Tag Archives: #OnlineConference

More Keynote Speakers

The world’s largest genealogical event celebrating family has announced a further diverse group of keynote speakers, who hail from England, India, and Uruguay. 

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

 

Erick Avari, born in Darjeeling, West Bengal, India, is an Indian American television, film, and theater actor, writer, director and producer. He has performed in grand opera, on and off Broadway, in regional theaters, and in Hollywood blockbuster films, hit TV series, and award-winning independent films such as The Chosen. He is best known for his roles in Stargate, Independence Day, The Mummy, Daredevil, Planet of the Apes, and Mr. Deeds. Avari has been a trailblazer for a generation of South Asian actors in Hollywood. As part of his fight against stereotypical casting, he has convincingly played more than two dozen ethnicities.

 

Diego Lugano is a Uruguayan former professional footballer (soccer player) for many clubs in South America and Europe. He played in 95 matches as a member of the Uruguayan soccer team from 2003 to –2014. In 2010 and 2014, he captained the Uruguayan squad in the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup. His career began at the Club Nacional de Fútbol of Canelones in 1999. During his career, he played for Plaza Colonia, Fenerbahçe S.K., Paris Saint Germain, Málaga, West Bromwich Albion, BK Häcken, Cerro Porteño of Paraguay, and São Paulo. He has supported many causes defending the rights of children. He is now the superintendent of Institutional Relations of São Paulo FC.

 

Sunetra Sarker is an award-winning actress born in Liverpool, England, to Hindu parents. Her first acting success came at age 15, when she was cast as Nisha Batra on the Channel 4 serial drama Brookside. Her career took off, and during the next three decades she acted in an array of television series, earning awards for her performances, including an award for Best TV character at the Asian Media Awards. During her career, she made time for school, graduating in IT and French from Brunel University. She is a member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), an independent charity to support, develop, and promote excellence in film, games, and television and creative talent in the United Kingdom and internationally.

While not really a fan of football (soccer to us in Aus) I am really excited about hearing Erick and Sunetra talk at RootsTech Connect.

Keynote Speakers at RootsTech Connect 2021

 

The annual RootsTech genealogical conference has always managed to find the best Keynote Speakers in the world for their conferences and next year’s RootsTech Connect 2021 will once again showcase the best of the world’s motivational speakers.

With RootsTech Connect 2021 being held as a free, online, worldwide event, there is even more reason to register, sit-back at home, enjoy, celebrate, and share family and heritage connections.

ROOTSTECH CONNECT 2021 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Nick Vujicic, born in Melbourne, Australia, and with no medical explanation or warning, came into the world with neither arms nor legs. Nick overcame 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 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.

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.”

Lorena started a foundation focused on educating low-income children, and in November 2012, she published her book, Dream Big, sharing the goals from her childhood that set her on that course.

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.

Sharon Leslie Morgan has devoted her career to support African American genealogical research. She founded Our Black Ancestry (OBA), an online community 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. 

RootsTech Connect, February 25–27, 2021.