After being sexually abused and tortured by multiple perpetrators starting at age 3, and then being trafficked at 16, she spiraled into addiction and saw no way out of the pain she endured.
On May 9, 1997, her life changed when she committed to a path of recovery. She still faced more challenges: a terrifying diagnosis that led to heart surgery with 50/50 odds of survival, and unhealthy relationships and partnerships that proved almost as dangerous as the addictions she had left behind. Yet whatever she’s endured, she has confronted her past trauma, rebuilt her life, and found true love—something that once seemed impossible.
Today, Hilary is a keynote speaker delivering a powerful message of resilience, courage, and forgiveness. She brings a blend of heartfelt love and encouragement, paired with humor and fun. Her message is one of hope.
Having achieved success as a singer-songwriter, including reaching No. 1 and No. 10 on the Billboard Charts when everyone told her it couldn’t be done, she remains unwavering in her belief that your dreams can come true and that it’s never too late.
Hilary has defied the odds in her life, lives her message, and inspires every room she enters.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Hilary’s keynotes are tailored to each event to maximize their impact. Whether she is speaking to mental health professionals, trauma survivors, women’s groups, or college audiences, her story will inspire and leave them with a message of hope.
Addiction to Recovery
Audience: Recovery events, Trauma survivors, Women’s conferences, General keynote
Before getting sober in 1997, Hilary lived a life of addiction and trauma. Having been abused by multiple perpetrators as a child, trafficked as a teenager, and turning to addiction to cope with the pain, she eventually found her way to recovery, which led to healing from the trauma and PTSD she endured in horrific circumstances. In this signature keynote, she shares her journey with unfiltered honesty, showing how she went from broken to back to life. Her message is that even in the darkest places, you can start over and live an extraordinary life.
Most Productive Self
Audience: Corporate Events, Leadership Seminars, Training Workshops, Retreats
How can one be the most productive and creative in the workplace? In this keynote, Hilary explores how to become whole, creative humans by shining a light on what weighs us down, which can lead to negative reinforcement, unmet goals, and low self-esteem. Whether it's childhood trauma, addiction, family challenges, or nightmares from the past, these can harm our performance. Many factors affect people's mental health and emotional well-being. She discusses how we can support both employees and employers in becoming the best versions of themselves, encourage them to seek the help they need, and be willing to look at what's going on in people's hearts to create a safe environment where everyone can flourish.
Faith and Forgiveness
Audience: Churches, Colleges, Trauma Survivors, Women’s Conferences, Recovery Events
This keynote speaks directly to the power of forgiveness and the search for faith. Hilary shares her experience forgiving one of her abusers and how it transformed her life. She discusses the anger that follows abuse and how to find a way out through forgiveness, which doesn’t mean condoning what happened but creates unexpected freedom. Hilary embraces all paths and belief systems, sharing her feelings of being lost and betrayed by God, as well as her experiences with religion and churches. It wasn’t until she met kind, loving people who loved her unconditionally that her belief in a power greater than herself was restored. The power of love can mend even the most broken.
Living with Heart
Audience: Women’s Conferences, Recovery Events, Colleges, Leadership
Hilary not only faced unimaginable odds in her life but also underwent a terrifying heart surgery. She was given a 50/50 chance of survival. After surviving, she felt she had been given a second chance at life and knew she could not waste a single precious moment. In this empowering keynote, Hilary discusses how she overcame the odds and has lived to tell her story. She has since defied all limitations and lives with purpose. In this talk, she explains how you can change your life at any time—you don’t need a life-threatening surgery to do so.
Since 2012, Hilary has spoken at recovery events, women’s conferences, nonprofit organizations, corporate summits, faith-based conventions, and to trauma survivors, always with optimism and compassion. She is also the founder of The Red Songbird Foundation, which provides trauma therapy for individuals and families. She speaks to empower her audience, and through her story of darkness and pain, she lights the path for others who need to know that you can not only recover…you can thrive.
BOOK HILARY ROBERTS
Powerful storytelling. Authentic connection. Transformational conversations for audiences seeking inspiration, healing, and meaningful impact.
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