The Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine (KNN) is a national movement whose work is focused on the integration of four foundational elements within the profession of medicine: character, caring, practical wisdom and flourishing. We advance this work in the following ways: connecting and convening stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem, catalyzing transformative initiatives, and influencing policy and systems change.
When clinical learning environments, practice settings and health systems cultivate wholeness of being and purpose—along with competence and continuous improvement—then those within can truly flourish. That’s the aspirational goal of the KNN: Advancing character, caring and practical wisdom in medicine to ignite a positive culture change that helps individuals, community and society flourish.
The KNN partners with medical schools and other stakeholders nationwide to transform healthcare’s educational and practice settings and create the conditions of possibility for flourishing.
The KNN aspires to promote flourishing through the profession of medicine.
The KNN will foster character, caring and practical wisdom in the profession of medicine through efforts with health professions education, healthcare systems, network partners and society.
The KNN's framework is the north star for all we do and shows how character, caring and practical wisdom offer a potential path to flourishing.
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The KNN produces regular progress reports covering the network's governance, program office, initiative activities and other highlights.
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In partnership, and with support from the Kern Family Foundation, seven medical schools from across the United States formed the KNN in 2017 to build on shared strengths, speed innovation and collaboration, and drive national impact. Faculty, students, leadership, and staff at KNN founding partner schools work to advance character, caring and practical wisdom in medicine.
The Kern National Network founding members are:
Through its initial years, the KNN identified innovations that could be beta-tested and then integrated into educational practice.
In 2018, the KNN Board decided to expand the focus of the Network from medical education to the profession of medicine, with the ultimate goal to advance flourishing.
Today, the KNN continues its work in advancing innovations in medical education while beginning to shift focus more broadly from the role of training future physicians to re-examining the profession of medicine to emphasize character, caring and practical wisdom, as well as cultivating healthy, flourishing communities.
Lamya Augusthy
Digital Community Coordinator laugusthy@mcw.edu
Nicole J. Borges, PhD
Director, Evaulation and Assessment nborges@mcw.edu
Ellie Bradish
Administrative Associate ebradish@mcw.edu (414) 955-8075
Christine K. Cassel, MD
Professor of Medicine, Senior Advisor for Strategy and Policy, UCSF christine.cassel@ucsf.edu
Susan Cox, MD
Senior Director for Strategic Engagement sue.cox@uthct.edu
Jessica Cunningham, MEd
Grants Operations Coordinator jecunningham@mcw.edu (414) 955-0964
Alverno Devine, DDiv
Program Manager adevine@mcw.edu (414) 955-4149
Kimara Ellefson, MBA
National Director of Strategy and Partnerships kellefso@mcw.edu Bio
Tara Fikejs, BSBM
Program Coordinator III tfikejs@mcw.edu (414) 955-4745
Jeff Fritz, PhD
Associate Director jefritz@mcw.edu Bio
Brianna Johnson
Communications Associate briannajohnson@mcw.edu
Marissa Kalkman, MS
Program Manager, Learning Consortium mkalkman@mcw.edu (414) 955-2305
Cheryl A. Maurana, PhD
MCW Eminent Scholar Senior Vice President for Strategic Academic Partnerships Professor of Population Health and Founding Director cmaurana@mcw.edu (414) 955-8075 Bio
Jean Moreland
Program Director jmoreland@mcw.edu (414) 955-4907
Kari Reynolds
Administrative Assistant Sr. kreynolds@mcw.edu
Georgina Selenica
Communications Consultant gselenica@mcw.edu
Suzette Svoboda-Newman, MS
Program Director snewman@mcw.edu (414) 955-4952
Christine Van Hulle
Project Coordinator cvanhulle@mcw.edu (414) 955-4997
Sarah Williams
Senior Communications Consultant sarwilliams@mcw.edu (414) 955-4927
Alicia Witten
Program Director awitten@mcw.edu (414) 955-7407
Administrator Director of the Student Network jworm@mcw.edu (414) 955-4152