The Van Zandt County Genealogical Society will have its regular free public meeting at the main county library in Canton from 2-4 p.m. May 28. The speaker (via live webinar) will be Sarah Cochran, also known as “The Skeleton Whisperer,” a professional genealogist based in southern California.

Cochran will give the presentation “DNA brought you to the forest; where are the trees?” regarding DNA genealogy research. Worldwide, genealogical DNA tests have become extremely popular, available for a fee from several companies. Millions of people have gotten their DNA tested. The DNA results, specific to each person t ested, show ethnic background.

More importantly, the DNA results also give links to potential family members if those family members have also gotten a DNA test. This technology is linking millions of genealogy-interested cousins, so that they can exchange family information and save research time. The systems in place for such cousins to communicate take some getting used to, however.

Cochran’s speech will show family researchers how to navigate the system and share genealogy information. She will focus on the Ancestry. com DNA results system, one of the most popular genealogy DNA companies.

Sarah Cochran provides genealogy research and training services all over the country. A member of the National Genealogical Society and the Association of Professional Genealogists, she studied at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research at the Georgia Genealogical Society.

Cochran also runs her own website: www.theskeletonwhisperer.com.

The Van Zandt Genealogical Society looks forward to learning from Cochran about navigating DNA test results. Light refreshments will be served. The meeting is free, and membership is not required to attend.