Dean's Corner
The Kern National Network for Flourishing in Health (KNN) is a movement dedicated to advancing flourishing across the health ecosystem. Through research-informed strategies that promote character, caring, and practical wisdom, the KNN partners with organizations to unlock their potential and build cultures that elevate everyone.
The KNN strengths-based methods combine a robust guiding framework with scholar-practitioner approaches, deep subject matter expertise, and national peer collaboration to solve complex culture and workforce challenges.
Dr. Peter DeBlieux, Assistant Dean for the Center for Advanced Learning and Simulation, and Dr. Rachel Fiore, Director of the Standardized Patient Project, had the opportunity to seek additional information and potential membership from an invited AOA speaker who was a member of KNN.
Drs. DeBlieux and Fiore reached out more formally to KNN in late 2025 and began a series of exchanges detailing the innovation and vision of the LSU Standardized Patient Project and possible alignment with what KNN had to offer.
As a result of these conversations, KNN granted LSU Health registration and travel scholarships for five LSU Health students across all schools to attend their Student Flourishing National meeting this past spring. Additionally, KNN provided LSU Health with a KNN membership and a Deep Listening Visit to the campus in January 2026. Prior to the visit, all leadership, faculty and staff were invited to participate in a survey that sought feedback about the LSU Health environment and community. During the Deep Listening Visit, KNN interviewed leadership across all Schools, Faculty Development leaders, CAP leadership, faculty and staff senate leadership, faculty, staff, and students.
Based on survey responses and the visit, KNN made several recommendations, including:
- Amplifying the collective impact of the LSU Health Sciences Center through increased collaboration among the schools;
- Strengthening the Staff Senate; and
- Further developing the KNN Student Chapter.
Next steps include the formation of a working group made up of key stakeholders dedicated to these efforts to begin outlining actions needed for follow-up. Throughout September, KNN will engage with the Standardized Patient Project leadership to help develop a curriculum for a proposed multidisciplinary Human Communications Lab designed to elevate communications across care teams and within schools to promote flourishing in our work.
“KNN has been exceedingly generous with grants to help establish a partnership with LSU Health to promote flourishing in our staff, students, residents, fellows, faculty, and leaders. The relationship is designed to be bidirectional and mutually supportive. It is a tremendous opportunity for LSU Health and KNN,” said Dr. DeBlieux.