RootsTech Keynote Comic Maysoon Zayid

 Improbable Comic Maysoon Zayid Brings Her Powerful and Hilarious Story to RootsTech 2022

 

9 February 2022, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH— Maysoon Zayid bills herself as a comedian, actress, disability advocate, and tap dancer. What she is, is an inspiration. Injured at birth, Maysoon grew up with cerebral palsy. Doctors told her parents she would never walk, so she learned to dance. “You can do it! Yes, you cancan,” her father would tell her, and she never stopped believing it. Her powerful story, told in her unique, hilarious style is sure to delight the worldwide online audience attending RootsTech 2022 (March 3-5, 2022). Register for free at RootsTech 2022 to watch Maysoon.

Maysoon grew up in New Jersey with more than a few potential strikes against her. “In the oppression Olympics I would win a gold medal. I’m Palestinian, I’m Muslim, I’m a woman of color, I’m divorced, I’m disabled, and I am childless with a cat named ‘Beyonce’,” she says with a grin.

But as fate would have it, she was surrounded by immigrant parents, three older sisters, and a nurturing support system, including her Palestinian grandparents and extended family, that set her feet on a path of confidence and achievement. “My disability should have been isolating. The only reason it wasn’t isolating was because I was really blessed and lucky to have a community that supported me, didn’t bully me, didn’t make fun of me, [and] always included me,” said Maysoon.

In the intervening years Maysoon earned a degree in acting from Arizona State University, became a Princeton Fellow, and co-founded and co-executive produced the New York Arab American Comedy Festival and The Muslim Funny Fest. She has been a full-time On Air Contributor to Countdown with Keith Olbermann and a columnist for The Daily Beast. She has appeared on Oprah Winfrey Networks’ In Deep Shift, 60 Minutes, and ABC News. Maysoon had the most viewed TED Talk of 2014 and was named one of 100 Women 2015 by the BBC.

According to her online bio, as a professional comedian Maysoon has performed in top New York clubs and has toured extensively at home and abroad. She was a headliner on the Arabs Gone Wild Comedy Tour and The Muslims Are Coming Tour. Maysoon appeared alongside Adam Sandler in You Don’t Mess with the Zohan and has written for VICE. She limped in New York Fashion Week, is a recurring character on General Hospital, and is the author of Audible’s Find Another Dream.

But of all her accomplishments, she says the legacy she hopes to leave is one of equality, specifically for people with disabilities.

“The biggest thing that my Palestinian heritage did was it created a deep love and dedication to equality. And I think the most influential part of growing up with, you know, kind of one crooked leg in each world was knowing that equality works, it’s worth it, and it’s worth fighting for.”

To enjoy more of Maysoon’s fascinating story, and the rest of RootsTech 2022 for free, register today at RootsTech.org.

Find and share this announcement in the FamilySearch Newsroom.

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About RootsTech 2022

RootsTech welcomes millions of people worldwide to celebrate family at the world’s largest family history conference and year-long learning platform. With thousands of classes, inspiring speakers, meaningful activities, and joyful connections, RootsTech brings the human family together like no other event. The conference is 100% virtual and 100% free. Learn more at www.rootstech.org.

About FamilySearch.org

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. FamilySearch is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services each month to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch and its predecessors have been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 5,000 family history centers in 129 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

RootsTech 2022 Keynote Speaker - Food Network Star Molly Yeh

https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/molly-yeh-keynote-rootstech-2022

Chef Molly Yeh has been added to the lineup of Keynote Speakers at the upcoming RootsTech Virtual 2022 Conference from March 3 - 5, 2022. 

Quoting from the above blog post,

Molly Yeh is known for being the star of a Food Network series where she shares the very best of her recipes inspired by her Jewish and Chinese heritage. Her first cookbook won the Judges’ Choice IACP Cookbook Award in 2017, and her food blog regularly welcomes tens of thousands of visitors each month. She is also an accomplished musician with a degree in percussion performance from Juilliard.

Molly is a great example of someone who is proud of her heritage and shares it with others. She said, "It's so important to choose connection beyond family because we live among tons of other people; we share a planet with billions of other people." For her, cooking is the first step in that journey. "I want other people to experience the joy of cooking: feeding people who I love and creating those memories and traditions around it," she explained.

