Discover why true courage isn't the absence of fear, but the willingness to act despite it. Learn how confidence comes from taking action, not the other way around.
Her Story
About Courtney
Courtney Brinley is an operations leader based in the Detroit Metropolitan Area, currently serving as Director of Operations at a local nonprofit. 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, 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. I'd love to take a moment to shout out some of these incredible women specifically; Amanda Florkowski, Patty Graham, Christina Brandon, Jill Howard, Danielle Villaire - all of you have had a huge influence on my leadership style and skillset, you've mentored me in some capacity throughout my journey and helped me become the leader that I am today, and I thank each of you deeply.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Do the hard thing. Even if it's scary, do it anyways. I remind myself of that every single day. I am naturally a more timid person, and big, hard things make me nervous. I remind myself every single day to just do the hard thing and be brave. Nobody gets anywhere when they're not being brave. Just do it, even if you have to do it scared.
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 going to fail. Even if you don't get it 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'll be better off for it tomorrow.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges are working within the Medicaid and Medicare population, where there are so many federal and state changes happening at that level. The biggest challenges are better understanding policy and policy changes. To go hand-in-hand with that, some opportunities are working at a state level with legislature, and integrate myself so I can participate in some of those policy changes. That's more of a big, hairy, audacious goal for me, and definitely a space I'd love to explore more.
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. Creating an environment where we build each other up and support each other in everything we do. Women need to support other women and we'll never get anywhere with judgement or envy. Support one another, be kind to each other, offer help to anyone you can, and lift each other up. We can do incredible things when we work together as a united front! I have a 6 year old daughter, and these are values that I really try to emulate and instill in her as well.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Courtney
Do It Scared: The Courage to Begin Before You're Ready
Courage isn't the absence of fear—it's taking action despite it.
We often think courageous people are fearless. We picture the entrepreneur who launches the business, the executive who accepts the promotion, the woman who stands up for herself in a difficult conversation, or the leader who takes a chance on an uncertain future. From the outside, it can look as though they possess a level of confidence the rest of us simply don't have.
The truth is, most brave people are scared.
They're scared of failing. They're scared of being judged. They're scared of making the wrong decision, disappointing others, or stepping into something unknown. The difference isn't that they don't feel fear. The difference is that they don't allow fear to make the decision for them.
Some of the most defining moments in our lives begin with uncertainty.
- Starting a new job
- Leaving one
- Raising your hand for an opportunity you aren't sure you're qualified for
- Having the difficult conversation you've been avoiding
- Pursuing a dream that feels too big
- Setting a boundary
- Speaking up when it would be easier to stay quiet
Rarely do we arrive at these moments feeling completely prepared.
We tell ourselves that we'll take action once we're more confident, more experienced, more qualified, or more certain. Yet confidence is rarely a prerequisite for action. More often, confidence is the result of action.
Think about the first time you did anything meaningful. The first presentation you gave. The first leadership role you accepted. The first difficult decision you had to make. Chances are, you didn't feel ready. Chances are, you were nervous, uncertain, and questioning yourself along the way.
You did it anyway.
And because you did, you discovered something important: you were capable of more than you realized.
That is how courage is built.
Not through grand, heroic acts, but through small moments where we choose to move forward despite our fear. Every time we take a step into uncertainty, we gather evidence that we can survive discomfort, adapt to challenges, and grow through experiences we once thought were beyond us.
The reality is that fear never completely disappears. As we continue to grow, the opportunities become bigger, and the stakes often feel higher. New levels bring new challenges, new responsibilities, and new reasons to doubt ourselves. But they also bring new opportunities to prove what we're capable of.
The goal isn't to become fearless, but to become brave enough to act while fear is sitting in the passenger seat. Fear can come along for the ride-it just doesn't get to drive.
If there is something in your life calling you forward right now-a goal, a conversation, a career move, a dream, or a challenge-don't wait for fear to disappear before you take the first step.
You may never feel completely ready.
You may never feel completely certain.
Courage was never about certainty. Courage is taking the step anyway. Courage is betting on yourself before you have all the answers.
Courage is doing it scared.
More often than not, the life you want is waiting on the other side of that next step.
Do it scared. Do it anyway.
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