The Origin of KALM
The Kortni Alston Lemon Media (KALM) Institute for Workplace Wellbeing was born from lived experience. At 24, Dr. Kortni was sent to chase a tornado alone, without guidance or support. That moment shaped her conviction that newsrooms must care for their people.
As a News Director, she vowed to lead differently, pursuing her MBA at Morgan State University and later a Ph.D. at the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communication, with one purpose: to help the industry flourish through the application of positive psychology. For nearly a decade before gaining 501(c)(3) status, KALM was already at work, as Dr. Kortni trained leaders through the Radio Television Digital News Association, American Press Institute, Report for America, and the National Association of Broadcasters.
A defining moment came at the Carter Center, where former First Lady Rosalynn Carter sat in the front row of her talk on mental health and journalism. Soon after, Dr. Kortni was appointed to Mrs. Carter’s advisory board — one of her last appointees before her passing. In the summer of 2025, KALM debuted at a leadership forum in that very same room, a profound full-circle moment that remains at the heart of the institute’s story.
Today, KALM advances its mission through Mental Health First Aid training, digital courses, leadership toolkits, and The Compassionate Newsroom Podcast — recognized as one of the top 40 journalism podcasts in 2025. With support from mentors, colleagues, and family, including her husband Ken Lemon, a three-time Emmy Award–winning reporter, the 23rd President of the National Association of Black Journalists, and Treasurer of KALM’s Board, the institute continues to grow.
KALM stands as a nonprofit rooted in scholarship, resilience, and compassion, carrying forward the legacy of Mrs. Rosalynn Carter and reimagining workplaces where media professionals not only survive — but flourish.
Support KALM
Reporters, producers, sales executives, news directors, and general managers carry the weight of telling the world’s stories. Too often, their well-being is overlooked.
At the KALM Institute for Workplace Wellbeing, founded by Dr. Kortni, we make compassion the competitive advantage — through Mental Health First Aid training, digital courses, leadership toolkits, and The Compassionate Newsroom Podcast.
Your donation helps media professionals not just survive, but flourish.
HELP BUILD RESILIENCE
Our mission...
The KALM Institute for Workplace Wellbeing equips media professionals and leaders with tools to prioritize mental health, resilience, and compassion — building workplaces where people don’t just survive, but flourish.
Making News
From national outlets to industry think tanks, KALM’s Founder, Dr. Kortni, is being recognized for shaping the future of workplace well-being in media.
Honored with BEA’s Prestigious Leibner Cooper Grant. In 2025, the Broadcast Education Association announced that Dr. Kortni had been awarded the Leibner Cooper Grant for Creative Productions on the History of Media. Her project, Rosalynn Carter’s Caring Call, now featured on The Compassionate Newsroom Podcast, explores how the First Lady’s legacy of compassion continues to transform mental health journalism and newsroom culture.
Sharing Strategies to Build Belonging at Better News. In August 2024, Better News highlighted her voice in “12 Ideas for Fostering Belonging and Collaboration in Local News Organizations.” Written by Caitlin Dewey and Jan Ross P. Sakian for API’s Better News, the article drew on insights shared at the Local News Summit in Minneapolis, where Dr. Kortni joined experts from across industries to reimagine collaboration and belonging in newsrooms.
Inspiring Fulfillment and Balance in CNBC Feature. In August 2022, CNBC featured Dr. Kortni in “3 Books to Help You Feel More Fulfilled in Life and at Work.” As a happiness scholar and advocate for resilience in the workplace, she shared resources designed to help professionals build meaning and balance — reinforcing her belief that well-being is not optional, but essential.
Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma:
80–100% of journalists experience work-related trauma during their careers.
As presented by Dr. Anthony Feinstein at the Reuters Institute on May 22, 2025:
55% have no access to resources to support their mental and physical health.
Canadian Journalism Forum on Violence and Trauma:
69% of 1,000 media workers reported experiencing anxiety, and 46% reported depression.
Harvard Business Review:
Revealed that nearly 50% of CEOs feel lonely and isolated, with 61% believing this affects their performance — showing that even leaders at the very top are at risk.
Research by Malinauskas, Grinevicius, & Malinauskiene (2023) about Telecommunication Sales:
Job demands and witnessing workplace bullying were the strongest predictors of emotional exhaustion.
Chartered Institute of Public Relations and Public Relations and Public Relations & Communications Association:
91% of professionals in PR experienced poor mental health in the past year— consistent with 2022 levels and highlighting systemic strain.
Choose Your Impact
Make an Impact, Give: Fuel the Mission of KALM
Your gift powers KALM’s work to bring workplace well-being, evidence-based training, and positive psychology into media. Every donation helps us equip journalists, news leaders, and media professionals with the tools they need to thrive — including certification in Mental Health First Aid.
Grow Through Training: Become a Mental Health First Aider
Join Dr. Kortni Alston Lemon for Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training and learn how to recognize challenges, respond with confidence, and protect your own well-being while caring for others. Walk away with your official certification—vital for journalists, news leaders, and media professionals everywhere.
Thrive Through Learning: Demystifying Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)
Dr. Kortni Alston Lemon breaks down what MHFA is (and isn’t), how the ALGEE action plan works, and why it’s essential for protecting well-being in today’s newsrooms.
The Compassionate Newsroom Podcast
Never miss an episode—sign up to be the first to know when new conversations drop. Each episode features guest experts, powerful stories, and evidence-based strategies on workplace well-being, resilience, and compassionate leadership in the media industry.
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