Speaking Engagements, Past & Future

Below are my upcoming & past speaking engagements. Please contact me (laradiamond AT gmail DOT com) if you’re interested in having me speak at an upcoming event.

Upcoming Talks

• "Uncovering Your Jewish Roots in the Russian Empire: A Guide to Research Resources ," IAJGS2024, August 2024
• "Uncovering the Past: Subcarpathian Jewish Research," IAJGS2024, August 2024
• "Western Ukraine: Subcarpathia," Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy Fall Virtual, October 2024  
  
• "JewishGen & JRI Poland: Resources & Indexes for Jewish Research & More," Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy Fall Virtual, October 2024 
  
• "Censuses, Revision Lists, City Directories, and other Residence Lists," Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy Fall Virtual, October 2024 
• "Defying Expectations: The Story of a Jewish Woman Who Took on the Russian Empire," JGSGW, November 17, 2024
  
• Details to Follow. Jewish Genealogical Society of Palm Beach County, January 19, 2025
  

Past Talks

• "Tying it all Together," Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, July 2024 
• "Exploring the Rich Diversity of Jewish Records," Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, July 2024  
• "Endogamy, Later Surname Adoption, And More: How Utilizing Jewish DNA for Genealogy is Different – Part 2," Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, July 2024 
• "Endogamy, Later Surname Adoption, And More: How Utilizing Jewish DNA for Genealogy is Different – Part 1," Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, July 2024  
• "Finding Family in the Old Country; Getting Creative When Records and Scarce," Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, July 2024 
• "Research in Subcarpathia (Zakarpattia, Ukraine)," Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, July 2024  
• "Research in the Russian Empire," Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, July 2024
• "Records Specific to the Jewish Community," Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh, July 2024
  
• "Defying Expectations: The Story of a Jewish Woman Who Took on the Russian Empire," JGS Pittsburgh / Heinz History Center,, June 2, 2024
• "Jewish Genealogy 101," JGS Pittsburgh / Heinz History Center, June 2, 2024
• "Tracing Our Jewish Legacy: Unveiling the Past through Genealogy Tales and Techniques," Shaare Torah Gaithersburg, May 16, 2024
• Maryland Genealogy Society Jewish Breakout Room, March 27, 2024
  
• "“Beyond Vital Records, Additional Sources to Trace Eastern European Ancestry,”  Jewish Genealogical Society of Palm Beach County, January 14, 2024 
• "Finding Relatives in Russian Empire Records for non-Russian Speakers," Jewish Genealogical Society of Oregon & San Francisco Jewish Genealogy Society, September 24, 2023
• "Defying Expectations: The Story of a Jewish Woman Who Took on the Russian Empire," Jewish Genealogical Society of Maryland, November 19, 2023
• "Uncovering Your Jewish Roots in the Russian Empire, New York State Family History Conference, September 8-10, 2023
• "Finding Relatives in Russian Empire Records for non-Russian Speakers," Jewish Genealogy Society of Long Island (JGSLI), April 30, 2022"
• Jewish Research in the Russian Empire," Jewish Genealogical Society of Palm Beach County, April 2023 
• "Leveraging the Power of J-Roots for Russian Empire Research," IGRA Webinar Series, January 15, 2023
• "Jewish Ukrainian Genealogy Research," Jewish Genealogical Society (of New York), November 20, 2022 
• "Ukrainian Genealogy Research," New York State Family History Conference, September 8-10, 2022
• Finding Family in Eastern Europe; Getting Creative When Records Are Scarce" New York State Family History Conference, September 8-10, 2022
• "Subcarpathian Research: Tracing a Family," IAJGS Conference, August 21-26, 2022 
• "Leveraging the Power of J-Roots for Russian Empire Research," IAJGS Conference, August 21-26, 2022 
• "JewishGen Sub-Carpathia," IAJGS Conference, August 21-26, 2022
• "Jewish Research in the Russian Empire," FEEFHS Conference, July 25-19, 2022
• "Beyond Vital Records," FEEFHS Conference, July 25-19, 2022
• "Finding Relatives in Russian Empire Records for non-Russian Speakers," FEEFHS Conference, July 25-19, 2022
• "Jewish Russian Empire Research: A Case Study from Chernihiv," Nashy Predki Conference, May 15, 2022
• "Finding Relatives, Even When Dealing with Endogamy," Upper Valley Jewish Genealogy Society, May 10, 2022 
• "How to Access & Use Jewish Ukrainian Records, "Jewish Roots in Ukraine: Context & Connection," April 3, 2022
  
