Joe Keenan: Digital Media Innovator and Chronic Life Media Founder

Joe Keenan is the founder of Chronic Life Media™ (CLM), a digital platform dedicated to amplifying authentic voices in the chronic illness and rare disease community. Drawing on decades of experience in digital publishing and patient advocacy, Keenan established CLM to address a critical gap in media representation—creating space for the practical wisdom and lived experiences that patients and caregivers develop but rarely see reflected in mainstream coverage.

Entrepreneurial Vision

As founder and principal of Joe Keenan Consulting, Keenan has built a practice focused on helping organizations leverage technology and storytelling for greater impact. His StoryLab Connect framework has enabled nonprofits to collect and amplify constituent stories, while his entrepreneurial ventures demonstrate his commitment to human-centered digital solutions.

The founding of Chronic Life Media represents a natural evolution of this work—applying strategic media expertise to serve a community that deserves better representation. CLM's flagship publication, Life Beyond the Chart, emerged from Keenan's observation that while medical information abounds, authentic voices sharing practical strategies remain underrepresented in the media landscape.

Chronic Life Media represents both a professional culmination and personal beginning for Keenan, combining decades of media expertise with genuine commitment to improving lives through authentic storytelling and practical resource sharing.

Digital Media Leadership

Throughout his career, Keenan has consistently delivered groundbreaking digital programs while building productive relationships across organizational levels. Most recently for Patients Rising, he led development of an innovative online community anchored with engaging video courses, designed to empower patients and caregivers in advocacy efforts.

His tenure as EVP Director of Digital Product Development at Partnership to End Addiction (formerly Partnership for a Drug-Free America) from 1999 to 2012 earned multiple prestigious recognitions, including a Webby nomination for Drugfree.org and Webby Honoree distinction for the Hope, Help, Healing intervention program. This experience provided crucial insights into how digital platforms can effectively serve vulnerable communities—knowledge that directly informs CLM's approach.

Publishing Foundation

Keenan's media expertise spans both traditional and digital landscapes, with significant roles at Reuters (Senior Vice President of Marketing at Thomson Financial Publishing) and Wiley, where he progressed through various editorial and marketing positions. This comprehensive background gives him unique insight into content creation, audience development, and sustainable publishing models.

His passion for publishing traces back to childhood, when he created homemade family zines and publications for his running club. That early spark has guided his career trajectory and now finds expression in Chronic Life Media's mission to create meaningful, community-driven content.

Systems Innovation and Implementation

As a systems thinker, Keenan excels at connecting organizational dots and implementing effective solutions. He has led successful implementations of marketing and fundraising systems for nonprofit clients, including CRM, customer support, digital asset management, and grassroots advocacy platforms. His expertise in analytics and optimization has helped organizations measure campaign performance through custom dashboards and segmentation reports.

This technical proficiency underpins CLM's sustainable business model, which prioritizes fair contributor compensation while building accessible subscription tiers that serve diverse community needs.

Collaborative Leadership

Keenan's collaborative approach extends to knowledge sharing through tutorials and workshops on content strategy, ROI, SEO, and CRM usage. He has helped organizations establish efficient workflows using tools like Basecamp, Trello, Slack, and Monday.com—skills that inform CLM's community-building approach.

As Jenny Song, Director Digital at Cancer Support Community, notes: "Joe is a strategic and creative thinker but also excels at execution. His expertise in analytics, analysis, and optimization have helped us identify opportunities and leverage our digital investments and assets."

Educational Background and Continued Learning

Keenan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and English from Rutgers University, complemented by executive education through IBM's Adaptive Enterprise Program and Columbia University's Management Development and Executive Marketing programs. He maintains professional involvement through NTEN membership and continues community service, including strategic communications consulting for the Hudson Area Library Campaign.

Vision for Chronic Life Media

Through Chronic Life Media and Life Beyond the Chart, Keenan applies his publishing expertise toward a deeply personal mission. The platform reflects his career-long commitment to asking "Does this help someone?" while creating sustainable opportunities for writers living with chronic conditions.

Operating from his bases in Northville, NY and Chicago, IL, Keenan continues driving digital innovation in the nonprofit sector while building CLM as a resource that celebrates the full humanity of people beyond their diagnoses. His vision extends beyond content creation to community building—fostering connections and economic opportunities within the chronic illness community.

Chronic Life Media represents both a professional culmination and personal beginning for Keenan, combining decades of media expertise with genuine commitment to improving lives through authentic storytelling and practical resource sharing.