The Compassionate Newsroom
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E34 Positivity Isn’t Pollyanna: The Science Behind Resilient Storytellers
Key Points:
Understanding positivity beyond "Pollyanna" and its role in resilience. The PERMA framework: Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Ac
E33 Remembering Rose Tibayan: One Year Later and the Scholarship Fund That Continues Her Compassionate Legacy
In this heartfelt episode, Dr. Kortni Alston Lemon reflects on her personal journey of grief following the loss of her mentor and friend, Rose Tibayan. As she navigates her emotions, she emphasizes the importance of pausing to honor one's feelings and the impact of grief on journalists. Dr. Kortni shares the profound lessons learned from Rose's life, her legacy of compassion, and the significance of supporting one another through loss. This episode serves as a reminder that healing is a
E32 Compassion, Freedom, and the Future: A Juneteenth Reflection
From her early reporting days in Houston covering Juneteenth on Galveston Island, to her ongoing work shaping mental health and well-being in journalism, Dr. Lemon invites listeners into a space of remembrance, healing,
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About the Host
Host & Happiness Scholar
Dr. Kortni Alston Lemon is a Happiness Scholar, TEDx speaker, and Transformational Trainer. Her area of research is interdisciplinary, combining positive psychology, business administration, and media management. Her research concentrations value happier workplaces, well-being, and meaningful work.
She is the founder of the Kortni Alston Lemon Media (KALM) Institute for Workplace Wellbeing, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming newsroom culture. Through KALM, she offers research-driven training and certification programs—such as Mental Health First Aid—specifically designed for journalists and news leaders to promote resilience, belonging, and sustainable well-being in the media industry.
She is a Podcast Host for Kourting Happiness, which helps listeners learn how to commit to well-being one episode at a time fueled by positive psychology. According to Feedspot, the podcast is among the top 80 for happiness and the workplace.
Dr. Kortni is an advisory board member with the Carter Center's Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, where she guides journalists globally on effective, empathetic, and accurate reporting on behavioral health. Furthermore, she is an active and dedicated member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), where her husband, Ken Lemon, serves as the 23rd President. She is the founding Co-Chair of the NABJ Wellness Task Force. As a Happiness Scholar, her extensive experience in journalism and expertise in positive psychology have positioned her to train journalists, news managers, and media professionals in workplace well-being and resilience and foster a positive newsroom culture. She has coached leaders and journalists for Report for America, 19th News, the American Press Institute, and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York (CUNY).
With nearly 20 years of experience in the journalism industry, Dr. Kortni has worked as a news director in Baltimore for WEAA-FM, an NPR affiliate station. Additionally, she has served as a Television Reporter in Houston, Philadelphia, and Youngstown, Ohio.
She has a Ph.D. from the University of Florida, College of Journalism and Communication, and an MBA from Morgan State University. Her bachelor’s degree is in Television Production from Delaware State University.