This year, Molly Yeh will be a keynote speaker at RootsTech! Join us at RootsTech 2022 on 3–5 March to listen to her delicious keynote address.

RootsTech 2022 Keynote Speaker - Apollonia Poilâne Shares Recipe to Connect Family

 https://www.familysearch.org/en/newsroom/apollonia-poilane-rootstech-connect-2022

Chef Apollonia Poilâne has been added to the lineup of Keynote Speakers at the upcoming RootsTech Virtual 2022 Conference from March 3 - 5, 2022. 

Quoting from the above blog post,

“Bread Links People,” Says Third-Generation Owner of Paris’ Most-famous Bakery

It is a story about tragedy, resilience, vision, and triumph. But mostly it is a story about family, connected through generations by a special loaf of sourdough bread known worldwide as pain Poilâne. Apollonia Poilâne, the third-generation owner of Paris’ most-famous bakery, will share her remarkable family story with a global online audience as a keynote speaker during RootsTech Connect 2022, the world’s largest family history conference, March 3–5, 2022. Register for free today at RootsTech.org.

“Bread links people. I love the bond it creates when people share it,” says Apollonia, who was literally raised in the bakery started by her grandfather Pierre Poilâne in 1932. She worked in the family business as a child and began a formal 9-month apprenticeship to learn the art of bread making in her late teens. Then tragedy struck. Her father, Lionel Poilâne, whose innovative spirit and relentless commitment to quality made the Poilâne brand world-renowned, and her mother, Irena Poilâne, an American architect and art gallery owner, were both killed in a helicopter crash.

Orphaned with her younger sister, Athena, at the tender age of 18, Apolonia was faced with a decision. Gifted with a winning combination of her father’s vision and determination, and her mother’s artistic flair, she chose to carry on her family’s legacy. But she did not abandon her dream of a college education and for several years ran the business remotely while she earned an economics degree from Harvard University.

Today she is leading what can only be described as a baking empire, producing tens of thousands of the signature loaf each month, along with a variety of other culinary treats. Building on her family legacy, Apollonia has added many new mouth-watering items to the company’s offerings, written or contributed more than a dozen books, and produced online baking classes. Customers hail from down the street, and across the world, yet quality is still the chief ingredient of every hand-crafted loaf of bread, cookie, and pastry.

Learn more about her amazing story firsthand and what is next for this extraordinary entrepreneur by registering for RootsTech Connect 2022 today at RootsTech.org and joining us for the virtual event March 3–5, 2022!

RootsTech 2022 Keynote Speaker - Making Connections Is No Act for Golden Globe Winner Matthew Modine

 https://www.familysearch.org/en/newsroom/matthew-modine-rootstech-2022-keynote

Golden Globe winner Matthew Modine has been added to the lineup of Keynote Speakers at the upcoming RootsTech Virtual 2022 Conference from March 3 - 5, 2022. 

Quoting from the above blog post:

Aspiring actor Matthew Modine was working as a chef in a New York City restaurant frequented by the city’s elites when a chance encounter with one particular customer changed his life.

“I’d never seen any creature like her in my life, and I just fell in love at first sight,” he said of Caridad Rivera, now his wife of more than 40 years, whom he credits for giving him the confidence to become one of the most successful actors of our time.

Another chance encounter with FamilySearch International CEO Steve Rockwood led the star of films such as Full Metal Jacket and the Netflix hit series Stranger Things to an invitation to share his stories of human connection with a worldwide RootsTech Connect 2022 audience on March 3–5, 2022.

“Can we create, as a human being, a little ripple of positivity and goodness that will impact other peoples’ [ripples]?” he asked. “And my ripple will connect with another ripple and create a great wave of change. That’s how you connect to people…don’t think that you’re above anybody else.”

At RootsTech Modine will recount his life’s journey as a young boy in California and Utah, share his delightful discovery how New York City is actually more of a homeland than an adopted home, and the connections he’s made along the way, including a special connection with an uncle whose US Air Force uniform Modine wore as a B-17 captain in Memphis Belle.

Enjoy more of Matthew Modine’s heartwarming story by registering for RootsTech Connect 2022 today for free at RootsTech.org, and by joining the virtual event March 3–5, 2022!

