Lindsey Whissel Fenton, MEd, CT

After nearly a decade leading media and education initiatives on grief, trauma, and mental health, Lindsey Whissel Fenton (she/her) saw a need for content services that could meet the specific demands of this space: nuance, care, and the ability to make difficult subjects accessible without flattening them. She founded Empathic Media to fill that gap, bringing the same rigor she’s applied as an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, podcast producer, learning and content strategist, and grief educator to clients doing equally meaningful work.

As founder, Lindsey grounds Empathic Media’s work in 18 years of experience in public media at PBS/NPR affiliate WPSU, where she most recently served as a senior producer/director and instructional designer. There, she led signature initiatives such as Speaking Grief, a nationally recognized learning initiative, and championed the expansion of related work through projects like Learning Grief and partnerships with organizations including the New York Life Insurance Company and the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute. Her belief in digital learning spaces as a place for genuine human connection led her to pursue a master’s degree in Learning, Design, and Technology at Penn State, deepening her understanding of learning theory, instructional design, and technology integration. Empathic Media draws directly on this full range of experience, bringing documentary-caliber storytelling, instructional design, and strategic outreach to every client engagement.

Lindsey’s deep knowledge of grief literacy comes from years spent collaborating with researchers, clinicians, and grieving individuals, and continues to be shaped by her ongoing professional roles. As a Certified Thanatologist through the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC), she brings a rigorous, evidence-based foundation to every project touching grief and loss. As Associate Director of Learning and Content Strategy for the Grief-Sensitive Healthcare Project at Yale Child Study Center, she integrates learning design, multimedia content, communications, and outreach to translate research into accessible, engaging education for healthcare professionals. And as a board member for the National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG), she stays closely connected to the evolving needs of grieving children, teens, and the adults who support them.

To meet the full range of client needs, Empathic Media works with a trusted network of contractors who bring the same skill for creating safe, thoughtful spaces around challenging topics. Whatever the subject, Lindsey and her collaborators bring the same care to every client’s story that she’s brought to her own, helping organizations navigate difficult topics with the nuance and authenticity their audiences deserve.