Courtney was hired in February 2023 to serve as the Senior Director of Public Affairs for the Ballmer Institute. She brings more than two decades of experience working across government, education, health care, nonprofit organizations, and public policy to build partnerships and advance solutions to complex challenges facing communities, particularly children and families. At the Ballmer Institute, she leads public affairs, government relations, legislative strategy and stakeholder engagement to advance the Institute’s mission to transform child behavioral health.
Prior to joining the Ballmer Institute, Courtney served as Director of Government Relations for Portland Public Schools, where she worked with local, state, and federal elected officials and government partners to advocate for the prioirites of the school district and school communities. She previously served as Legislative Director for the Oregon Health Authority; Outreach Director for the Center for Michigan, a nonprofit focused on civic and community engagement; and as legislative assistant and deputy campaign manager for U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley.
Raised in Oregon, Courtney holds a Master of Public Administration from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Relations from Syracuse University. Outside of work, Courtney is passionate about building community, whether volunteering at her children’s school or spending time running the snack shack at the local Little League field.