• "Russian Empire Research: Tracing a Family," Jewish Genealogical Society of Maryland, February 2022
• "Jewish Genealogy: Context, Methods & Sources," (week-long course, co-taught with Emily Garber and Janette Silverman), Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), January 2022
• "Russian Empire Research: Tracing a Family,"  Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Washington, December 26, 2021
• "Movement Between Towns in Eastern Europe (aka Ancestral Towns May Not Have Been So Ancestral)," Capital Region Jewish Genealogical Society IN PERSON!!, December 12, 2021
• "Research in the Countries of the Former Russian Empire and USSR" (weekly course, co-taught with Joe Everett, Michelle Vance & Heather Stewart), SLIG Virtual, Fall 2021
• "Finding Family in Eastern Europe: Getting Creative When Records Are Scarce," Virtual Genealogical Association Conference, November 14, 2021
  
• "Beyond Vital Records:Eastern European Research," Jewish Genealogical Society of Long Island, October 24, 2021
  
• "Finding Relatives, Even When Dealing with Endogamy," IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, August 2021
• "Leveraging the Power of J-Roots for Russian Empire Research," IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, August 2021
• Special Program, The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, June 6, 2021
• "Leveraging the Power of J-Roots for Russian Empire Research,"  Jewish Genealogical Society of Maryland, April 25, 2021
• "Beyond Vital Records: Eastern European Research," The Genealogical Society of Greater Miami, March 15, 2021
• "Research in the Countries of the Former Russian Empire and USSR" (week-long course, co-taught with Joe Everett, Michelle Vance & Heather Stewart), Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), January 10-15, 2021
  
• "Finding Family in the Old Country: Getting Creative when Records are Scarce", Orange County Jewish Genealogical Society, December 20, 2020 
• "Jewish Genealogy 101," Nashi Predky Online Lecture Series, December 16, 2020 
• "Genetics and Jewishness: Jewish Identity from Maccabees to Mitochondria", Rodeph Sholom Congregation, December 15, 2020 
• "Endogamy: Considerations for Analyzing Jewish DNA for Genealogy", Greater Houston Jewish Genealogical Society, December 10, 2020 
• "Jewish Genealogy 101," Hadassah, October 20, 2021
  
• "Introduction to Jewish Genealogy" (week-long course, co-taught with Emily Garber & Janette Silverman), Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP), July 19-24, 2020
  
• "Beyond Vital Records - Additional Sources to Trace Eastern European Ancestry," Fairfax Genealogical Society, May 31, 2020 (moved to webinar)
  
• Intro to Jewish Genealogy, BYU Family History Library Webinar Series, May 20, 2020 
  