RootsTech 2022 Key Note Speaker - “We Are One People” Says 3-Time World Champion Boxer Samuel Azumah Nelson

 https://www.familysearch.org/en/newsroom/samuel-azumah-zoom-zoom-nelson-rootstech-2022

3-Time World Champion Boxer Samuel Azumah Nelson has been added to the lineup of Keynote Speakers at the upcoming RootsTech Virtual 2022 Conference from March 3 - 5, 2022. 

Quoting from the above blog post, 

Boxing is a sport that demands grit and determination, but those characteristics don’t appear from nowhere. Just ask Africa’s greatest boxing legend, Samuel Azumah Nelson and a RootsTech 2022 keynote speaker (3–5 March 2022). He credits his ancestors for endowing him with the qualities that carried him to 3 featherweight world championships and a place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

“I need to show you where my courage and determination to succeed came from” he declared. “I am a proud Ghanaian with a Tabon DNA, power, and spirit. You must be interested in your family history and to live the values it represents.”

There’s a lot behind the Tabon affiliation that is a major part of Azumah’s story for attendees of RootsTech 2022 (March 3–5, 2022). The Tabon people were former slaves in Brazil. With the abolishment of slavery in the late 1800s, 7 families banded together and made their way back to the homelands from which their ancestors had been taken. The Asuman family, who later changed their name to Nelson, were among the leaders of the group.

 You can register now for free at RootsTech.org. 

RootsTech Connect 2021 Announces First of Keynote Speakers

 

RootsTech Connect 2021 Keynotes

RootsTech Connect 2021—the world’s largest family celebration event—announced its first wave of keynote speakers hailing from Australia, Italy, Mexico, and the United States. Speakers include New York Times bestselling author and international motivational speaker, Nick Vujicic; Lorena Ochoa of Mexico, a retired top female world golfer; Francesco Lotoro of Italy, musician, composer and collector of music composed in captivity during the Holocaust; and Sharon Leslie Morgan, author and genealogist dedicated to promoting healing by providing resources for African American genealogical research.

RootsTech Connect, February 25–27, 2021, is a free online conference to discover, share, and celebrate family and heritage connections.

ROOTSTECH CONNECT 2021 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Nick Vujicic was born in Melbourne, Australia. With no medical explanation or warning, Nick came into the world with neither arms nor legs. He has overcome his disabilities and has achieved remarkable goals despite them. By age 19 he started fulfilling his dream of encouraging others through their personal challenges. He has spoken live to 6.5 million people live in more than 65 countries, met with 21 presidents, and addressed 9 governments. His New York Times best seller, Unstoppable, is now published in more than 30 languages. Vujicic now lives in California with his wife and 4 children. (Read more about Nick Vujicic).

Lorena Ochoa is best known as the top-ranked female golfer in the world for 157 consecutive weeks in the LPGA. As the first Mexican golfer of either gender with such a ranking, she is considered the best Mexican golfer and Best Latin American female golfer of all time."Knowing your past is very important to understand who you are," said Ochoa. "The work that FamilySearch and RootsTech Connect does is incredible. I know more about my story than I would have ever imagined."

Ochoa has received numerous prestigious awards. She now hosts her own tournament bringing the professional elite to golf in Mexico. Among many altruistic pursuits, she has started a foundation focused on educating low-income children. In November 2012, she published her book, Dream Big, sharing the goals from her childhood that set her on that course. Lorena is the mother of 3 young children, and lives with her husband, Andres Conesa, in Mexico City. (Read more about Lorena Ochoa).

Francesco Lotoro is an Italian pianist, composer, conductor, and professor at the Umberto Giordano Music Conservatory in Foggia, Italy. For the past 30 years, he has worked tirelessly to recover, study, archive, execute, record, and promote tens of thousands of remarkable musical scores composed by prisoners in concentration camps. He is currently working on a multi-volume encyclopedia dedicated to music written in concentration camps and to the related composers with the goal for it to “become a historic, artistic, cultural and spiritual treasure for all.” For his efforts, Lotoro has received widespread interest and recognition throughout Europe and North America. (Read more about Francesco Lotoro).

