RootsTech was excited to have actor, songwriter, singer, comedian, and narrator Kirby Heyborne to emcee at RootsTech 2023. As the official emcee for the 3-day conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, Kirby took part in introducing keynote speakers and highlighting classes and standout experiences throughout the event on March 2–4, 2023. Through his roles on and off the screen, it is clear that Heyborne has a strong desire to do good in the world and to have fun doing it! His humor, love of family and connection, and charming work ethic shone through in his role as an emcee.
Watch Kirby Emcee in Action
Kirby Heyborne at RootsTech 2023
Kirby Heyborne enlivened the RootsTech 2023 crowd by bounding on stage and singing "We’re finally back! “ After enjoying two years with an online RootsTech, those in attendance were elated to be meeting together and were thrilled with Kirby’s enthusiasm for what they loved: family history.
What a blessing it was that we were able to meet virtually for the last two years. In 2020, there were about 30,000 people, and all of them, they were right here, in person. Then we went online, and the next year, we had more than 1 million people...Then in 2022, it goes from 1 million to 3 million.
Kirby acknowledged that with the aid of technology, RootsTech had now become a global event. It’s exciting that the RootsTech team is now a worldwide family, committed to create inspiring experiences for all. As the Master of Ceremonies for the conference, Kirby continued sharing this year's theme with the group, which was Uniting.
“We are all family….connecting, relating, and uniting together.”
Kirby acknowledged that being on stage was exciting for him because he could feel the love of thousands, which “made it so real.”
Who Is Kirby Heyborne?
Kirby Heyborne became widely known in Utah and to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for his role as Jared Phelps in The R.M. (2003), along with his roles in The Singles Ward and The Best Two Years.
Besides being an actor, Kirby has also dabbled in comedy. When asked at what age he realized he was a natural comedian, Kirby quickly responded,
“Very young. I was a middle child and I had to do something to get people to like me and pay attention to me."
Along with his many other talents, Kirby appreciates humor and tries to teach his children to use kind humor. Kirby stresses that to be funny with kind humor takes creativity. Mean humor is easy and only belittles people.
Kirby’s first love was music. Early in his career, he formed a band that played as an opening act for NSYNC at the Medals Plaza during the Olympics held in Salt Lake City. Kirby remembers the euphoric feeling of the large crowd, including family and friends, all watching him live out his dreams on stage. Although he performed in school plays and musicals in middle school and high school, Kirby's first paid acting gig was when he was offered a role in a Park City play. That led to multiple acting roles in films centered around the culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, such as Saints and Soldiers, The R.M., The Singles Ward, and The Best Two Years. Heyborne has worked extensively as an audiobook narrator, narrating more than 2000 books and and receiving multiple awards and recognitions for his outstanding narration.
Kirby is a family man through and through. He has enjoyed creating a family and a life centered around his wife and three kids, alongside his career. His love of family values and uniting with loved ones has made him a great choice to join the RootsTech team in putting together the largest family history event in the world.
Where Is Kirby Heyborne Now?
If you're familiar with Kirby's early career, you may be wondering "Where is Kirby Heyborne now?" or "What does Kirby Heyborne do for a living?" Kirby has gone on to star in commercial campaigns for big name companies such as Best Buy and Target. He has narrated popular books such as Gone Girl, Stephen King’s The Long Walk, and Charlotte’s Web. Currently, Kirby hosts the successful TV show on BYUtv called Making Good, which brings us directly back to Kirby’s kind humor. Making Good highlights people around the country doing good. Kirby explains that his goal for this show is:
“To help people realize that you don’t need to go to a far-off destination in order to do good. There are people that need good, that are already doing good, in your neighborhood.”
Kirby tries to focus his work on purposeful, meaningful, and worthwhile projects, which leads to his new connection with FamilySearch. Kirby loves family history. He loves knowing where he came from and wants to make his ancestors proud. Kirby describes his extended family as family history nerds. One New Year's Eve, they pulled out the FamilySearch app and spent hours playing Relative Search. With the Compare-a-Face activity, Kirby found he looked 70% like his third great grandmother. This activity reminded him of stories the family would tell about her. As a single mother, she migrated by boat with her children from Australia to the United States. She landed in California and made her way to Cedar City, Utah, where her posterity have been mayors of the city.
Thank You, Kirby!
With his natural wit and his kind-hearted nature, Kirby was an excellent host for RootsTech 2023. Combine his understanding for the importance of family history with his talent as an entertainer, Kirby was able to unite everyone in attendance for this first year back live. Thank you for your hospitality, Kirby. You were an amazing host!
Watch Our RootsTech 2023 Keynotes
What Is RootsTech?
RootsTech is a place to learn, be inspired, and make connections through family history. Hosted by FamilySearch and sponsored by other leading genealogy organizations, we have hundreds of expert classes, tips and tricks videos, and inspiring stories that can help you experience family history like never before. Visit our on-demand learning library, or make plans to join us for our next virtual or in-person conference event.
