Have conversations that leave you feeling seen, heard, and respected.
Our primary goal is to transform conversations.
While everyone knows how to communicate, not everyone is excellent at it. Ask anyone, and you will hear personal stories about how communication impacted their job, relationship, or health. The good news is that effective communication is a skill that anyone can hone. With knowledge, modeling, and practice, everyone can be a culturally and ethically competent communicator.
Vision Statement
To make preventative communication the standard in healthcare, higher education, and beyond, reducing conflict, protecting people, and strengthening outcomes.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to empower professionals, caregivers, and patients with the tools and skills to navigate difficult conversations through empathy, active listening, and conflict resolution. By fostering emotional awareness and clarity, we aim to improve the quality of care, strengthen relationships, and promote well-being for all involved in challenging interactions.
The Compassionate Approach
At the heart of our company lies The Compassionate Approach, a set of core values that guide every interaction we foster. Rooted in empathy, respect, and understanding, this approach shapes how we communicate, collaborate, and care for one another. We believe that compassion is more than a sentiment; it is an actionable commitment to building trust, promoting inclusivity, and strengthening relationships. Whether addressing complex challenges or celebrating shared successes, The Compassionate Approach ensures that every conversation is anchored in kindness and clarity. By embracing these values, we aim to create environments where people feel heard, valued, and supported, empowering both our team and those we serve to thrive.
Meet The Team
Compassionate Navigation brings together scholars, advocates, and communication specialists who help individuals, families, and organizations navigate difficult conversations with clarity and compassion
Malynnda Stewart, PhD (she/her) is a board-certified patient advocate, trained conflict mediator, and the CEO of Compassionate Navigation, LLC. With over two decades of experience, she helps individuals and organizations navigate emotionally charged conversations, whether in clinical settings, classrooms, or the workplace. Her work bridges the worlds of conflict resolution and health communication, grounded in the belief that effective, compassionate dialogue is key to trust, clarity, and equitable outcomes.
Her previous experience as a professor of conflict resolution, health communication, cultural communication, and interpersonal dialogue enables Malynnda to bring both academic depth and real-world application to every engagement. She specializes in helping people communicate across differences, manage tension with empathy, and advocate effectively in moments that matter most, whether that’s a difficult conversation at work or a critical decision in healthcare.
Malynnda also hosts the podcast Communication Compass, which is dedicated to helping individuals and organizations strengthen their communication skills in challenging situations. Her work empowers people to engage in meaningful, solution-focused discussions that lead to better relationships, improved well-being, and more inclusive environments.
Nikinzie Krstich, MA (she/her) holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Health Communication and a Master’s degree in Communication, where her research focused on grief and the grieving process.
Through her academic work and training, Nikinzie developed a strong understanding of the emotional, physical, and social dimensions of grief. She is deeply committed to supporting individuals as they navigate loss with compassion, patience, and practical guidance.
Her work focuses on helping people understand the many forms grief can take, express difficult emotions, and develop healthy ways to cope during times of loss and transition.
Through Compassionate Navigation, Nikinzie helps individuals and families navigate grief with greater clarity, understanding, and support during some of life’s most challenging moments.
Sam Moon (they/them) is a public health professional and patient advocate dedicated to advancing inclusive healthcare through education, community engagement, and compassionate support. They earned their Bachelor’s degree from Indiana State University in 2022 and are certified as a Community Health Worker.
As a Health Educator at IU Health Positive Link, Sam specializes in HIV testing and health education, working closely with diverse populations to expand access to care and promote informed health decisions. They also serve as a leader within IU Health’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group, helping foster a more inclusive and supportive workplace.
Sam is particularly passionate about transgender healthcare advocacy, bringing both professional expertise and lived experience to their work supporting patients navigating complex healthcare systems.
Through Compassionate Navigation, Sam helps individuals advocate for their healthcare needs, navigate medical systems, and communicate more effectively with providers.
Sarah S. LeBlanc, Ph.D. (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Communication with expertise in family, health, and interpersonal communication. She earned her PhD from the University of Missouri and holds a certificate in Reproductive and Sexual Health from Indiana University.
Sarah’s work focuses on helping individuals develop the skills and confidence needed to communicate effectively within healthcare settings. Through her teaching and community engagement, she helps people learn how to ask informed questions, advocate for their health needs, and better understand both what is said, and what may go unsaid, in medical conversations.
She is also deeply committed to improving family communication around puberty and reproductive health, working with parents and communities to reduce stigma and support healthier conversations about menstrual and women’s health.
Through Compassionate Navigation, Sarah brings both professional expertise and lived experience to help individuals and families navigate difficult conversations within healthcare systems and family life.
Kristal Corrion, CDP, CADDCT (She/Her) is a dedicated dementia educator and advocate committed to supporting individuals living with dementia and the families who care for them. With more than 12 years of experience in senior care, she focuses on helping families and professionals better understand the cognitive and emotional changes associated with dementia.
Kristal is a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) and Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer (CADDCT) and is also trained in Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care, a leading model for dementia support. She provides dementia education and training for healthcare professionals, caregivers, and community organizations throughout the region.
Through Compassionate Navigation, Kristal helps individuals, families, and care teams navigate dementia care with greater understanding, patience, and practical communication strategies.
Mary Kiura, PhD (She/Her) is an expert in organizational communication and change leadership, dedicated to helping individuals and teams communicate with clarity, confidence, and compassion. She earned her PhD in Communication from Arizona State University and brings a powerful blend of academic insight, corporate experience, and culturally responsive strategies to her work.
Mary has partnered with organizations across the United States and internationally on a range of organizational communication challenges, including onboarding and change management, workplace conflict, employment negotiations, and team communication strategy. Her work is informed by extensive research and grounded in data-driven practices designed to create sustainable and people-centered organizational change.
Through Compassionate Navigation, Dr. Kiura supports organizations in strengthening internal communication, improving employee engagement, and navigating complex organizational transitions.
In addition to her consulting work, she serves as an Assistant Professor at Purdue University Fort Wayne, where she teaches organizational communication, team dynamics, conflict and negotiation, intercultural communication, and research methods. Her research and teaching continuously inform her consulting practice, allowing her to deliver thoughtful and innovative communication strategies.
Natasha A. Rascon, PhD (She/Her) is an organizational leadership and crisis communication expert who helps leaders navigate high-stakes communication challenges. She serves as an Assistant Professor of Communication and Director of Graduate Studies at Indiana State University, where her work focuses on crisis response, organizational leadership, and effective communication across diverse communities.
Dr. Rascon’s research and consulting support leaders, educators, healthcare teams, and first responders in strengthening communication strategies during complex and high-pressure situations. Her work draws on the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM) framework to help organizations improve decision-making, crisis preparedness, and inclusive communication practices.
Through Compassionate Navigation, Dr. Rascon supports organizations seeking to strengthen leadership communication, navigate crisis situations, and build more resilient communication cultures.