Life & Work with Audrey Kaller of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Audrey Kaller.

Hi Audrey , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
No one expects their life to change at a Bat Mitzvah, but that’s exactly “when and where” mine did. I was 13 years old when I lost complete control of my body in front of 150 people during my first grand mal seizure. What I thought was just another night ended up changing my life forever.
After being rushed out in an ambulance, feeling like I had completely derailed my friend’s big night, I woke up in a hospital bed surrounded by my loved ones. I was so confused. Why am I here? What just happened? I soon learned I had experienced my first seizure, marking the beginning of a long and overwhelming medical journey.
The diagnosis didn’t come right away. It took more seizures, more hospital visits, and eventually landing at Children’s Hospital for answers. That’s where a doctor finally looked at me and said, “You have epilepsy.” I remember staring back and responding, “Wait…what is that?”. I had never even heard the word before. In that moment, everything shifted.
What followed were months of medication trials, endless appointments, and more seizures. At one point, a medication caused me to lose my voice completely. As a young aspiring singer, that felt devastating. In the middle of all that fear and uncertainty, I found the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. However, I couldn’t find the role model I needed, so I became her.
Just weeks after my diagnosis, I created a team for the upcoming Epilepsy Walk Los Angeles and went all over town putting my face on flyers that read, “End Epilepsy Join Team Audrey Kaller.”
Like many people living with epilepsy, my journey hasn’t been linear. I eventually got my voice back, continued singing, and was seizure-free for six years until another grand mal seizure interrupted my sophomore year at USC and resulted in a new diagnosis of “adult-onset” epilepsy.
Today, I’m three years seizure-free and serve as Co-Chair of the Epilepsy Walk Los Angeles. Over the past decade, Team Audrey Kaller has raised more than $750,000 for epilepsy awareness, research, and support. I share my story so the next 13-year-old facing this same diagnosis knows they’re not alone.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
OOF. Absolutely not. My life has never followed a straight line. It’s been shaped by detours, setbacks, and moments that have forced me to slow down. I’ve learned that forward doesn’t always mean fast; it can bend, pause, and still move you somewhere new.
Some of the hardest struggles came early on, especially throughout medication trials and losing my voice. As a young singer, that loss was devastating. As I’ve gotten older, epilepsy has shown up differently. Medication now plays the biggest role in my day-to-day life, with side effects like mood swings, fatigue, depression, and dissociation–the kind of challenges people don’t always see, but can sense.
One of the most frustrating lessons has been learning that drive alone isn’t enough. I love to build, create, and say YES, but sometimes seizures or side effects make the decision for you. Plans get canceled. Energy disappears. Your body needs a break.
What I wish people understood more is the mental battle. Living with epilepsy can feel like carrying a looming storm no one else can see. Add stigma to that, and it’s isolating in ways that are hard to explain. That’s why using my voice and building community matters so much to me.
If epilepsy is part of my life, then my voice will be part of the conversation.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve been a singer since I was nine years old. The stage has always been my safe space. One of the most meaningful moments of my life was singing the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium for the first time at age 13, just three months after getting my voice back.
After graduating with a communications degree from USC, I pursued a creative career as an content creator, singer and actress. I’m currently releasing original music, including my debut single “Mood Swing Lover” which reflects my life with epilepsy and how medication affects not only my emotions, but my relationships too. As an actress, you can see me on a popular TV show on ABC this spring…EEK! (More details to follow on that hehe). I would love to bring the story of a woman living with epilepsy to the screen someday. It’s a reality that’s rarely portrayed, and one that deserves visibility. I’m also really passionate about health and wellness so I share everything from my skincare routine to my favorite popcorn on both TikTok and YouTube. It’s my way of keeping things real and relatable.
What sets me apart is that my art and advocacy are deeply connected. Alongside my creative work, I’m an epilepsy awareness advocate and activist, currently serving as Co-Chair of the Epilepsy Walk Los Angeles at The Rose Bowl. The Epilepsy Walk Los Angeles is more than an event to me; it’s the community I show up for, year after year. It’s my second family.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
OMG, I love this question…I LOVE LA! If my best friend and I have a perfect day in LA, it starts with coffee and matcha from Caffé Luxxe or Chamberlain Coffee in Century City, lunch at Leora (get the tuna sandwich), and ends with sushi. Sushi Enya in WeHo is incredible, and we definitely have a few hidden gems we’re obsessed with. I realize you didn’t ask for my favorite places to eat, but that’s my “death row meal” day and as we say about all our favorite spots: BOOM.
Beyond the food, what I love most about Los Angeles is the community. I was born and raised in Pacific Palisades, so after unprecedented destruction and a surreal year that brought immense challenges, witnessing the way our community showed up for one another reminded me that our collective strength is even greater.
What do I like least? I’m obsessed with coats (and clothes) so I often show up in a jacket and everyone’s like, “Audz, it’s 80 degrees,” and I’m like, “Yeah… but it’s October”. For that reason, plus my love of walking everywhere, New York wins — but only in that department. Other than that, I LOVE LA (side note: obsessed with Rachel Sennott’s new show).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://audreykaller.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audz__/?hl=en
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@audreykaller?si=p-e0p0fjfET48USj
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@audz__

Image Credits
Headshot- Cary Slatkin and Emma Maisterra.