The BCG Education Fund Spring 2026 Putting Skills to Work event will be held as part of the National Genealogical Society 2026 Family History Conference.
Two independent workshops will be held in-person on Wednesday 27 May 2026.
Registration is now open. Attendance is capped at 60 attendees. The fee for each workshop is $100. The event will not be recorded or live-streamed. Register here for the National Genealogical Society 2026 Family History Conference.

Genealogy Standards in Context: A Practical Approach

Instructor: Angela Packer McGhie, CG®
Do you find it difficult to bridge the guidance provided by Genealogy Standards into practical application in your work? Do you hunger for specific examples of work that meets standards? With a combination of classroom-style instruction, hands-on activities, and group discussions, you will learn practical application of the standards to answer your genealogy questions and reach accurate conclusions. The session will help you to:

• Assess when you have done enough to meet the requirement for reasonably exhaustive research
• Engage in analysis and correlation to test the evidence
• Resolve conflicts with confidence

DNA Standards in Context: A Practical Approach

Instructor: Karen Stanbary, CG®, CGG®
Do you find it difficult to bridge the guidance provided by Genealogy Standards into practical application in your work with DNA evidence? Do you hunger for specific examples of work using DNA evidence that meets standards? Do you dream of questions you can use to assess your work against the Genealogical Proof Standard? With a combination of classroom-style instruction, hands-on activities, and group discussions, you will learn practical application of the standards related to DNA to answer your genealogy questions and reach accurate conclusions. The session will help you to:

• Assess when you have enough DNA test takers to meet the requirement for reasonably exhaustive research
• Engage in correlation to test hypothesized biological relationships with documented relationships
• Resolve conflicts in documented relationships using genetic evidence

Attendee Prerequisite Knowledge for Both Workshops: Familiarity with the Board for Certification of Genealogists’ publication Genealogy Standards.

Instructor Bios

Angela Packer McGhie, CG®, FUGA is passionate about genealogy education. She serves as the President of the Board for Certification of Genealogists. She coordinates courses at national genealogical institutes and is a popular conference presenter. Angela was the Education Director for NGS for five years and has published articles in the APG Quarterly, Crossroads Magazine, and the NGS Magazine.

Karen Stanbary, CG®, CGG® is an author and national lecturer focusing on topics related to using genetic evidence correlated with documentary evidence to solve genealogical brick walls. She serves as a Trustee of the Board for Certification of Genealogists and is chair of its standing DNA Committee. Her genealogical practice specializes in Midwestern U.S., Chicago, and Mexican research, as well as complex problem-solving, unknown parentage, and DNA analysis. She coordinates courses at national genealogical institutes and is a popular conference presenter.