Sharon Leslie Morgan has devoted her career to support African American genealogical research. She founded Our Black Ancestry (OBA), an online community to provide resources for African American genealogical research, preserve historical materials and properties, and promote healing of wounds that are a legacy of slavery. OBA is a partner with FamilySearch on the ROAR (Reclaiming Our African Roots) Project.

A staunch advocate of racial justice, Morgan has co-authored several books including Gather at the Table: The Healing Journey of a Daughter of Slavery and a Son of the Slave Trade, and she works with organizations that promote this work. She has received prestigious awards for her efforts to help others with this research and make connections to provide healing.

“I believe genealogy is a tool for healing from America's egregious past and a shining light on a pathway toward a society that embraces equality and justice for all,” said Morgan. “RootsTech Connect 2021 is an unparalleled opportunity to celebrate humanity in all of its colors, cultures, and creeds."  (Read more about Sharon Leslie Morgan).

Register for RootsTech Connect 2021 for free at RootsTech.org.

RELATED

In-depth with RootsTech 2021 Keynote Speakers

About RootsTech

RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants worldwide. RootsTech Connect 2021 is free and will be entirely online.

Press Release: SLC RootsTech 2020 Keynote Speakers

January

21,

2020

RootsTech 2020 Announces Lineup of Keynote Speakers and Entertainment

From football fans to photography buffs, everyone will cheer at the dynamic lineup of keynote speakers and entertainment at the 10^th year of RootsTech 2020, the world’s largest family history conference. Speakers include Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys, Leigh Anne Tuohy of The Blind Side, and Pulitzer Prize winner and White House photographer, David Hume Kennerly, and comedian Ryan Hamilton. RootsTech will be held on February 26-29, 2020, at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The RootsTech 2020 theme is "The Story of You." The conference offers classes for all ability levels—from newbies to serious researchers—to help individuals make personal and family discoveries and connections. Classes include subjects such as DNA, helpful tools for organization and discovery, best practices for protecting and preserving photos and the latest technology for collecting and sharing family stories.

General Session, Wednesday, February 26, 4:30 p.m. MDT

This opening session will celebrate 10 years of the RootsTech conference and the great strides made within the industry. Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch International, is the featured speaker. He will highlight the great innovations and developments in the industry, and the exciting future of family discovery anticipated in the next decade.

Keynote Speaker, Thursday, February 27, 11:00 a.m. MDT

Leigh Anne Tuohy will be the featured RootsTech keynote speaker on Thursday. Touhy’s inspirational story was popularized by the book and film, “The Blind Side”. The story depicts the life-changing experience of the Tuohy family when they adopted teen Michael Oher—homeless and hopeless—and witnessed him complete his education and rise to become a first round NFL draft pick, All-American, and Super Bowl champion.

“Her story captured hearts across the country, and it demonstrates the type of person she is. She has a powerful understanding of the meaning of family, inclusion, and supporting one another. Her message is perfect for the RootsTech stage,” said Jen Allen, event director.

Keynote Speaker, Friday, February 28, 11:00 a.m. MDT 

David Hume Kennerly will be the Friday keynote speaker. At age 25 he won the Pulitzer Prize in Journalism for Feature Photography. His photos have appeared on more than 50 major magazine covers and range in subject from 10 United States presidents and 12 presidential campaigns to documenting history in over a hundred countries. In 2015, Politico published his introspective photo essay, “I Want to Be with the Circus”, covering 50 years of campaign photography. It became one of the most widely viewed stories in the site’s history. Today, he maintains a busy publishing and lecturing schedule.

Evening Event Friday, February 28 at 8:00 p.m. MDT

Stand-up comedian, Ryan Hamilton, will perform on Friday evening. Known for his clean, endearing humor, he pokes fun at his flaws and tells relatable stories of growing up in rural Idaho before moving to New York. Hamilton is popular on the New York City Comedy circuit and late-night TV. He recently launched a Netflix special, “Happy Face.”

Keynote Speaker, Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. MDT

Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and the only running back to win a Super Bowl championship, the NFL MVP award, the NFL rushing crown, and the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award in the same season, will be the keynote speaker on Saturday morning.

“Emmitt is a passionate individual and one of the best examples of determination and grit—two traits that are often found in many of our ancestral stories, including Emmitt’s,” said Allen.

Today Smith supports his charities for underserved youth and is a successful entrepreneur with interests in real estate, construction and technology.

RootsTech 2020 SLC Classes

With 300+ breakout sessions and classes and 200 exhibitor booths in the 200,000 square foot Expo Hall, there’s something for everyone. Select classes will be broadcast live. RootsTech also offers a virtual pass, which provides access to additional online recorded sessions from the conference.

New this year is a Power Hour (smaller classes split into three 15-minute segments), Lunch and Learn (featuring a speaker and a yummy boxed lunch), and two new learning forums.

Register today! One day passes are only $99, and 4 day passes just $189. And don't forget to follow us on social media for upcoming announcements. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About RootsTech

RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants.

RootsTech London Keynotes

The final Keynote speaker for RootsTech 2019 London was announced this morning. For those who will be there, or still thinking about going, here is the lineup! I know I am looking forward to hearing from the UK Celebrities Dan Snow and Nick Barratt. I have seen them in several programs and would love to hear their family stories.

Dan Snow: Dan Snow is a historian, broadcaster and television presenter. He was born and raised in London, and remembers spending every weekend of his childhood being taken to castles, battlefields, country houses and churches. He developed a great love of history which he went on to pursue at Oxford University. While there he also rowed in the Boat Race three times. He left Oxford and immediately started presenting military history programs with his father, Peter Snow. Their series, “Battlefield Britain”, won a BAFTA award. He went on to make programs around the world on a range of historical topics. He has presented shows such as “Armada”, “Grand Canyon” and “Vikings”. He has a regular slot on the ONE show on BBC1 and is also part of the BBC Events team presenting anniversary programs commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and the landings at Gallipoli in 2015. He has written or contributed to several books including ‘Death or Victory;’ the story of the siege of Quebec in 1759, ‘The World's Greatest Twentieth Century Battlefields’ and most recently ‘The Battle of Waterloo Experience’.

Donny Osmond: Osmond’s successful career as an entertainer has spanned 5 decades. He is known internationally for his talent as a singer, songwriter, actor, television series host, and best-selling author. Osmond has performed since the age of 5 in such productions as The Andy Williams Show, The Osmonds, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and most recently with his sister in their Vegas show Donnie and Marie.

Nick Barratt: Nick Barratt is known for his work on Who Do You Think You Are?, House Detectives, Hidden House Histories, Secrets from the Attic, and Missing Millions. He has authored several books, including Lost Voices from the Titanic, The Forgotten Spy, and The Restless King. In 2016 he was made an Honorary Associate Professor of Public History at the University of Nottingham. He is a committee member for the Community Archive and Heritage Group, and President of the Federation of Family History Societies.

Steve Rockwood: Steve Rockwood was elected as CEO of FamilySearch International on 1 October 2015. Prior to joining FamilySearch, Rockwood specialized in creating unique service offerings for worldwide customers of such brands as MasterCard International, AT&T, Disney, Office Depot, and Citibank among others. He was also a successful entrepreneur building two companies from the ground up that were later acquired by larger companies.

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Meeting my childhood reading friend

Months ago it was announced that LeVar Burton was going to be a keynote speaker at this years RootsTech conference.  I jumped, I screamed, I punched my fist in the air.  Seriously I did!  You see he was a fixture of my childhood and then my teen years.  But, before that he was something much more.

Burton touched the hearts of all in attendance at the opening session on Friday.  He spoke with so much love, and emotion, of his strong mother.  A deep love and respect for the woman who raised him to be the man he is today.  His words spoke to my heart on more than one moment, and had many of those around me in tears.

While I was too young to see his debut performance of Kunta Kinte in Alex Haley's Roots learning from him what the experience was like moved my to the core.  I was able to ask him about how this experience shaped his life and career.  He told me, and the group of bloggers surrounding him, how it was an initiation by fire.  The experience was painful, moving, a moment of learning, but most importantly, of connecting with his heritage.

Heritage, this is why we do what we do...right?  To that end Family Search surprised him with a book of his own family heritage.  At one point Burton turned to the room and asked "is this what you do?"  A resounding "YES!" was shouted back.  Thanks to the wonderful work of Thom Reed, Burton was transported back to ancestor "his people" from the early 1800's living in Mississippi.  What a wonderful gift.

While he will always be my childhood friend who took me over the Reading Rainbow, and the engineer from my informative years taking me where no one has ever gone before, I can now add this powerful persona to my memories.  Seeing the person behind the mask was the best gift I could ever hoped for here.  One I will treasure.

Please, if you have not watched it, go and do it now.  They will be archived so you can watch it over
and over again.

RootsTech keynote gets a renovation with the Property Brothers

The kick off keynote for this years Rootstech was the Canadian twins Drew and Johnathan Scott, aka the Property Brothers.  Hosts of several popular HGTV home improvement shows, the pair had the audience in stitches with stories from their childhood and their family heritage.

If you follow them through social media you know they are passionate about their Scottish heritage.  Their father immigrated from Scotland to Canada as young man in search of the life a cowboy.  After an kind strange paid for his train ticket from Ontario to Alberta he worked on many ranches as a hand.  Then, as fate would happen, meeting the future Mrs. Scott at one of these ranches.

I was impressed with how young the entrepreneurial spirit hit them.  One of the stories they told was about how they made decorative coat hangers at 7 years old.  While many thought it was a cute arts and crafts project the Brothers quickly turned it into a very successful, and profitable, business.  they employed the family to help them keep up with the orders!  Do you think their parents knew then that they were going to be successful at whatever they attempted.

As a fellow history buff, and collector of odd medieval things, I was particularly interested in learning about their love of castles and... armor.  Yep, they even have a custom made suit of armor that is worn around the house.

Oh, and bagpipes!  How could I forget the bagpipes.  Truly embracing their heritage they wear kilts and play the bag pipes.  How could anyone go wrong by having those items in their life.

If you can't tell I had a wonderful time listening to them on stage, but an even better time interviewing them with a group of other bloggers in the media hub.  A variety of questions were asked in our session but here is the scoop on what I found out:

* They may be coming to Australia soon.  That made my friends from down under swoon a bit!
*  They shared a bit about what happened behind the scenes with their New Orleans Brother vs Brother.  One of the home owners told them that whatever they did would be wonderful because she would have her home back.  You see, she had been sleeping on a mattress on the floor for the last 10 years.
* This March they will be heading to Nashville and will be recording another round of songs.  What?!  You didn't know they sing??
*  Psstt... you did know that Drew is engaged... right?

Liz Wiseman to Keynote RootsTech Innovator Summit

Salt Lake City, UT, November 08, 2016

Leadership Expert Liz Wiseman to Keynote RootsTech Innovator Summit

Do you multiply or diminish intelligence? Liz Wiseman, a leadership strategist, best-selling author, and inspiring speaker whose recent clients include Disney, Microsoft, eBay and PayPal, Google, and Facebook, is excited to share highlights of what she has learned as the keynote speaker for the 2017 Innovator Summit at RootsTech. Innovator Summit is a one-day event for developers, entrepreneurs, and innovators who want to explore business and technological opportunities in the multibillion dollar family history industry. The Innovator Summit will be held on February 8, 2017 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Liz Wiseman teaches leadership to executives and emerging leaders around the world. She is the founder and president of the Wiseman Group, a leadership research and development firm headquartered in Silicon Valley. She has been listed on the biennial Thinkers50 ranking for 2013 and 2015 and named one of the top 10 leadership thinkers in the world.
Wiseman is the author of three best-selling books: Rookie Smarts: Why Learning Beats Knowing in the New Game of Work; Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter; and The Multiplier Effect: Tapping the Genius Inside Our Schools.

She has spent years working around a lot of really smart executives in tech industries and conducted significant research in the field of leadership. She's observed how some leaders actually shut down the brain power of people around them.

"Yet, other leaders seem to amplify the intelligence of people around them," said Wiseman. "These leaders were intelligence multipliers." She said that “when these leaders walked into a room, it was as if you could see lightbulbs going off over people’s heads, and ideas flowed and problems got solved.”
Wiseman has emphasized that one of the most important aspects that she learned in this research was “that when we linger too long on a plateau a little part of us dies inside. But when we step out of the space of knowing—where we are fully capable—and step into unfamiliar territory, we feel alive. I think it is actually where we feel divine, and, in some ways, I feel like it is where we see God’s hand working in our lives.”

