Courtney grew up on a wheat and barley farm smack dab in the middle of pretty much nowhere. It was there that her love of the written word, community, space, and growing food began. She has combined all of those things in what some might call a “portfolio” career of farming, teaching and writing. It’s all about connections for her.

As a teacher, Courtney teaches creative writing and nonfiction at the Johns Hopkins University’s Master’s of Arts in Writing graduate program. Previously, she was an adjunct professor at the University of Montana School of Journalism, specializing in online instruction and design, feature writing, personal essay, legislative coverage (overseeing the Legislative News Service), rural journalism and online journalism. Before she made the leap back to rural Montana in 2009 to start a farm with her husband and children, she co-founded and was the editor in chief of the since sold regional online magazine New West. Previously, she worked as a newswoman for the Associated Press and covered the Montana Legislature for Lee Newspapers. When she’s not writing or editing, she’s helping her husband run and manage their on-farm bakery, Blue Truck Bread.

Her journalism has appeared in news outlets across the country and her nonfiction work has appeared in anthologies and magazines. Here are a few recent works:

“Parts of Us,” poem, “When Flowers Sing” anthology by a thousand flowers books.

“Surrender,” essay, 50 Dispatches From the New Farmers’ Movement

Essays, The Daily Yonder

Current Gigs

Lecturer, Johns Hopkins University Master’s in Writing Program

(Aug. 2025 – Present)

At Johns Hopkins University, I teach two courses in the Master’s of Arts in Writing program: Nonfiction Techniques and Personal Essay and Memoir. In this role, I design and develop graduate courses and lead creative writing workshops focused on nonfiction.

Freelance editor, speaker, facilitator and writing coach

(August, 2018 – Present)

As an editor, I help authors and publishers through copy editing, developmental editing and coaching. Most recently, I copy edited “When Flowers Sing,” a poetry anthology from a thousand flowers books. As a speaker and facilitator, I run workshops through Humanities Montana in communities and schools on media literacy and how to look for “newstritional” information online. I also helped create and co-lead a twice-yearly wellness and writing retreat for women in agricultural communities through the Red Ants Pants Foundation, of which I also serve as the president of the board.

Past Gigs

Co-owner, co-farmer / Prairie Heritage Farm

(March, 2009 – May, 2019)

My husband and I run a small organic farm near Power, Montana, on which we grow vegetables and ancient and heritage grains for direct market sales. I run the operations, marketing and customer service side of what we do as well as doing some of the heavy lifting, weeding and harvesting.

Adjunct professor / University of Montana, School of Journalism

(Aug., 2012 – Present)

I taught four courses at the UM J-School: legislative reporting, social media, feature writing and introduction to news writing. The latter two I teach solely online. I also consulted with the school in developing online curricula and and teaching tools and directed the school’s social media and marketing strategies.

Managing editor / MediaShift

(June, 2011 – July 2017)

As the managing editor of MediaShift, I oversaw editorial operations, including recruiting and managing contributors, helping manage social media and email newsletters and editing every piece of copy that came through the site.

Co-founder, editor-in-chief / New West

(Jan. 2005 – Sept. 2010)

I co-founded NewWest.Net in 2005 with my business partner Jonathan Weber. I ran all things editorial, including reporting, writing, blogging, editing, directing content, aggregating news, managing staff, freelancers and bloggers, leading web development and crafting our marketing and social media strategies. We won awards (including an Online Journalism Award for general excellence our very first year), pushed the envelope and changed the media landscape in the Rockies.

Co-founder, instructor / Rural News Network,

University of Montana

(Sept. 2006 – May 2009)

I helped create the Rural News Network at the University of Montana School of Journalism in 2006 to help small towns that had lost their newspapers re-imagine them online.

Newswoman / Associated Press, Helena, Mont. and Omaha, Neb.

(July 2003 – Dec. 2004)

At the AP, first in Helena and later in Omaha, I wrote local and national stories while editing both broadcast and print copy for the wires. In Omaha, I served as the night editor.

Education

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY (Graduated Dec. 2024)

MA, Writing

UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA (Graduated, Dec. 2003)

BA, Journalism

About

Work History