Speaker: Alec Ferretti

This lecture will discuss how best to weed out false-positive DNA Matches that Jewish test-takers face daily. Alec will outline the data that demonstrates the unique ways in which endogamous populations match each other. Then, by using visualization tools such as DNA Painter, he will illustrate webs of interrelationships of endogamous test-takers and identify genetic pile-up regions (or multiple shared autosomal DNA segments stacked up on top of each other) that may not indicate shared ancestors. Although there is no surefire method as of yet to remove false matches, by having a more thorough understanding of endogamous results, we can better analyze our match data.

Alec Ferretti is a Dual Masters Student at New York University and Long Island University, where he is pursuing degrees in Archival Studies and Library Science. He works as a genealogist with the Wells Fargo Family & Business History Center, specializing in Italian and Jewish research. He is the President of the New York Genealogy & Technology Group, an informal organization which facilitates bi-monthly genealogy lectures and discussions. Alec recently joined the Board of Directors of Reclaim the Records, a nonprofit which seeks to restore public access to genealogical documents. He is presenting at the 2019 IAJGS Conference, as well as the 2019 Professional Management Conference of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

Annual meeting for the election of officers will preceed the lecture and a Membership Reception will follow.

Those attending the regular meeting will receive raffle tickets and be eligible for prizes.