The remainder of the keynote speakers for the upcoming RootsTech 2022 family history conference have been announced by FamilySearch International. Food Network star Molly Yeh, Actress/Comedian Maysoon Zayid, Brazilian telenovela (soap opera) actress Thaís Pacholek and FamilySearch CEO Steve Rockwood are the final featured speakers for the annual online event, which will be held online March 3–5, 2022.
Download PhotoMolly Yeh
Food Network star Molly Yeh shares the absolute best of her food on her show “Girl Meets Farm,” with recipes inspired by her Jewish and Chinese heritage.
“I want other people to experience the joy of cooking: feeding people who I love and creating those memories and traditions around it,” she said, explaining her passion for food.
Outside of the kitchen, Molly is a Juilliard-trained classical percussionist and has performed with different orchestras around the world. After high school, Molly moved to New York to study percussion and met her husband, Nick. During her time in New York, Molly fell in love with food.
She has kept journals from an early age, which eventually transitioned into her blog in 2009, cookbooks and her own television show.
The creative cook is aware of her roots and hopes that she can inspire people to view their differences as positive things and celebrate other people’s differences with them.
Download PhotoMaysoon Zayid
As a comedian, actress, disability advocate, writer and tap dancer, Maysoon Zayid has a plethora of talents to share with others.
Even more exceptional is her story. Maysoon was born with cerebral palsy, the result of a brain injury during birth. But she has not let that stop her from making her dreams a reality.
“I think the most influential part of growing up with kind of one crooked leg in each world was knowing that equality works. It’s worth it, and it’s worth fighting for,” she said of her experience with equality and connection across different cultures.
Maysoon is an advocate for equality in all cultures and minority communities. She has not only shown her success despite difficulties, but she runs training programs and speaks publicly about inequality and possible solutions. She wants to emphasize how much potential just one person has to change the world for the better.
Download PhotoThaís Pacholek
Brazil’s leading telenovela star Thaís Pacholek credits her success to her supportive and loving family.
“My family made me feel sure that this is the path I should follow,” she said. “My family, my foundation, was there for me. They guided me, emotionally, as they still do up to this day.”
Thaís was voted Miss Curitiba in 2005 and has starred in 15 theater productions, three movies, five television shows and eight telenovelas.
When she is not acting, Thaís cherishes her time with her family. While she did not grow up with much wealth, moments shared with her family were her real treasure.
Thaís honors her family history by learning from the stories and experiences that her ancestors went through. Her hard work, optimism and determination come from the stories of her ancestors and the memories she continues to make with her own family.
Download PhotoSteve Rockwood
Steve Rockwood is the president and CEO of FamilySearch International, a global nonprofit sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Throughout his career, Steve has created unique services for brands such as MasterCard, AT&T, Disney, Office Depot, Citibank and more. He is also an entrepreneur, having started two companies that were later acquired by larger companies.
Steve and his wife Jill enjoy their four children and three grandchildren. His work with FamilySearch has engendered a love and passion for family history and for helping to create opportunities for individuals worldwide to make fun family discoveries and connections.
“We witnessed incredible connections [in 2021] between participants all over the world,” he said, recalling the RootsTech 2021 event. “As they connected to their homelands, and ultimately to their families, they then connected to each other. At FamilySearch, we choose connection, and we witness every day the ways family history transcends all walls of separation and unites us as the true story of humanity unfolds.”
A popular family connection experience, Relatives at RootsTech, launched February 15, ahead of the online event. The experience will help users discover new relatives and see how they might be connected to their friends.
Learn more about the family stories of the keynote speakers during RootsTech 2022, the world’s largest family history conference, held virtually this year, March 3–5. Register for free today at RootsTech.org.