The Upper Midwest Genealogy Institute is a two-day intensive, but friendly, genealogy education program for intermediate and more experienced genealogists and family history researchers. The 2025 UMGI focuses on finding and using records to solve Upper Midwest research problems. UMGI’s Upper Midwest focus includes Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, the Dakotas, and neighboring portions of surrounding states.
UMGI 2025 is a reprise of the popular MGS “Minnstitute” first offered in 2023. It’s still small and its still in Minnesota, but it’s a pretty big deal, and its about more than Minnesota—thus, the change of name.
UMGI Director: J. H. Fonkert, CG
Associate Director: Elizabeth Gomoll
Mica L. Anders is a Twin Cities-based professional genealogist and lecturer. As the first-ever history fellow at the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum, she conducted pioneering research on early African American communities. She received the Minnesota Genealogical Society's Pioneer Award in recognition of this work. Mica combines rigorous historical researchwith storytelling to bring stories to life. She collaborates with museums to highlight underrepresented narratives. Mica is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.
Jessica Fontana specializes in U.S. research, with experience in the Southern, Midwest, Great Lakes, and Mid-Atlantic regions, as well as research in African-American family history. She has eighteen years of research experience, including as a researcher for Ancestry ProGenealogists and her own genealogy consulting business. A member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, she has a Master of Science in Education degree from The Ohio State University.
Tom Rice, CG (retired) is a professional genealogy researcher, author, lecturer and consultant. He is a past Director of the Minnesota Genealogy Society and past director, officer and managing editor of the Irish Genealogy Society International’s publication, The Septs. Tom has lectured frequently for genealogy groups in Minnesota and Wisconsin. He is a genealogy help desk volunteer for the Minnesota Historical Society.
J. H. (“Jay”) Fonkert, CG, specializes in 19th-century Kentucky and Midwest family history research. His passions are family migrations and historical geography. He was Coordinator for the Midwest course for the 2024 NGS GRIP Institute, and he has taught in the Practicum and the Great Plains courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG). Jay served fifteen years as Editor of Generations (formerly Minnesota Genealogist) and he has published five articles in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ).
Elizabeth Williams Gomoll, CG, is professional board-certified genealogist. She is president of the Northland Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists, a past Director of the Minnesota Genealogical Society, and a former co-editor of Generations (formerly Minnesota Genealogist). She is the author of With Love to All –a collection of WWI letters and photographs and co-author of Husförhörslängder, Swedish Household Examination Records, Framing the Solutions to Your Swedish Ancestry Puzzles. Liz researches and lectures as Red Bird Genealogy Services (www.RedBirdGen.com).
Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA, is an internationally known genealogical educator, researcher, and consultant focusing on manuscripts, analyzing records, railroads, the Midwest, and Native Americans. She has researched onsite across the U.S. in state archives, historical societies, libraries, and several U.S. National Archives locations for herself and clients. She coordinates courses at genealogical institutes, and presents seminars, and webinars. She served on the Boards of MGS, FGS, APG, and other organizations. http://genealogybypaula.com.
Mica L. Anders is a Twin Cities-based professional genealogist and lecturer. As the first-ever history fellow at the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum, she conducted pioneering research on early African American communities. She received the Minnesota Genealogical Society's Pioneer Award in recognition of this work. Mica combines rigorous historical researchwith storytelling to bring stories to life. She collaborates with museums to highlight underrepresented narratives. Mica is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists.
Jessica Fontana specializes in U.S. research, with experience in the Southern, Midwest, Great Lakes, and Mid-Atlantic regions, as well as research in African-American family history. She has eighteen years of research experience, including as a researcher for Ancestry ProGenealogists and her own genealogy consulting business. A member of the Association of Professional Genealogists, she has a Master of Science in Education degree from The Ohio State University.
Tom Rice, CG (retired) is a professional genealogy researcher, author, lecturer and consultant. He is a past Director of the Minnesota Genealogy Society and past director, officer and managing editor of the Irish Genealogy Society International’s publication, The Septs. Tom has lectured frequently for genealogy groups in Minnesota and Wisconsin. He is a genealogy help desk volunteer for the Minnesota Historical Society.
J. H. (“Jay”) Fonkert, CG, specializes in 19th-century Kentucky and Midwest family history research. His passions are family migrations and historical geography. He was Coordinator for the Midwest course for the 2024 NGS GRIP Institute, and he has taught in the Practicum and the Great Plains courses at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG). Jay served fifteen years as Editor of Generations (formerly Minnesota Genealogist) and he has published five articles in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ).
Elizabeth Williams Gomoll, CG, is professional board-certified genealogist. She is president of the Northland Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists, a past Director of the Minnesota Genealogical Society, and a former co-editor of Generations (formerly Minnesota Genealogist). She is the author of With Love to All –a collection of WWI letters and photographs and co-author of Husförhörslängder, Swedish Household Examination Records, Framing the Solutions to Your Swedish Ancestry Puzzles. Liz researches and lectures as Red Bird Genealogy Services (www.RedBirdGen.com).
Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA, is an internationally known genealogical educator, researcher, and consultant focusing on manuscripts, analyzing records, railroads, the Midwest, and Native Americans. She has researched onsite across the U.S. in state archives, historical societies, libraries, and several U.S. National Archives locations for herself and clients. She coordinates courses at genealogical institutes, and presents seminars, and webinars. She served on the Boards of MGS, FGS, APG, and other organizations. http://genealogybypaula.com.