Turning Tragedy into Impact with James “Woody” Wood

In this powerful episode of The Glitter Effect, Kate sits down with James “Woody” Wood, a former diesel mechanic whose life was irrevocably changed by a workplace accident. James shares his journey from a young, ambitious apprentice in the mining industry to becoming a leading safety advocate who travels across Australia to prevent others from making the same life-altering mistakes he did. The Power of Choice: James emphasizes that his injury wasn’t just an “accident”—it was the result of specific choices (speeding and not wearing a seatbelt). Lived Experience as a Mission: Through his organization CNB Safe, James uses his “confronting and impactful” story to create ripple effects in workplace safety culture. Resilience: The transition from a manual laborer to a speaker who refuses to let his disability define his potential. “The choices that I made that day caused me to get hurt… I’ve been in a wheelchair for over half my life.”