Candidate for
Auditor; City of Oakland

In 1999, after a successful auditing career and holding several key leadership roles in national politics, Courtney moved to the city of Oakland to fulfill a calling to public service through ministry and work in the non-profit sector. In 2001, she became Chief Financial Officer and Director of the Episcopal Charities Service Center where she worked with several Bay Area nonprofits to create an environment of stability and success through structured change.

In 2003, Courtney traveled to Ghana and spent almost nine months providing young women with vocational skills and independently creating an educational support system for 27 children ranging in age from 4 to 19 years. She continues to fund the education of almost twenty children from the impoverished African nation. Inspired by her experiences abroad, she went on to become the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Administration of the East Bay Conservation Corps, a $7.5 million nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting youth development through environmental stewardship and community service.

In 2006--when it had become clear that the sitting City Auditor had lost the trust of Oakland's residents--Courtney offered her passion for finance, devotion to service, dedication as a leader, and eternal optimism to Oakland's voters, and they elected her with over 65% of the vote. Since taking office in 2007, Courtney has turned a failing Auditor's office into an awarding-winning agency that meets the highest standards in government performance auditing. Courtney has brought ethics, equity, integrity, and accountability back to the office of the Auditor, but knows that the work of restoring Oakland's trust in local government has only just begun.

Courtney currently resides in East Oakland.