Courtney Rutledge

Courtney Rutledge

Courtney Rutledge is dedicated to addressing the root causes of poverty and racism. She works to improve policies, reform institutions, and close gaps for under-resourced populations. As a legal advocate and policy strategist, she centers racial and economic justice.

Previously, Courtney was at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE). At ABLE, she supported clients in eviction and housing discrimination cases and developed community assets in disinvested areas. During her career, she has served Legal Aid of Western Ohio; the Executive Office of the Mayor of Washington, D.C.; the U.S. Small Business Administration; and U.S. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS). She has also been a school board member and professor.

Courtney is certified in public management and leadership. She is a Region 5, Environmental Justice Academy Fellow at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As a sub-committee member of Ohio’s Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission’s Regional Equity Initiative, she corrects policies and supports systemic transformation to end racial disparities.

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Courtney is a proud graduate of the W.E.B. Dubois Honors College at Jackson State University, a Research-1 Historically Black University in Jackson, Mississippi, and of Georgetown University, Washington. In 2023, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice.