Saving A Nation’s Stories: The US National Archives and Why Advocacy Matters
Date/Time
02-Mar-2025
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM Eastern
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM Eastern
Event Registration
Event Type(s)
Public Event
Event Description
Saving A Nation’s Stories: The US National Archives and Why Advocacy Matters
2 March 20254:30 PM - 6:00 PM Eastern
Open to all; registration required
This presentation is underwritten by Civil War Records
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) preserves American history, protects the records that underpin our profession, and makes them accessible for our research now, and in the future. Funding decisions in Congress directly impact NARA's ability to function.
Join us for a panel discussion featuring Rebecca Koford, the Director of the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), Renée K. Carl and Rich Venezia, members of APG’s Advocacy Committee on Sunday, 2 March 2025 at 4:30 PM ET. This panel will discuss the importance of NARA in our profession, how congressional appropriations impact its operations, and why our advocacy for continued funding is essential. Learn how you can effectively engage with legislators to support archival access.
Details
About the Panelists
Rebecca Whitman Koford CG®, CGL(SM) holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® and as a Certified Genealogical Lecturer. She focuses on research in Maryland, Upstate New York, Virginia, the District of Columbia, colonial records, military records from the Revolution through the Civil War, federal records at the National Archives (D.C.), and land records of all types. In 2021, she was named Director of the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) held annually at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. She has published articles in the NGS Magazine, APG Quarterly, SAR Magazine, and the Maryland Genealogical Society Journal and is co-author of the NGS Research in the States series book on Maryland. She is a graduate and former mentor of the ProGen Study Group and served as its Administrator from 2015–2020. She served as Executive Director of the Board for Certification of Genealogists from 2018 to 2024.
Renée K. Carl is a professional genealogist and researcher serving individuals, families and other professionals with expertise working with 19th & 20th Century immigration to the United States, and with areas such as Austria-Hungary, British Isles, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. She has particular experience in federal records, immigration & naturalization, Jewish genealogy and Holocaust records. Renée regularly researches at the National Archives, Library of Congress and US Holocaust Memorial Museum, and maintains partnerships with researchers in Europe, Australia and Israel. She served as senior researcher for Season 3 of Genealogy Roadshow on PBS and was also a member of the research team for Season 2. She advocates for immigration records access as a member of RecordsNotRevenue.com, and advises the group on federal policy action. Renée also serves on the APG Advocacy Committee. She is a highly-regarded speaker at the International Conference on Jewish Genealogy and many local societies.
Rich Venezia is a New Jersey native who now calls Philadelphia home, with roots in Italy, Ireland, England, Wales, and Prussia. He founded Rich Roots Genealogy in 2013. He is one of the foremost experts on twentieth-century immigration records in the genealogical field. He was a member of the research team of Genealogy Roadshow (PBS) for two seasons, and also consulted on Follow Your Past (Travel Channel). Other main areas of focus include Italian, Irish, Pittsburgh and New Jersey/New York City research. He also assists clients with dual citizenship applications for Ireland and Italy. He holds a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University, and is Immediate Past-President of North Hills Genealogists. He is a proud Italian dual citizen. His TEDx talk, "How to Grow Empathy From Uncovering Your Roots" from TEDx Pittsburgh 2017, can be found on YouTube. He organized the #RecordsNotRevenue campaign in 2019 to combat the fee raise proposed by USCIS for their genealogical records. He is a member of APG's Advocacy Committee.
Rebecca Whitman Koford CG®, CGL(SM) holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® and as a Certified Genealogical Lecturer. She focuses on research in Maryland, Upstate New York, Virginia, the District of Columbia, colonial records, military records from the Revolution through the Civil War, federal records at the National Archives (D.C.), and land records of all types. In 2021, she was named Director of the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) held annually at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. She has published articles in the NGS Magazine, APG Quarterly, SAR Magazine, and the Maryland Genealogical Society Journal and is co-author of the NGS Research in the States series book on Maryland. She is a graduate and former mentor of the ProGen Study Group and served as its Administrator from 2015–2020. She served as Executive Director of the Board for Certification of Genealogists from 2018 to 2024.Renée K. Carl is a professional genealogist and researcher serving individuals, families and other professionals with expertise working with 19th & 20th Century immigration to the United States, and with areas such as Austria-Hungary, British Isles, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. She has particular experience in federal records, immigration & naturalization, Jewish genealogy and Holocaust records. Renée regularly researches at the National Archives, Library of Congress and US Holocaust Memorial Museum, and maintains partnerships with researchers in Europe, Australia and Israel. She served as senior researcher for Season 3 of Genealogy Roadshow on PBS and was also a member of the research team for Season 2. She advocates for immigration records access as a member of RecordsNotRevenue.com, and advises the group on federal policy action. Renée also serves on the APG Advocacy Committee. She is a highly-regarded speaker at the International Conference on Jewish Genealogy and many local societies.Rich Venezia is a New Jersey native who now calls Philadelphia home, with roots in Italy, Ireland, England, Wales, and Prussia. He founded Rich Roots Genealogy in 2013. He is one of the foremost experts on twentieth-century immigration records in the genealogical field. He was a member of the research team of Genealogy Roadshow (PBS) for two seasons, and also consulted on Follow Your Past (Travel Channel). Other main areas of focus include Italian, Irish, Pittsburgh and New Jersey/New York City research. He also assists clients with dual citizenship applications for Ireland and Italy. He holds a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University, and is Immediate Past-President of North Hills Genealogists. He is a proud Italian dual citizen. His TEDx talk, "How to Grow Empathy From Uncovering Your Roots" from TEDx Pittsburgh 2017, can be found on YouTube. He organized the #RecordsNotRevenue campaign in 2019 to combat the fee raise proposed by USCIS for their genealogical records. He is a member of APG's Advocacy Committee.
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