Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine

What Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine does

The Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine (KNN) is a national movement established in 2017 to advance character, caring, practical wisdom, and flourishing across the health ecosystem. It operates as a program office hosted at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, formalized through a transformational investment from the Kern Family Foundation and Kern Family Trust, and built on seven founding medical schools: Dartmouth Geisel, Dell Medical School (UT Austin), Mayo Clinic, Medical College of Wisconsin, UCSF, UW Madison, and Vanderbilt. The KNN has since expanded to more than 50 partner organizations spanning Catalyst Organizations (full institutional partnerships), Changemaker Groups (department/team-level), and a free Learner Network of medical students, residents, and fellows.

Its core offering is the KNN Framework for Flourishing, a research-informed conceptual framework published in the peer-reviewed journal Medical Teacher (2024) that serves as the guiding principle for all initiatives. The framework is operationalized through the KNN FOREST learning consortium (launched 2024; virtual and in-person webinars, workshops, courses), the Annual KNN Conference (2026 in Pasadena, CA), the Learner Network with student chapters, the Becoming Series, the KNN Student Conference (scaled from Vanderbilt 2023 to Dell Medical 2024 to Creighton 2025), and three major thematic initiatives: Professionalism in Medicine, Health Systems, and Bridging Across Differences Toward Flourishing. The KNN is explicitly not a technology company; its deliverables are frameworks, learning experiences, partnerships, and facilitation services rather than software or proprietary platforms. No AI, machine learning, or automated decisioning components are described.

The KNN monetizes through three primary streams: (1) Catalyst Organization and Changemaker Group partnership fees for institutional engagement (fees not publicly disclosed), (2) fee-for-service consultation, facilitation, and speaking engagements with healthcare organizations and academic medical institutions, and (3) direct-to-consumer branded merchandise sales through the KNN Online Store (apparel and accessories priced $9.99–$68.99). Learner membership is complimentary. The organization employs approximately 19 people, including a Founding Director who also serves as Provost and SVP of Strategic Academic Partnerships at MCW. No external equity or debt capital is indicated; funding appears structured as a grant-funded initiative within academic medicine rather than a traditional commercial enterprise.

Name

Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine

Legal name

Kern National Network for Flourishing in Health

Website

https://knncaringcharactermedicine.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine is a Milwaukee-based national movement established in 2017 that advances character, caring, and practical wisdom across medical education and healthcare through partnership programs, learning experiences, and consulting services to over 50 institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Education & Healthcare Professional Development Services

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Medical education transformation
• Healthcare professional development
• Character flourishing framework
• Healthcare partnership programs
• Bridging differences facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Branded Merchandise Sales: The KNN operates an online store selling branded apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, onesies) and accessories (tumblers, notebooks, totes, blankets) priced from $9.99 to $68.99, sold directly to consumers through store.knncaringcharactermedicine.org.
2. Consultation, Facilitation & Speaking Services: The KNN provides fee-for-service strategic support to healthcare organizations including executive consultation, relational leadership development, implementation planning, interactive workshops, retreat facilitation, and presentations/plenaries/grand rounds.
3. Catalyst Organization & Changemaker Group Memberships: Partner organizations join as Catalyst Organizations (full institutional involvement) or Changemaker Groups (department/team level). Individual learners join fee-free. The KNN generates revenue through engagement and partnership fees from institutional members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The KNN delivers a research-informed Framework for Flourishing (character, caring, practical wisdom) through institutional partnerships (Catalyst Organizations and Changemaker Groups), a national learning consortium (KNN FOREST), an annual conference, the Learner Network and Becoming Series, and fee-for-service consultation, facilitation, and speaking engagements. It also operates a small e-commerce store selling branded apparel and accessories. The organization is hosted at the Medical College of Wisconsin and funded by the Kern Family Foundation and Kern Family Trust.

Product overview

The Kern National Network for Flourishing in Health (KNN) is a national movement dedicated to advancing flourishing across the health ecosystem through research-informed strategies promoting character, caring, and practical wisdom. The organization's portfolio consists of the KNN Framework for Flourishing (core guiding framework), the KNN FOREST learning consortium (learning ecosystem with virtual/in-person experiences), the Annual Conference program, the Learner Network with student chapters and the Becoming Series, partnership programs (Catalyst Organizations and Changemaker Groups), and Consultation/Facilitation/Speaking services. Additional initiatives include Professionalism in Medicine, Health Systems engagement, and Bridging Across Differences, supported by an e-commerce Online Store for branded merchandise. The KNN operates as a collaboration network rather than a single software product, with all offerings centered on culture change and professional development in healthcare.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KNN FOREST: A learning ecosystem home to relational learning through virtual and in-person experiences including webinars, workshops, courses, focused on grounding participants in the KNN Framework. FOREST stands for Fostering Opportunities for Relationships, Education, Scholarship and Transformation.

