Richard Hill, Genetic Genealogy Speaker

Richard Hill, Speaker on Genetic Genealogy TopicsRichard Hill, Speaker

If your library, genealogy group, or other organization needs a genealogy speaker, please contact me to arrange a virtual or in-person presentation.

I currently offer five, entirely different presentations on DNA topics and I update every presentation before each event to reflect current advances in the field.

My style is to make DNA testing concepts and tools understandable without getting bogged down in the science behind them.


Reviewer: "a very organized presentation of how all the testing fits together and where it can help."

A single presentation followed by a Question & Answer session will nicely fit a 60-minute timeframe.

I can also do half-day events with two presentations or full-day events with four presentations. In those cases I will do multiple Q&A sessions.

The New World of Virtual Presentations

Due to the pandemic, countless in-person genealogy events were cancelled. National and local organizations were forced to try virtual presentations and many people loved them.

Now even smaller groups can bring in top presenters from anywhere.

I can offer private presentations for your members in an online format through Zoom or another system of your choice.

This can be a completely virtual meeting where the audience members log in remotely.

Or it can be an in-person meeting where the presentation is shown on a large screen, as in the example below.

Photo of Richard Hill speaking remotely to a genealogy group on a large screen

By eliminating the expenses of travel, I can give a single presentation to your group for just a $200 speaking fee. That includes a full Q&A session at the end.

Please contact me for for information or to explore possible dates and topics.

NOTE: I still love doing in-person presentations for those events where the sponsoring group can cover the travel expenses from my home in Michigan.

My Current Presentation Choices

1. Finding Family: Hidden Roots in Your DNA

Learn how adoptees and others find biological parents and siblings through DNA testing. Review the case that started it all and see today’s recommended strategies. View examples of surprise discoveries and see the tools used to identify relationships.

Reviewer: "This is absolutely the best presentation I have seen for any person new to DNA testing and is NOT just limited to adoptees searching for their birth parents."

2. Genetic Genealogy Today

Review the basics of genetic genealogy, the three major test types, and the offerings of five leading companies. Learn the key factors that impact your results and compare each company's strengths, limitations, and favorite features. See some third-party tools you can use to extract even more information from DNA test results.

3. Comparing DNA Ethnicity Estimates

Learn the reasons why DNA ethnicity tests often yield unexpected results. See why siblings can have surprisingly different ethnicities and why Native American ancestry is rarely found. Compare one person’s ethnicity reports from all the major DNA tests and learn why one test or another might be your best choice for ethnicity purposes.

4. Y-Chromosome Insights & Strategies

Learn how Y-DNA testing of suitable males can trace and confirm paternal lines in your family tree. See how to choose the right test and how to work with your genetic matches. Examples cover STRs, SNPs, genetic distance, match thresholds, Tip reports, the Y-DNA tree, haplogroups, group projects, account settings, and more.
 
5. Mastering the MyHeritage DNA Test

Genealogists who overlook or underutilize the MyHeritage DNA test are missing out on many great tools. Using examples from his personal account, Richard will demonstrate these features and show how they can be used productively by genealogists, adoptees, and anyone curious about their family history or ethnic background.
 

Selected Genealogy Speaker Engagements I Have Done

• RootsTech

• National Genealogical Society Family History Conference

• Federation of Genealogical Societies Virtual Conference

• We Are Cousins Virtual Conference

• Who Do You Think You Are? Live (England)

• Southern California Genealogical Society

• Milwaukee Irish Fest

• Legacy Family Tree Webinars

• International Conference on Genetic Genealogy

• Michigan Genealogical Council

• Northwest Ohio Genealogy Seminar

• Louisiana Adoption Advisory Board Conference

• Polish Genealogical Society of Michigan

• Irish Genealogical Society of Michigan

• South Bend Area Genealogical Society

• Detroit Society for Genealogical Research

• Franklin County (Ohio) Genealogical & Historical Society

• West Michigan Genealogical Society

• Various DAR chapters

• Numerous city and county genealogical groups and public libraries

A Librarian's Review

We’ve booked Richard twice and he has presented all four of his sessions for us. His presentations are excellent! We highly recommend him. He explains the complexities of genetic genealogy in a simple, accessible manner that’s perfect for both new and seasoned researchers. Here’s some feedback from our attendees:

“He was very clear and explained the topic very well.”

“Very knowledgeable.”

“I like how he used layman terms and didn't get overly technical.”

“It was just what I needed.”

-Jane Gramlich, Librarian, Akron-Summit County Public Library

Feedback Survey Comments from RootsTech

Good information well presented!

Very knowledgeable and made technical info understandable. 

Well organized, clearly delivered, excellent slides.

He knew what he was talking about and presented in a fun way.

Clearly one of the top ten percent of RootsTech presenters over the years. 

Excellent research, organization, and presentation. Answers questions lots of people have.

Clear and easily understood.  Visuals (slides) were very helpful.  Best class so far!

He is a great speaker!!! He has a great personality. He kept his presentation flowing. 

Simplified the idea so it was understandable.

Information was relevant and entertaining. 

He knew his subject did a great job of explaining.

Very informative and easy to understand.

Richard has an easy going but amusing style. Not boring.  

Clear content, interesting examples.

Loved it.  Captivating story and well delivered.

Wonderful 10 out of 10.

He presented a difficult topic in a concise easy to understand way.

Speaks well.  Knowledgeable.  Credible.

Answered many of my burning questions. 

He was very knowledgeable and made it easy to understand the subject.

He was clear in his info and presented well. He’s a great speaker and had enough humor to keep everyone’s attention. 

He explained a very difficult subject clearly.

Very clear presentation and I know quite a bit about this topic.

His knowledge is right on, very clear explanation. 

My Page at the Genealogical Speakers Guild

I have been a longtime member of the Genealogical Speakers Guild. For more information about me as a genealogy speaker and more complete contact information, see my page in the Speaker Directory.

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