Join CAGGNI
CAGGNI offers regularly scheduled membership meetings as well as several Special Interest Group (SIG) meetings each month.
Check below for the complete listing of announced meetings.
The Historical SIG, new in 2026, explores historical events and their impacts on our genealogy. Our ancestors' lives were shaped by history, influencing where and how they lived and worked. This historical context also affected their religious practices, military service, commercial success, and political affiliations.
The CAGGNI Historical SIG will explore these important topics.
Today's Topic: TBA
More about today's topic will be posted prior to the event.
SIG Lead: Alan Wilson.
Alan is a CAGGNI past president and SIG leader.
CAGGNI SIGs are for members only.
Meeting Style: The Historical SIG is Zoom only. Remote joiners can join using the link for the Historical SIG on the Zoom Links page. You will need to be logged in. When Zooming, please ensure your full name is visible. You may need to use the Rename function (at the upper right of the window where your face appears) if your full name is not shown.
Curious why you are who you are—and why your family carries certain beliefs, behaviors, and patterns? In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn how to create a basic genogram, a family-tree style tool that uses symbols to reveal inherited themes. Discover how to identify generational patterns and gain deeper insight into your family story and yourself.
Jennifer Holik has the rare ability to uncover lost or silenced family history or military stories and see how those experiences shaped family patterns across generations. She bridges rigorous research with deep ancestral and trauma-informed insight, helping people transform inherited pain into understanding, healing, and reclaimed story.
We would love to have you write an article for our newsletter!
Members are invited and encouraged to submit material to newsletter @ caggni.org. You can write up whatever you think would be of interest to the group in 500-1,000 words (roughly) for the average-sized composition. Or send us smaller items, websites or tips.
We would especially welcome:
Send all submissions to newsletter @ caggni.org.
(Note: CAGGNI does not claim copyright for photographs submitted by members; copyright belongs to the photographer.)
All members of the Board of Directors are requested to be present for this meeting.
CAGGNI members are welcome to attend.
Meeting Style: Virtual (Zoom)
Link see caggni.org/Zoom-links. Access to this page requires a CAGGNI member login. Please ensure your full name is visible. You may need to use the Rename function (at the upper right of the window where your face appears) if your full name is not shown. Zoomers not presenting their full name as known to CAGGNI will be de-admitted.
This interest group was originally formed to provide a forum for Family Tree Maker users to share their knowledge and build their expertise with Ancestry's FTM desktop software.
This group continues to explore old and new features of Family Tree Maker software, now with developer MacKiev.
SIG Lead: Alvin Holtzman
Link see caggni.org/Zoom-links. Access to this page requires a CAGGNI member login. Please ensure your full name is visible. You may need to use the Rename function (at the upper right of the window where your face appears) if your full name is not shown.
This SIGs for members interested in the operation and features of the computer programs for genealogy databases RootsMagic and The Master Genealogist.
This CAGGNI Group meets to discuss and share knowledge and experience in using computer programs to research, record, display and share genealogical data. Also helping each other gain a better understanding of the programs and other useful related computer software. Users of all levels are welcome to join this group.
SIG Lead: Larry Olson
Zoom Attendees: For the Zoom Link see caggni.org/Zoom-links. Access to this page requires a CAGGNI member login. Please ensure your full name is visible. You may need to use the Rename function (at the upper right of the window where your face appears) if your full name is not shown.
CAGGNI's Technology SIG carries on with topics formerly featured in the Internet SIG, such as Internet-based genealogical services (Ancestry, WikiTree, etc...) and new topics such as the use of Artificial Intelligence for genealogical applications.
SIG Leads: John Stryker and Eric Vavra
Meeting Style: The Technology SIG is Zoom only. For the Zoom Link see caggni.org/Zoom-links. Access to this page requires a CAGGNI member login. Please ensure your full name is visible. You may need to use the Rename function (at the upper right of the window where your face appears) if your full name is not shown.
Calling all Apple users! Reunion is a genealogy software designed specifically for Macintosh and also available as an app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Learn the tips and tricks that will have you utilizing this highly regarded program to its fullest.
SIG Lead: Bruce Christopher
Meeting Style: The Reunion SIG is Zoom only. For the Zoom Link see caggni.org/Zoom-links. Access to this page requires a CAGGNI member login. Please ensure your full name is visible. You may need to use the Rename function (at the upper right of the window where your face appears) if your full name is not shown.
Topic: DNA: Getting Back to Basics & What's New
Presenter: Michelle Wilson
We will kick off 2027 with a review of the genetic genealogy basics and also cover what's new in DNA. Ancestry has upped their game with their ProTool offerings and new admixture results. MyHeritage and FamilyTreeDNA are moving away from SNP chip genotyping to full or partial sequencing. Let's learn how we can put the latest advances to work for us!
About the DNA SIG
This group focuses on learning the methods for analyzing DNA test results. We study topics such as autosomal DNA, mitochondrial DNA, Y-DNA and surname projects, X-DNA and ancestral admixture results. We'll also investigate third-party tools for analyzing your raw data and comparing DNA and gedcom data with test kit results from companies besides the one you tested with.
DNA can break down genealogical brick walls once thought impenetrable – but only if you know how.
This SIG endeavors to be interactive and welcomes your questions. Get ready to put your DNA results to work for you!
SIG Lead: Michelle Wilson
Future Topics: If you have a topic you would like to present or see presented, please reach out to Michelle at DNA @ caggni.org.
Today's Venue: TBA
Meeting Style: This SIG is typically hybrid. For the optimal experience, join us live at the live venue. Remote joiners can join using the link for the DNA SIG on the Zoom Links page. You will need to be logged in. When Zooming, please ensure your full name is visible. You may need to use the Rename function (at the upper right of the window where your face appears) if your full name is not shown.
Topic: DNA: Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings
The Thomas Jefferson / Sally Hemings case made headlines again in 2026 with reporting about autosomal DNA results on over a dozen descendants. As of this writing, the scientific paper is in pre-print. We will dig into the evidence, both paper-trail and DNA: examining the contemporaneous evidence, the landmark studies by Fawn Brodie, Annette Gordon-Read and Helen F.M. Leary, and finally the 1998 Y-DNA and 2026 at-DNA studies.
Topic: DNA: TBD
Presenter: TBD
Do you have a topic or presenter you'd like to suggest for the DNA SIG? Please reach out.
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CAGGNI, P.O. Box 59567, Schaumburg, IL 60159-0567