Products and services

• KNN FOREST Learning Consortium Virtual and in-person learning ecosystem delivering webinars, workshops, and courses grounded in the KNN Framework for Flourishing, targeted at partner organizations and individual learners seeking to deepen capacity for culture transformation in healthcare.
• KNN Framework for Flourishing Foundational research-informed framework illustrating how character, caring, practical wisdom, and flourishing are dynamically related at the individual, organizational, and societal levels; serves as the guiding principle for all KNN initiatives and is the basis of academic publications and consulting engagements.
• Catalyst Organizations & Changemaker Groups Partnership Program Formal partnership program enabling healthcare and academic institutions to join as Catalyst Organizations (full institutional involvement) or Changemaker Groups (department/team-level), applying the KNN Framework for Flourishing through structured discovery, findings, co-creation, and implementation phases.
• Consultation, Facilitation & Speaking Services Fee-for-service strategic support to healthcare organizations including executive consultation, relational leadership development, implementation planning, interactive workshops, retreat facilitation, and presentations/plenaries/grand rounds.
• KNN Learner Network Complimentary membership network for medical, pharmacy, nursing, and health professions students, residents, and fellows, providing student chapters, opportunities to advise the KNN, present at events, lead initiatives, and participate in workgroups.
• Annual KNN Conference Annual national conference bringing together health professions learners and leaders to deepen learning, forge meaningful connections, and advance culture change across the health ecosystem.
• KNN Online Store E-commerce platform selling branded apparel (tees, sweatshirts, jackets, onesies) and accessories (tumblers, notebooks, tote bags, blankets) priced from $9.99 to $68.99, sold directly to consumers through store.knncaringcharactermedicine.org.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grown from 7 founding medical schools in 2017 to more than 50 partner organizations nationwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

37 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and partner.

• Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCW is one of seven founding medical schools of the KNN, serves as the home institution for the KNN Program Office, and hosts the Kern Institute. MCW provides institutional infrastructure, staff, and leadership including KNN Founding Director Cheryl A. Maurana as MCW Provost.
• Geisel School of Medicine at DartmouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of seven founding medical schools of the KNN and a designated KNN Bridging Demonstration Site. Geisel participates in the national movement to advance character, caring, and practical wisdom in medicine.
• Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at AustincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of seven founding medical schools of the KNN. Hosted the 2024 KNN Student Conference. Contributes to the national movement for flourishing in health through institutional partnership.
• Mayo Clinic School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of seven founding medical schools of the KNN. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science also participates as a Changemaker Group through its Office of Applied Scholarship and Education Science.
• UCSF School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of seven founding medical schools of the KNN. UCSF contributes to the network through institutional partnership and hosts KNN Senior Advisor for Strategy and Policy Christine K. Cassel, MD.
• University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of seven founding medical schools of the KNN and a designated KNN Bridging Demonstration Site. Contributes to advancing flourishing in health through the national network.
• Vanderbilt University School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of seven founding medical schools of the KNN, a designated KNN Bridging Demonstration Site, and host of the inaugural 2023 KNN Student Conference. The CIBS Center at Vanderbilt also participates as a Changemaker Group.
• Duke University School of MedicineflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization and designated KNN Bridging Demonstration Site — a flagship partner actively advancing bridging across differences and flourishing in academic medicine.
• Perelman School of Medicine at the University of PennsylvaniaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization and designated KNN Bridging Demonstration Site — a flagship partner contributing to the national bridging demonstration project.
• The Good Listening ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the KNN FOREST learning consortium, collaborating on programs such as 'A Poetry Night in the FOREST' — a monthly webinar where residents, fellows, and graduate students share poems written from their stories, creating space for connection and deepening shared understanding of flourishing in healthcare.
• Belmont UniversitypartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization participating in the KNN national movement to advance character, caring, and practical wisdom in health professions education.
• Carle Illinois College of MedicinepartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization participating in the KNN national movement for advancing flourishing in health through medical education transformation.
• Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Auburn Campus (VCOM)partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization — contributing to the KNN movement for advancing character, caring, and practical wisdom in osteopathic medical education.
• Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of MedicinepartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization — partnering with the KNN to advance flourishing in health professions education within a health system-based medical school.
• Michigan State University Health SciencespartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization — engaged in the KNN national movement across health sciences education.
• NSU Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine (NSU MD)partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization — participating in the KNN movement to advance flourishing in health professions education.
• Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center – El PasoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization and designated KNN Bridging Demonstration Site.
• Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of ChicagoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization and designated KNN Bridging Demonstration Site.
• Roseman University of Health SciencespartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization — engaged in advancing flourishing across health sciences education through the KNN network.
• University Hospitals Cleveland Medical CenterpartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization — contributing to the KNN national movement in partnership with an academic medical center.
• University of California – Riverside School of MedicinepartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization — advancing flourishing in health professions education through the KNN national network.
• University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical CampuspartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization — participating in the KNN movement for advancing character, caring, and practical wisdom across a major academic medical campus.
• University of Kansas School of MedicinepartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization — contributing to the KNN national movement for flourishing in health.
• University of Miami Miller School of MedicinepartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization — advancing flourishing in health professions education as part of the KNN national network.
• University of North TexaspartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization — engaged in the KNN movement across health sciences.
• Virginia Tech Carilion School of MedicineflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization and designated KNN Bridging Demonstration Site.
• Wake Forest University School of MedicineflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst Organization and designated KNN Bridging Demonstration Site.
• Baylor College of MedicinepartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerChangemaker Group — the Center for Professionalism at Baylor College of Medicine advances professionalism and flourishing at the department level through the KNN network.
• Emory University School of MedicinepartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerChangemaker Group — advancing character, caring, and practical wisdom at the institutional level as part of the KNN movement.
• LSU Health-New OrleanspartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerChangemaker Group — the Center for Advanced Learning and Simulation (CALS) at LSU Health-New Orleans advances flourishing through simulation and learning innovation.
• Nuvance HealthpartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerChangemaker Group — the Patricia A. Tietjen, MD Teaching Academy at Nuvance Health advances teaching excellence and flourishing within a health system.
• Oregon Health & Science UniversitypartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerChangemaker Group — advancing flourishing at the department or team level within a major academic health center.
• University of Minnesota School of Nursing – Rochester CampuspartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerChangemaker Group — the Center for Flourishing Health Care Communities at University of Minnesota advances interdisciplinary flourishing in healthcare communities.
• UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical SchoolpartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerChangemaker Group — advancing flourishing in medical education at a major Texas health science center.
• Augusta University and University of Georgia Medical PartnershippartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerChangemaker Group — the Office of Personalized Health and Well-Being at Augusta University and University of Georgia Medical Partnership advances flourishing across institutional boundaries.
• Center for Innovation and Leadership in Education (CENTILE) at Georgetown University Medical CenterpartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerChangemaker Group — advancing leadership and flourishing within medical education at Georgetown University Medical Center.
• Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/NorthwellpartnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerChangemaker Group — the Women in Medicine and Science group at Hofstra/Northwell advances flourishing and professional development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Medical Association (AMA): The AMA operates the Accelerating Change in Medical Education consortium and other health-systems transformation initiatives — a broad incumbent whose medical-education reform agenda overlaps with KNN's framework-based culture-change approach.
• Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC): The AAMC is the national association representing all US and Canadian medical schools and teaching hospitals, with broad initiatives spanning workforce well-being, professionalism, and faculty development — a broader incumbent whose portfolio overlaps with KNN's culture-change mission.
• National Academy of Medicine: The National Academy of Medicine is an authoritative convener on clinician well-being, health workforce culture, and equity — overlapping with KNN's Health Systems Initiative and Bridging Across Differences work as a higher-level, policy-oriented peer.

Direct peers

• Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC): AAHC is a leadership convener for academic health centers focused on transforming health professions education, research, and care delivery — a network-level peer to KNN in mobilizing institutional leaders around culture change across academic medicine.
• Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation: The Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation is a private philanthropy dedicated to advancing health professions education through grants and convenings — closely matching KNN's foundation-funded model and focus on culture change across the health professions learning ecosystem.
• ABIM Foundation: The ABIM Foundation promotes medical professionalism through its Choosing Wisely and Trust initiatives, including a re-examination of the Physician Charter — directly comparable to KNN's Professionalism in Medicine Initiative focused on re-envisioning medical professionalism.
• Arnold P. Gold Foundation: The Arnold P. Gold Foundation champions humanism, compassion, and caring in medicine through its Gold Humanism Honor Society and the White Coat Ceremony — the most direct organizational parallel to KNN's focus on character, caring, and professional identity in medical education.

Others

• American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN): AACN is the national voice for baccalaureate and graduate nursing education and runs well-being and workforce initiatives — a peer association whose culture-change agenda and learner-network structure parallel KNN's reach into adjacent health professions.
• Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME): The ACGME accredits US residency and fellowship programs and has explicit well-being and professionalism standards — adjacent to KNN because its Common Program Requirements shape the cultural environment KNN seeks to transform, though ACGME is a regulator rather than a convener.
• National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME): NBME develops assessments for US medical education and licensure, and has invested in character and well-being measurement initiatives — a systems-level enabler whose measurement work is thematically adjacent to KNN's scholar-practitioner evaluation agenda.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KernNetwork
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLrIxHTnlgKJ2r0Q
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kernnetwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kern National Network for Flourishing in Medicine