We must create stories, not statistics.
Caleb Rixon is a stroke survivor, speaker & Chief Vision Officer for genyus network - a social enterprise providing a platform for people touched by trauma, disability & difference.
He has been featured in HuffPost, JOY FM, “2 Girls 1 Podcast”, 7 Network’s "House of Wellness", SBS "Insight", ABC Radio National, ABC TV Art Works, ABC News and ABC News Breakfast.
He is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) Film School.
Current Work:
Caleb is a speaker for the Stroke Foundation, Florey Institute of Neuroscience & Mental Health, Hunter Medical Research Institute, National Disability Insurance Agency, STROKE 2018, Occupational Therapy Australia (OTA), Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment (ASSBI), L'Oréal Australia, BUPA, Health Informatics Conference 2020, and the Australasian Institute of Digital Health Summit 2020.
He is a content consultant and sessional tutor for La Trobe University's Occupational Therapy department plus co-design consultant for Accessible Inclusive Geelong, NOVELL Redesign & Stroke Foundation - Young Stroke Project.
He has facilitated expert panels for OTA, ASSBI Online Webinar Series, plus “Fresh Voices in Brain Impairment” for 6th Pacific Rim Conference (ASSBI, INS, CCN).
Recognitions for his work include being a finalist at CHF Shifting Gears Summit "Big Ideas Forum” plus the Creative Award & Improving Life After Stroke Awards for Stroke Foundation.
A cheeky and charismatic MC, Cal brings unique value to special events, including symposiums and fundraisers such as ‘Will2Walk’, helping raise over $40,000 for Stroke Association of Victoria, plus genU’s special event 'TOGETHER' for International Day for People With Disability.
Caleb featured on the panel “high profile community leaders” for Digital Health Week (DHIN), fronted the federal government campaign on social inclusion #PlaySafeStaySafe, plus presented for IDP Australia, ABC TV Artworks and ABC News Breakfast.
Talking Points
Impactful Storytelling
Hear from the horse's mouth, how this young stroke survivor has navigated a journey of endless obstacles. From being on the precipice of a highly successful professional career in musical theatre to experiencing a cataclysmic event that catapulted him from being a professional singer, actor and dancer to not being able to walk, talk or swallow. Hear how he traversed his journey of being a 24-year-old man, trapped in a newborn's body, to living a life of gratitude and limitless potential.
Impactful Storytelling
Becoming Resilient
Uncover a process of becoming resilient in 3 simple steps.
Becoming Resilient
Building Safe Spaces & Trust
Through reflective and comedic insights shared of Cal's lived experiences of brain injury and in developing a global community of trauma survivors and their supporters, learn practical methods for creating S.A.F.E. spaces and how to build T.R.U.S.T.
Building Safe Spaces & Trust
MC & Host
A cheeky and charismatic MC, Cal brings unique value to special events, including weddings, symposiums and fundraisers such as ‘Will2Walk 2018’, which helped raise over $40,000 for the Stroke Association of Victoria, and symposiums such as genU’s celebration for International Day for People With Disability 'TOGETHER'.
MC & Host
Video
Caleb Rixon | Keynote Sample
Feeling safe living with COVID - Caleb Rixon
Caleb Rixon gets candid with Australians to find out what they need to feel safe in the community living with COVID.Should you disclose a disability on a first date? | Caleb Rixon | ABC Australia
Caleb Rixon's experience on a date triggered a reflection on when to disclose a disability to a potential partner. Caleb's stage career was taking off when his life took a sudden and unexpected turn. He went from being a budding actor, singer and dancer to a baby unable to walk, talk or swallow, with permanent double vision and vertigo. Caleb faced a long path to recovery after suffering a catastrophic stroke. In his first date after rehab a comedy-of-errors taught him about his disability and disclosure.Caleb Rixon - ABC Artworks
Caleb (Cal) Rixon is a queer, young stroke survivor with invisible disabilities carrying his own thoughts about feeling obscure and obscuring oneself from society. Naturally he’s curious when the opportunity arises to meet the members of Matt Hsu’s “Obscure Orchestra”. He candidly chats with Matt and other orchestra members to uncover what “being obscure” means to them, how it influences their artistic journeys - individually and collectively, plus how they’ve created a safe, inclusive, artistic space to take ownership of their obscurity.Caleb presented one of the most moving accounts of head injury that I have ever heard. He provided remarkable insights into his day to day experiences of recovery and his wider perceptions. ... keep reading University of Nottingham
Caleb’s powerful personal keynote address set the programme proper off to an exceptional start from the insider’s perspective - wisdom and entertainment so skilfully crafted!
Caleb Rixon talked to us last week about Resilience and Connection. His story and journey were weaved throughout and made his message relatable and meaningful.I know the words resilience and connection will continue to drive what I do and how I interact.
Cal stepped into the MC role seamlessly. We couldn’t have hoped for a better MC and panel of speakers.
