Julie Valentine Center
Celebrates
Where Healing Meets Strength: A Journey of Reclaiming Power and Restoring Hope
Featuring
Elizabeth Smart
Wednesday, February 17, 2027
12pm Greenville Convention Center
Survivor & Founder of Elizabeth Smart Foundation
The abduction of Elizabeth Smart was one of the most widely followed child abduction cases of our time. Taken on June 5, 2002, Elizabeth was held captive for nine months, enduring threats against her life and her family before being safely recovered on March 12, 2003.
In the years since, Elizabeth has become a powerful advocate for change, speaking out on child abduction, sexual abuse, human trafficking, and survivor recovery. She bravely testified against her captor, helping secure a conviction, and went on to found the Elizabeth Smart Foundation. Through her work, she has supported initiatives such as the National AMBER Alert and the Adam Walsh Child Protection & Safety Act, while also collaborating with the Department of Justice to create the survivor guide “You’re Not Alone: The Journey From Abduction to Empowerment.”
Elizabeth is the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir My Story, as well as Where There’s Hope (2018), which shares her healing journey and offers guidance for overcoming trauma. Her advocacy reached a global audience with the 2026 top-ten Netflix documentary Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart, where she provides new insight into her experience to empower other survivors. Her most recent book, Detours: Hope & Growth After Life’s Hardest Turns (2025), blends memoir and practical guidance, offering tools for resilience and healing after life’s challenges.
Elizabeth’s story continues to inspire audiences worldwide, encouraging vigilance in protecting children and reinforcing the belief that hope and healing are always possible. She studied harp performance at Brigham Young University and is now a wife and mother of three, exemplifying that there is life after tragedy.
Julie Valentine Center's mission is to provide hope and healing to those who have been impacted by child abuse or sexual assault.