Her Story
About Courtney
Courtney Brinley is a nonprofit executive and operations leader based in the Detroit Metropolitan Area, currently serving as Director of Operations and Human Resources at Metro Solutions. With more than 15 years of experience spanning healthcare operations, contact center leadership, and nonprofit management, she specializes in building scalable systems, leading cross-functional teams, and driving organizational transformation. Her expertise includes business operations, Medicaid and care management services, human resources, quality assurance, vendor management, and large-scale process improvement initiatives. She is also actively pursuing an Executive MBA at the Quantic School of Business and Technology, further strengthening her strategic leadership and organizational development capabilities.
Throughout her career, Courtney has held progressive leadership roles across healthcare and mission-driven organizations, including McLaren Health Plan and Meridian. In these roles, she led enterprise-wide customer service operations, managed large teams across multiple lines of business, and directed major system transformations, including contact center and technology migrations. Known for her hands-on leadership style, she has built and implemented operational infrastructure, improved service delivery models, and developed high-performing teams focused on accountability, efficiency, and client-centered care. Her work consistently emphasizes measurable impact, continuous improvement, and strengthening service outcomes for members and communities.
In addition to her professional responsibilities, Courtney serves as a Board Member and Development Director for Friends of Detroit Animal Care and Control, where she supports fundraising and organizational development initiatives to advance animal welfare efforts. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in servant leadership, collaboration, and a strong commitment to community impact. Across both her professional and volunteer work, she is driven by a mission to improve systems that serve vulnerable populations, while fostering operational excellence and sustainable organizational growth.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Courtney
01What do you attribute your success to?
I have had a lot of really incredible leaders that I have worked with and mentors along the way who have given me the confidence to just go for it and not shy away from my goals. They've taught me that no goal is too big, and that you can get there even if you take baby steps or big chunks, even if you trip and fall along the way - you're still learning and growing. My mentors have really taken me by the hand and given me the confidence to understand and appreciate that perspective, and to be able to apply it in everything that I do. Even when I'm going through a rough patch, or something seems really hard and I'm just in the present moment thinking I don't even know what I'm doing anymore, they've helped me take a step back and understand that I'm learning, and tomorrow I'll know more than I did yesterday. Looking at the bigger picture - that's what they've really helped me with.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Do the hard thing. Do it anyways, even if it's scary. I remind myself of that every single day. I am naturally a more anxious and timid person, and big, hard things make me very nervous. But I remind myself every single day to just do the hard thing and be brave. Nobody gets anywhere when they're not being brave and just doing the hard thing anyways.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say know what you want. Don't let others convince you otherwise. Go for what you want. The answer's never no if you don't try. If you're trying, you're never gonna fail. Even if you don't get it right right away, you are still constantly learning and growing. Take every failure as a learning opportunity, because even when it doesn't feel like you're learning and growing, you are, and you're gonna be better off for it.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges are working with the Medicaid and Medicare population, where there are so many federal and state changes happening at that level. The biggest challenges are just working and better understanding policy and policy changes. To go hand-in-hand with that, some opportunities are working at a state level with legislature, to see if I can be a part of some of those policy changes.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity, kindness, and collaboration are my core values. I believe that collaboration and kindness go together - helping each other and being supportive of one another. I feel like that's collaboration and kindness together, creating an environment where we build each other up and support each other in everything we do.
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