• "Finding Relatives in Russian Empire Records for non-Russian Speakers", New York Genealogical & Biographical Society, March 29, 2020
• "Jewish Genealogy 101", New York Genealogical & Biographical Society, March 22, 2020
• "Jewish Genealogy--How to Start, Where to Look, What's Available," RootsTech 2020, February 2020
• "Finding Relatives in Russian Empire Records for non-Russian Speakers," RootsTech 2020, February 2020
• "Jewish Genealogy 101" Jewish Genealogical Society of Maryland, January 26, 2020 
• "DNA Successes in (and In Spite Of) Endogamy," Jewish Genealogy Society of Southwest Florida (Sarasota), January 19, 2020 
• "Finding Relatives in Russian Empire Records for non-Russian Speakers," Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Washington, December 15, 2019  
• "Genes, Genealogy & Judaism," Temple Shaarey Tefila, Bedford Corners (Westchester), NY, December 8, 2019 
• "Finding Relatives in Russian Empire Records for non-Russian Speakers," Jewish Genealogical Society of Maryland, November 24, 2019 
• Webinar:  "Movement Between Towns in Eastern Europe, Nashi Predky Online Lecture Series, November 14, 2019 
• "Introduction to Jewish Genealogy," Historical Society of Harford County (MD) Genealogy Weekend, October 13, 2019 
• "Ask the Experts," Jewish Genealogical Society of Maryland, August 25, 2019  
• "Beyond Vital Records - Additional Sources to Trace Eastern European Ancestry," August 23, 2019, Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference, Washington, DC 
• "Success In--And in Spite Of--Endogamy," August 23, 2019, Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference, Washington, DC
• "Jewish Genealogy - Where to Start and What's Available," August 21, 2019, Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference, Washington, DC
• "Genetic Genealogy 101," IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, July 2019, Cleveland
• "Finding Relatives, Even When Dealing with Endogamy," IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, July 2019, Cleveland
• "Finding Relatives in Russian Empire Records for non-Russian Speaker," IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, July 2019, Cleveland
• "Including and Beyond Vital Records - Resources Used Reconstructing a Family," IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, July 2019, Cleveland
• Midwest Conference on Jewish Genealogy, June 2, 2019 
• "Leveraging the Power of GedMatch"
• "Introduction to Genetic Genealogy: Working With Your DNA Results"
• "Autosomal DNA Tools & Techniques: Beyond GedMatch"
• DNA Successes in (and In Spite Of) Endogamy, Jewish Genealogical Society of Greater Boston, May 5, 2019 
• Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Orlando, March 17, 2019 
• "DNA Successes In--And in Spite of--Endogamy," The Jewish Genealogical Society of the Conejo Valley and Ventura County, Thousand Oaks, CA, March 3, 2019 
• Two DNA talks, Northeast Indiana Jewish Genealogy Society at the Allen County Public Library, February 17, 2019 
• "Tracing your Jewish Roots," Shira Hadassah Baltimore, February 12, 2019
• "DNA Successes In--And in Spite of--Endogamy," Jewish Genealogy Society of Miami, February 10, 2019
• "Introduction to Jewish Genealogy, Anshei Chesed, Boynton Beach, FL, February 9, 2019 
• "Genetic Genealogy 101," Jewish Genealogical Society of Philadelphia, January 27, 2019
• "DNA Successes In--And in Spite of--Endogamy," Jewish Genealogical Society of Los Angeles, January 20, 2019
• "Genetic Genealogy 101," Jewish Genealogy Society of Maryland, December 16, 2018
• "DNA Successes In--And in Spite of--Endogamy," Jewish Genealogical Society of Washington State, December 10, 2018
• "DNA Successes In--And Despite of--Endogamy," Joint talk between the Jewish Genealogical Society (of New York) and JewishGen, November 18, 2018
• Journey Through Ukraine, Fairfax Genealogical Society, Fairfax, VA, November 15, 2018 
• Two DNA sessions ("Genetic Genealogy 101" & "DNA Successes In--And In Spite of--Endogamy"), JGS Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio, November 11, 2018 
• All-Day Seminar, JGS Colorado, Denver, Colorado, November 4, 2018 
• Jewish Genealogy: Where to Start & What's Available
• DNA Successes In--And In Spite of--Endogamy
• Genealogy Research in Ukraine
•  Reconstructing Rutners: Tracing a Family through Changing Borders & Languages
