Pantea Vahidi

Pantea Vahidi is the founder of Compassion Clinic, an organization dedicated to promoting the well-being of both patients and providers by advancing the practice of compassion. As both a nurse and an engineer, Vahidi blends the art and science of nursing and has developed the Vahidi Compassion Model™, a first-of-its-kind, reverse-engineered framework that translates compassion into teachable skills and behaviors. This evidence-informed model equips healthcare professionals with practical tools to express compassion more frequently, even in high-stress environments. To promote workforce well-being, Vahidi created Compassion Circle™, a facilitated peer support forum designed to foster shared understanding, connection, and renewal. The Circle provides a safe space for healthcare executives and clinicians to reflect on challenges, offer mutual support, and refill their emotional reserves so they can continue pouring care forward. As a keynote speaker, Vahidi has delivered workshops and talks at healthcare systems, national and international conferences, and served as a guest lecturer at universities across the nation. Vahidi is a passionate advocate for clinician well-being and compassionate systems of care. She serves on the advisory board of the Clinician Burnout Foundation, is a charter member of the A Loving Organization Consortium, and holds committee and faculty roles with the Planetree Global Patient-Centered Care Forum, the Healthcare Reinvention Collaborative, and Practicing Excellence. Her work has been featured by NAMI, Thrive Global, and various podcasts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, her support for nurse well-being was recognized by the media and embraced by clinicians globally. Vahidi holds a BSc in Computer Engineering from UC San Diego, a BSN from National University, and is currently completing her Doctor of Nursing Practice at UC Irvine. She has received postgraduate certification in Trauma-Informed Care and has collaborated with the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion at UCSD on scientific research, including a published scoping review titled “Measures of Empathy and Compassion.” She most recently partnered with Mayo Clinic and several other healthcare organizations on a study exploring what matters most in patient-provider relationships. Vahidi believes compassion is the ultimate remedy to heal humanity.