Wiseman is a frequent lecturer at BYU, Stanford University, and the Naval Postgraduate Academy. She is a former executive at Oracle Corporation, where she worked over the course of 17 years as the vice president of Oracle University and as the global leader for human resource development. During her tenure at Oracle, she led several major global initiatives and has worked and traveled in over 40 countries. She writes for Harvard Business Review and Fortune. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Inc., and Time.

The RootsTech Innovator Summit keynote session begins at 9:00 a.m., followed by a full day of classes, the semifinal round of the RootsTech Innovator Showdown, a networking social, and other related activities.

The annual Innovator Showdown contest is designed to foster innovation in the family history industry. Ten semi-finalists will be chosen and announced, with $100,000 in cash and in-kind prizes offered by sponsors to the winners.

About RootsTech

RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants worldwide.

Press Release: RootsTech Keynote Levar Burton

Salt Lake City, UT, October 19, 2016

Reading Rainbow’s LeVar Burton Will Keynote RootsTech 2017

FamilySearch International is pleased to announce that LeVar Burton will be the Friday keynote speaker at RootsTech 2017 on February 10, 2017. Burton is known by millions for his legendary starring role as Kunta Kinte in 1977 in the globally acclaimed and award-winning ABC mini series, Roots, as chief engineer Geordi La Forge in the iconic Star Trek: The Next Generation television series, and as host and executive producer of the beloved PBS children’s series, Reading Rainbow. Burton was also the co-executive producer of the re-envisioned production of Roots that aired in June of this year on the A&E Networks. 

Reading Rainbow was one of the longest running children’s television shows in TV history (1983-2009) and one of the most acclaimed, earning more than 200 awards including 26 Emmys and a Peabody. "There's a whole new generation of kids that need to develop a relationship with the written word, especially, I believe, in this ultra-technological age. I'm in this for the mission. This is what I do," said Burton.
He is excited about the opportunity to keynote at RootsTech where he plans to share personal stories about Roots, Star Trek, his Reading Rainbow foundation, and also stories of his mom and her commanding influence on him.

"The story of Roots traces a family's journey from Africa to America and back. At RootsTech, I'll share some of my own journey of family, storytelling and the influence of African culture on my American Experience."

Burton’s acting career began as a college student at the University of Southern California with his first-ever audition—winning the role of Kunta Kinte in ABC’s wildly popular 1977 TV mini-series, Roots. Thus, at age 19, he found his picture on the cover of Time magazine. Soaring to stardom was only the beginning for Burton. He followed it with many roles—most notably in Reading Rainbow and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

An advocate for children’s literacy, Burton’s Reading Rainbow provides an outlet for innovative uses of storytelling. Reading Rainbow uses technology and media to inspire today’s children to love reading, and is currently the number one educational app on iTunes. The digital service includes more than 500 children’s fiction and non-fiction books, and 200 newly-produced video field trips with new content added weekly.

RootsTech is held at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City and will be simulcasted around the world with many sessions recorded for later viewing. RootsTech offers a line-up of world-class speakers, thrilling entertainment and engaging classes and activities with a bigger-than-ever expo hall. There will be something for everyone regardless of age or experience. Registration for RootsTech is currently open at reduced rates at RootsTech.org. Rootstech 2017 is sponsored by FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, FindMyPast.com and MyHeritage.com.

Roots Tech Friday Keynote Announcment

Love Taza Couple to Inspire RootsTech 2016 Attendees

For Immediate Release

SALT LAKE CITY, December 15, 2015—Organizers of RootsTech, the largest family history conference in the world, are pleased to welcome popular lifestyle bloggers Josh and Naomi Davis (of the Love Taza), as keynote speakers in the general session on Friday, February 5, 2016, during RootsTech 2016.

Millions of Internet viewers know Naomi as Taza as they follow her blogLove Taza, which celebrates the joy and purpose she and her husband, Josh, share as they raise their three small children in New York City. She started the website shortly after marrying Josh in 2007 in New York City while she finished her BFA (bachelor of fine arts) degree at the Juilliard School. She shares photos and stories of her life as a newlywed with her family out West.

