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The Board of the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) and new Director, Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG®, CGL^SM, are pleased to announce that Darcie Hind Posz, CG®, will serve as the new Assistant Director of the institute, effective October 1, 2020.

Darcie Hind Posz, CG, has been a board-certified genealogist since 2013 and attended Gen-Fed (then NIGR) in 2007. She said, “Attending NIGR (now Gen-Fed) in 2007, provided me with the foundational tools to navigate and understand the intricate and delicate system that is Federal records.”

In 2015, she was the recipient of the American Society of Genealogists Scholar Award. She is a ProGen Study Groups alumnus (ProGen 12) and was the ProGen 23 coordinator. She has previously served as President of the National Capital Area Chapter of APG, which received the Golden Chapter Award, and has served a term on the APG Board of Directors. She serves now as a trustee for the Board for Certification of Genealogists®.

An author, her work has been published in The Genealogist, The American Genealogist, National Genealogical Society Quarterly, The California Nugget, MASSOG: A Genealogical Magazine for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Maryland Genealogical Society Journal, The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, Rhode Island Roots and the North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal. She co-authored the chapter on lineage applications with Barbara J. Mathews, CG, FASG, in Professional Genealogy: Preparation, Practice & Standards and has published two books, The Chicago Stones: A Genealogy of Acquisition, Influence & Scandal in and Recast: Vital Events Published in Variety in 1918 and 1919.

She currently resides with her husband in downtown, Washington, D.C.                                      Welcome, Darcie, we are lucky to have you!

October 1, 2020, marks a new beginning in many corners of the genealogical community and Gen-Fed is no exception. I am happy today to pass the baton to Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG, CGL, the new Director of Genealogical Institute of Federal Records.

I am reluctant to start naming individuals who have helped make my time with Gen-Fed so rewarding and downright fun—from the leaders who served on the Board, to the faculty who gave so generously of their time and energy, to the attendees who shared their excitement, and the staff at NARA who went above and beyond—but a special appreciation goes to Debra A. Hoffman who supported the institute and me every day.

The seeds for today’s successful program were sown in the 1980s by Lynn McMillion and Marie Melchiori, then nurtured by Claire Bettag and Patricia Shawker. It has been an honor to follow them. If you are not familiar with the institute’s rich history, you can read about it here.

As with any good baton exchange, there’s a period of overlap and Debra and I will be working closely with Rebecca in the months to come. And rooting her on the rest of the way!

Malissa Ruffner

Gen-Fed 2020 has been cancelled. The public health risk in the Capitol region remains high and NARA, the Library of Congress and the DAR Library are still closed. Although re-opening may begin slowly in the coming weeks, operational guidelines would negatively impact the unique experience offered by Gen-Fed and place extra demands on the repositories we value. We are also deeply concerned about the interstate travel necessitated by going forward.

On to 2021: we have reserved the Innovation Hub at NARA for the week of July 19–23, 2021, and will carry over our 2020 registration roll, including the waiting list, for next year. 2020 registrants have been notified by email of their options. New registrations will not be taken in 2021.

Holding in-person genealogical events offers so much opportunity for growth and fellowship. Let’s hope we can get back to all the things and people we love very soon. Being at the National Archives, working with faculty, classmates, and the wonderful staff, and applying classroom lessons on the spot, are what makes Gen-Fed unique. It is an experience worth waiting for!  Here’s to clear skies and better days. Stay safe and well.

The Board of the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) announced the appointment of Rebecca Whitman Koford, CG®, CGL^SM, as new Director of the institute, effective October 1, 2020. She will take over from the current directors, Malissa Ruffner and Debra Hoffman, after a year of transition.

Koford is the Executive Director of the Board for Certification of Genealogists^® and the administrator of the ProGen Study Group, an online peer-led study program. She also coordinates Course I for The Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research (IGHR).  She has lectured at national conferences and has contributed to numerous publications. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of California, Redlands. She and her husband live in Mt. Airy, Maryland, where they raised three children.

“Rebecca will bring extensive knowledge of federal records as well as her immense administrative skill to Gen-Fed. Debra and I look forward to working with her over the next year to ensure a smooth transition,” said Malissa Ruffner.

“Attending this institute was a critical turning point in my education,” said Koford.  “I am pleased to have a chance to be a part of Gen-Fed and continuing its wonderful tradition.”

Gen-Fed 2020 is set for the week of July 13–17. Online registration will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2020.

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records has announced its 2019 list of lecturers and topics for the week-long course to be held at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and College Park, Maryland, from July 29–August 2, 2019. Among those presenting are NARA staff members (current and retired), and expert genealogists, researchers, and historians from a variety of backgrounds. The Innovation Hub at NARA-DC, on Pennsylvania Avenue, located within the Robert M. Warner Research Center on the first floor, offers proximity to archivists and records and serves as the institute’s home base. more “Gen-Fed 2019 Program” …

Gen-Fed registration was held earlier today, and, unfortunately, after two smooth years, we were hit with a yet-to-be-explained website failure at the most critical time of day. We could not make the link live at 1PM or otherwise communicate with people who signed up for email updates. We responded to emails that came in to info@gen-fed.org, posted on Facebook, and tweeted about what was happening.

