Xander Keller

Xander Peer Keller (they/them) is a speaker, writer, facilitator, and consultant exploring disability, neurodivergence, chronic illness, and queerness. Their work reimagines care, community, and creativity, showing how interdependence is a source of power rather than weakness.

For over a decade, Xander has been the director of the Amplify Learning Community at Colorado State University, supporting marginalized students in STEM to find belonging. They are also the co-founder of a long-running chronic illness and disability support group and have deep roots in disability justice movements.

Living with chronic pain since childhood, Xander spent years striving to be seen as “capable” by pushing through pain. That collapse led them back to their body, their needs, and the power of collective care. Now, they create spaces where honesty, grief, and joy can coexist—where disabled and neurodivergent people are fully seen, in both their struggles and their magic.

Through storytelling, teaching, and advocacy, Xander invites people to build a world where difference is an invitation to new ways of being. Whether on stage, in writing, or in facilitation, they help others imagine expansive ways to live, connect, and thrive—together.

About TEDx, x = independently organized event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)

About TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 30 years ago, TED has grown to support its mission with multiple initiatives. The two annual TED Conferences invite the world’s leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes or less. Many of these talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Sal Khan and Daniel Kahneman.

The annual TED Conference takes place each spring in Vancouver, British Columbia. TED’s media initiatives include TED.com, where new TED Talks are posted daily; TED Translators, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as translations from volunteers worldwide; the educational initiative TED-Ed. TED has established The Audacious Project that takes a collaborative approach to funding ideas with the potential to create change at thrilling scale; TEDx, which supports individuals or groups in hosting local, self- organized TED-style events around the world, and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.

Follow TED on Twitter at  http://twitter.com/TEDTalks, or on Facebook at  http://www.facebook.com/TED.