• "Reconnecting the Rutners," IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, August 2018, Warsaw
• "DNA Successes In--And in Spite of--Endogamy," IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, August 2018, Warsaw
• "Reconnecting the Rutners," SecondLife Virtual Genealogical Society, June 10, 2018
• "DNA Successes In--And In Spite of--Endogamy," Pittsburgh, PA, May 13, 2018
• "Genetic Genealogy 101," Valencia Lakes Genealogy Club, Boynton Beach, FL, April 3, 2018 
• "DNA Successes In--And in Spite of--Endogamy," Utah Genealogical Association's DNA Special Interest Group, March 20, 2018
• “Real-World Examples of the Frustrations of Endogamy,” RootsTech, Feb 28, 2018 (Salt Lake City, UT)
• “Real-World Examples of the Frustrations of Endogamy,” Arizona Jewish Historical Society's Phoenix Jewish Genealogy Group, Feb 25, 2018 (Scottsdale, AZ)
• “Real-World Examples of the Frustrations of Endogamy,” Fairfax Genealogical Society, February 22, 2018 (Vienna, VA)
• "Success Stories in the Context of Endogamy," I4GG, December 10, 2017 (San Diego, CA)
• "Journey through Ukraine," Jewish Genealogy Society of Greater Washington, October 15, 2017
• “Real-World Examples of the Frustrations of Endogamy,” IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, July 2017 (Orlando, FL)
•  “Ancestral Towns May Not Have been So Ancestral,” IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, July 2017 (Orlando, FL)
•  "Journey to Ukraine," Washington DC Family History Center Eastern European Group, June 15, 2017 (Kensington, MD)
• “Real-World Examples of the Frustrations of Endogamy,” SCGC Genealogy Jamboree DNA Day, June 8, 2017 (Burbank, CA)
•  “Real-World Examples of the Frustrations of Endogamy,” Association for Professional Genealogists' Second Life Chapter, May 11, 2017.
• "Genealogy Research In Ukraine," Jewish Genealogy Society of Palm Beach County, April 13, 2017
• “Real-World Examples of the Frustrations of Endogamy,” Jewish Genealogy Society of Maryland, February 26, 2017
• “Genealogy Research in Ukraine,” Jewish Genealogy Society of Connecticut, February 19, 2017
• “Jewish Genealogy: Where to Start & What’s Available,” RootsTech (also Livestreamed and available online), February 9, 2017
• “Ukraine by Train (and Taxi),” Jewish Genealogy Society of Maryland, December 18, 2016
• “Jewish Genealogy—How To Start, Where to Look, and the Breadth of What’s Available,” Kol Shalom Sisterhood, September 2016
• “Jewish Genealogy—How To Start, Where to Look, and the Breadth of What’s Available,” Fairfax (VA) Genealogical Society, September 2016
• “Jewish Genealogy—How To Start, Where to Look, and the Breadth of What’s Available,” Beth Israel Sisterhood, September 2016
• “Movement Between Towns in Eastern Europe (aka Ancestral Towns May Not Have Been So Ancestral),” IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, August 2016
• “Jewish Genealogy Research in Ukraine,” Ontario Genealogy Society Conference, June 2016
• “Movement Between Towns in Eastern Europe (aka Ancestral Towns May Not Have Been So Ancestral),” Ontario Genealogy Society Conference, June 2016
• “Movement Between Towns in Eastern Europe (aka Ancestral Towns May Not Have Been So Ancestral),” Jewish Genealogy Society of Maryland, March 2016
• “Jewish Genealogy: How to Start, Where to Look, What’s Available,” Anne Arundel Genealogy Society, March 2016
• “JewishGen Basics,” RootsTech, February 2016
• “Jewish Genealogy Research in Ukraine,” JGS Greater Philadelphia, December 2015
• “Jewish Genealogy—How To Start, Where to Look, and the Breadth of What’s Available,” Central Jersey Jewish Genealogists, August 2015
• “Jewish Genealogy—How To Start, Where to Look, and the Breadth of What’s Available,” Jewish Genealogy Society of Maryland, July 2015
• “It Isn’t All Online—Getting Away from Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage and Finding the Best Stories,” IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, Jerusalem, July 2015
• “Finding a Family’s Town: A Case Study,” JGS Maryland, November 2014
• “Beyond Ancestry.com: It Isn't All Online!” JGS Maryland, November 2014
• “Jewish Genealogy--How to Start, Where to Look, What's Available,” IAJGS International Conference on Jewish Genealogy, Salt Lake City, July 2014
• "Ukrainian Document Acquisition Strategies,” JGS Maryland, May 2014
• “Jewish Genealogy in Ten Slides or Less,” JGS Maryland, October 2013