Courtney joined Waggonner & Ball after graduating from Louisiana State University with her Master of Architecture, where she engaged in topics around community-engaged participatory design strategies, conducted research around social justice implications of historical urban design, and regional natural and nature-based design solutions to mitigate climate change at LSU’s Coastal Ecosystem Design Studio.

The year previous to her M.Arch, she served a year through Americorps teaching kindergarten in New Orleans, where she became immersed in the culture of the city and developed the interest in preserving local communities’ and their vibrant culture. At the University of Michigan, she conducted extensive work through student organizations, the university library system, and a local non-profit around designing for people with physical and invisible disabilities.