The registration link went live when the website came back up around 1:28 PM. Those who remained at website link and refreshed their browsers at the right moment were able to register. The course sold out in about six minutes—about the same as last year—but, for good reason, there were some people who were frustrated. The technical failure exacerbated an already-challenging situation. And, for that, we are deeply sorry.

We will explore the possibility of creating a back-up communication system for next year so that everyone who is trying to register has access to updates.

Interest in Gen-Fed exceeds the number of slots. There will always be those who cannot get registered for that reason, but we will work hard to make sure that what happened today is not repeated in the future.

Malissa Ruffner and Debra A. Hoffman

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records Alumni Association (Gen-Fed Alumni) announces, with great pleasure, the recipient of the Richard S. Lackey Scholarship for 2018, Linda MacIver of Boston, Massachusetts. Awarded yearly, this scholarship covers tuition and some other expenses for the week long seminar, the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed). The scholarship application specifies an “experienced researcher employed in a paid or volunteer position in the services of the genealogical community.”

Linda MacIver is hardly a newcomer to Government records.  After several years as a school, college, and corporate librarian, Linda joined the Government Documents Department of the Boston Public Library, the GPO regional library for Massachusetts.  Over the course of 27 years, and as the Documents and Social Sciences departments merged, Linda attacked the considerable volume of patron genealogy reference requests with her comprehensive knowledge of records; federal, state and local.  When the personal computer/internet era changed everything, Linda developed a variety of computer-based genealogy classes and lecture series, all free to patrons and satisfying a growing public interest in family history.

Now recently retired, Linda takes her show on the road throughout central and eastern Massachusetts.  Whether a one-hour lecture or a 4 or 6-week course, she continues to engage patrons to become “organized genealogists” with critical thinking and valuable print and electronic research skills.

Linda’s interest in records is also evident in her involvement with organizations whose mission is to preserve and protect access to documents.  She serves as Secretary to the Massachusetts Genealogical Council and a board member of the Essex Society of Genealogists in Massachusetts.  Her involvement extends across the pond as she serves as the New England agent for the Essex (England) Records Office, the only county to currently have such a stateside position.

Linda had this to say about her selection: “As much as I really enjoy teaching the beginners, I am thoroughly delighted to be able to spend an exciting week in Washington actually working on tearing down a few of my own brick walls.  I am so appreciative of the opportunity that the Alumni Association has provided me and the honor of receiving the Lackey scholarship.”

The Gen-Fed Alumni Association is pleased to award the 2018 Richard Lackey Scholarship to Linda MacIver and we all look forward to welcoming her to Gen-Fed in July.

Registration for Gen-Fed will take place on Saturday, February 24, at 1PM. For information on how to register, click here.

Details on how to register for Gen-Fed 2018 are posted HERE. The link for registering will go live on Saturday, February 24, at 1 PM EST.  If, after reviewing the instructions, you have any questions, please send them to info@gen-fed.org.

Two adjustments to note:  we have cleared out all old Gen-Fed profiles so everyone will begin by entering an email address, contact info, and creating a password. Read the instructions on password requirements. You will NOT be asked to enter a short biography; that will be collected at a later date.

We expect the course to fill quickly, but in years past, the waiting list has also been tapped. Good luck!

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) Alumni Association has announced details of the 2018 Richard S. Lackey Scholarship, awarded annually to an experienced researcher active in a paid or volunteer position that directly benefits the genealogical community. This year the scholarship will award $600, which covers full tuition for the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed), and partly defrays hotel and/or meal costs. The Gen-Fed Alumni Association will also host the awardee at the Gen-Fed Alumni Association Banquet on Friday, July 20, 2018, where a check for the amount less tuition will be presented.

Our 2017 recipient, Nancy Calhoun, said, “Receiving the Lackey Scholarship has not only benefited me but also the genealogy and local history staff at Muskogee Public Library and the patrons we assist. We never know what people are going to request.  The training received will assist us in being better equipped to search out that information in the vast collections of National Archives.”

For more information about the Institute, visit www.gen-fed.org. The application can be downloaded from the Scholarships page.

All applications and additional attachments must be submitted in PDF format, combined in one file. The completed application form and attachments should be emailed to Angela McGhie at mcghiefamilyhistory@gmail.com with “Lackey Scholarship 2018” in the subject line. The PDF file name should include last name and first initial, such as “McGhieA Lackey Scholarship 2018 Application.”

A complete application must be received by midnight, (EST) 31 December 2017.  The winner will be notified by 15 February 2018. Other applicants will be notified shortly after that date. The scholarship winner will automatically be accepted for the Genealogical Institute on Federal Records to be held at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., from July 16-20, 2018.

The Genealogical Institute on Federal Records (Gen-Fed) Alumni Association purposes are to promote, conduct, and foster education, research, study, and analysis related to genealogy and to disseminate information and support other similar undertakings.