The NYG&B is delighted to announce the 2026 honorees of its Preservation in Action annual series, which spotlights leaders and trailblazers whose innovative work inspires, educates, and has a lasting impact on the genealogy and family history field. This year’s theme, “Celebrating the Advocate,” honors those who have championed advocacy efforts on behalf of the genealogy and family history community, particularly on record preservation and access issues.
These individuals drive change, overcome obstacles, build connections, and inspire action on many advocacy fronts. Their tireless work has resulted in tangible policy wins and have had a tremendous impact on record preservation and access practices. Our 2026 honorees are:
- Jan Alpert, Chair, Records Preservation and Access Coalition
- Alex Calzareth, Director, Reclaim the Records
- Alec Ferretti, Director, Association of Professional Genealogists
The NYG&B recognizes the impressive contributions our honorees have made—and continue to make—in advocating on behalf of the genealogy and family history community. We look forward to hearing from them in their own words as part of a virtual panel discussion, moderated by NYG&B President and CEO D. Joshua Taylor, later this fall.
Learn more about our “Celebrating the Advocate” honorees below.
Jan Alpert
Jan Alpert, FNGS, has been researching her family since 1981. Her roots are mostly in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and the Midwest. She had a 35-year career in the title insurance industry, working at National Sales in California and Connecticut and then in senior management at the company headquarters in Richmond, Virginia. Upon retirement in 2004, Jan first served as secretary (2004–2006) and then president (2006–2010) of the National Genealogical Society (NGS). Subsequently, she has served two terms on the NGS Board and on several NGS committees. She has been the chair of several NGS Family History Conferences and chair of the NGS Conference Committee from 2019 through 2023.
Jan began serving on the Records Preservation and Access Coalition (RPAC) in 2007 as the NGS representative, and she has been the RPAC Chair since 2014. Jan is currently serving as Co-Chair of the Veterans Bounty Land Records Project (2024 –2027), a 250th Anniversary records preservation and access project. Jan is passionate about using DNA to assist in breaking through the brick walls of her New York ancestors. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Connecticut. She lives seasonally with her husband on Hilton Head Island, SC, and in Holland, MI.
Read a Q&A with Ms. Alpert to learn more about her advocacy efforts and contributions to the field.
About Records Preservation and Access Coalition: The Records Preservation and Access Coalition (RPAC) is a nationwide coalition that advises the genealogical and historical communities and other interested parties on ensuring proper access to vital records and on policy related to strong records preservation practices. RPAC represents more than 2,500 local, state, regional, national, and international organizations across the United States.
Alex Calzareth
Alex Calzareth is a professional genealogist and CPA who lives in New York City, originally from Long Island. He began his genealogy research almost 30 years ago and has focused on research in New York City, Southwest Germany, the Czech Republic, and Southern Italy. Alex is a director of Reclaim The Records, where he makes use of Freedom of Information laws to release important datasets and dig into official actions impacting records and records access. He recently became president of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Long Island, after several years on the board, and he also serves as the Research Director for JewishGen’s Germany Research Division.
Read a Q&A with Mr. Calzareth to learn more about his advocacy efforts and contributions to the field.
About Reclaim the Records: Reclaim The Records (RTR) is a not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. They identify important genealogical records sets held by government archives, libraries, and agencies and use freedom of information laws to request these records. When RTR is denied access to the records they initiate lawsuits to seek their release. RTR posts all the records they get online without any paywalls or usage restrictions.
Alec Ferretti
Alec Ferretti is a New York City-based professional genealogist and a nationally recognized advocate for public access to historical vital records. After researching complex family histories for the Wells Fargo Family & Business History Center, Alec built a practice centered on 20th-century immigrant families, where accurate, timely access to birth, marriage, and death records is essential. The bulk of his clientele are applicants seeking Italian dual citizenship, although in light of legislative chaos on that front, he has expanded to other nationalities as well.
Alec’s work bridges policy and practice by working with legislators to craft legislation, leveraging freedom of information laws, and helping researchers and the public obtain the records they’re entitled to under the law. He serves as President of the New York Genealogy & Technology Group; on the Boards of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) and Reclaim the Records (RTR); and is a frequent lecturer on the law and logistics of records access. At APG, Alec runs the organization’s advocacy efforts, spearheading lobbying campaigns across the country. At RTR, he is primarily in charge of content acquisition. He has been deemed a “serial requester” in court filings by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and was alleged to be akin to a “terrorist” by a village in Massachusetts in its attempt to withhold genealogical records. In his spare time, when he’s not the plaintiff in FOIA litigation, he’s the defendant.
Read a Q&A with Mr. Ferretti to learn more about his advocacy efforts and contributions to the field.
About Association of Professional Genealogists: The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), established in 1979, represents more than 2,000 professionals in various genealogy-related businesses in more than 40 nations. APG encourages genealogical excellence, ethical practice, mentoring, and education. The organization also supports the preservation and accessibility of records useful to the fields of genealogy and history.
Learn more about Preservation in Action honorees and themes from previous years.