About Rachel – A Path Less Ordinary

Rachel Callander never set out to become a healthcare communication consultant. Her journey to this work has been anything but conventional-but it’s precisely that lived, layered path that makes her perspective so powerful, human, and needed.

She began in the world of Fine Arts, drawn to light, and story. With a degree in art and a natural talent for seeing the essence of people, Rachel built a successful career as an award-winning wedding and portrait photographer. Her lens captured connection, vulnerability, and presence, long before she began teaching others how to do the same with words.

Then everything changed.

Rachel’s daughter Evie was born with an extremely rare chromosomal condition. Becoming Evie’s mother redefined everything she thought she knew about life, love, medicine, and meaning. Through Evie’s short and extraordinary life, and after her death, Rachel experienced both the beauty and the painful but often unintentional shortcomings of communication in healthcare.

In response, she created the internationally acclaimed Super Power Baby Project, a photographic art book that reframed rare and genetic conditions through a lens of strength and wonder. The book won awards, captured hearts, and challenged deficit-based medical narratives. Rachel shared her message through a TEDx talk, and soon found herself speaking on global stages across hospitals, universities, and health systems, becoming an unexpected but passionate advocate for patients and families.

Over time, Rachel transitioned fully into healthcare, bringing together her creative training, lived experience, and deep insight into the emotional landscapes of care. She has spoken and trained at some of the world’s most respected medical institutions, delivering transformational keynotes and workshops on compassionate communication, ethical engagement, and trust-building in complex care settings.

Today, Rachel is a global speaker, trainer, and consultant in healthcare communication. Her work spans paediatrics, palliative care, rare disease, diagnostics, and corporate health sectors. She collaborates with organisations such as Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), Palliative Care Australia (PCA), and the Centre of Research Excellence in Paediatric Palliative Care, helping healthcare professionals and leaders move from transactional to deeply human communication.

Rachel’s style is warm, real, and unforgettable. She blends artistry with advocacy, storytelling with strategy, and compassion with clarity. Her workshops and presentations leave audiences feeling courageous, hopeful, and better equipped to connect with patients, with families, and with one another.