Since 2007, Love Taza has become more than an online diary—it is a digital destination where millions around the world connect and find a feeling of inspiration and a guide for finding joy in everyday life. Naomi shares details of her life in New York City with her husband and children celebrating family, home, travel, food, and, most importantly, the simple joys of life. With Josh’s help, the two have transformed her website into a global business with a massive, engaged audience.

Josh and Naomi will share their business journey at RootsTech 2016, a global family history event where people of all ages learn to discover, share, and celebrate their family connections across generations through technology. RootsTech has something for everyone regardless of experience in family history or skill level in technology.

Reserve your seat for RootsTech 2016 to find inspiration from the Davises as part of a four-star lineup of keynote speakers, get involved in the special events, and learn from the experts the how-tos of family history, family stories, and more. Join us for all the events on February 3–6 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, or choose your day to join the excitement. Register early for a discount, or pay at the door.

For more information and to register for RootsTech 2016, go to rootstech.org.  To register to attend RootsTech 2016 click here.

Pulitzer Prize winning biographer, historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin, to keynote RootsTech 2016

(SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—November 4, 2015)—RootsTech, the largest family history conference in the world, announced Doris Kearns Goodwin has joined its lineup of keynote speakers. Goodwin, a world-renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning author, will speak at the RootsTech general session on Saturday, February 6, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Goodwin will share her insights into the personal and family lives of past presidential leaders and the influence their ancestors had on their personalities, behavior, decisions, and careers. She will also share anecdotes about her own family and experiences which have shaped and influenced her life.

Goodwin has been hailed by New York magazine as “America’s historian-in-chief” for her in-depth scrutiny into the lives, actions, and family influences of America’s presidents, and the history of the country.  She provided extensive subject matter expertise for PBS and the History Channel’s documentaries on the Kennedy family, LBJ, Franklin Roosevelt, Abraham and Mary Lincoln, and Ken Burns’ The History of Baseball and The History of The Civil War. She also worked with Steven Spielberg on the movie Lincoln, based in part on Goodwin’s award-winning Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.


Goodwin received the Pulitzer Prize in 1995 for No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II.  In addition, she has authored biographies of several other U.S. Presidents, including Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream; The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys: An American Saga;  Team of rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln (which was awarded the Lincoln Prize),and her most recent book, The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism.

Goodwin‘s biographies are not limited to presidents and politicians. Wait Till Next Year, her touching, best-selling memoir, draws her readers into life as she knew it in the 1950s in the suburbs of New York. She portrays the post-World War II era New York when the corner store was the gathering place for people to share stories and discuss their baseball differences with neighbors who were equally divided between Dodger, Giant, and Yankee fans.

Goodwin is expected to share memories of the lifelong influence of her parents: her mother, who taught her the joy of books, and her father, who taught her the joy of baseball and the Dodgers. She describes how two events deeply affected her: the Dodgers left Brooklyn in 1957 and the death of her mother.  Both events marked the end of an era and, for her, the end of childhood. 

Goodwin wrote Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream using first-hand insight into President Lyndon B. Johnson’s life. She served as an assistant in LBJ’s last year in the White House, and later assisted him in the preparation of his memoirs. On his 107th birthday, August 27, 2015, Goodwin said in retrospect, “LBJ was surely the most colorful politician I have ever met…. How I wish the LBJ that I knew in private—the colorful, ever fascinating, larger-than-life figure—had been able to project more of that effervescent personality into his public life.”

Goodwin is a frequent guest commentator on most of the major networks. Spielberg’s DreamWorks Studios has also purchased film rights to her book, The Bully Pulpit, which chronicles the first 10 years of the Progressive era through the administrations of Theodore Roosevelt and William Taft.
Other keynote speakers for RootsTech 2016 announced previously are New York Times bestselling author Bruce Feiler, award-winning journalist Paula Williams Madison, and the president and CEO of FamilySearch International, Stephen Rockwood. See the Keynote Page at RootsTech.org for more information about each of these speakers.  


For more information or to register for RootTech 2016, go to RootsTech.org.  To take advantage of the limited time pricing offers go to the attend RootsTech page.