or diving deep into advanced analysis, there’s something for every genealogist.
All booth talks listed in the schedule are presented by members of the FamilyTreeDNA team. Conference sessions marked with a FAMILYTREEDNA badge are sponsored by FamilyTreeDNA.
Additional sessions listed may feature respected researchers and industry experts participating in the broader RootsTech program.
Stay Connected Throughout RootsTech
Use this page to follow along throughout the event. Bookmark it for easy access, add sessions to your RootsTech schedule, and make the most of your time with FamilyTreeDNA.
Attending with friends or colleagues? Share this page so they can plan their schedule too. Be sure to follow us on social media for live updates from the expo floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are booth talks recorded?
We’re hoping to record our booth talks this year due to popular demand from RootsTech 2025. If recordings become available, we’ll share updates on our social channels and YouTube.
Follow us on social and subscribe on YouTube to stay in the loop.
Will live session recordings be available after the conference?
RootsTech recordings are typically released a few weeks after the event. If you miss a live class, you should be able to rewatch it once it’s published after the conference.
During the event itself, the only live sessions that are replayed are the RootsTech General Sessions.
Do I need a RootsTech pass to attend?
Access depends on your RootsTech registration type and whether you’re attending in person or virtually. For the most accurate details, refer to RootsTech registration information within your RootsTech account.
How do I add sessions to my RootsTech schedule?
From the RootsTech schedule page, you can add the classes you want to your personal schedule tied to the FamilySearch account you used to register for RootsTech:
RootsTech Schedule Page
For a step-by-step breakdown, check out our virtual guide:
FamilyTreeDNA Virtual Guide