Courtney is the Communications Officer at The Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church (IAUMC). In partnership with the Director of Communications, Courtney is responsible for setting and leading the content strategy for The IAUMC. She is also responsible for collaboration with conference leaders to implement communications strategy through oversight of multimedia content creation. She creates and publishes that content through video, print, social and digital media channels to further the mission and vision of The IAUMC.

Courtney is a graduate of Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, where she studied both German language and multimedia journalism. She spent a semester studying abroad in Schorndorf, Germany, where she combined her interest in culture and journalism to create a Study Abroad Video Blog for the college’s Office of Marketing and Public Relations as a student content developer.

She is currently enrolled in a Video Production Certificate program through the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). Video editing and production has always been one of Courtney’s best skills, and she is soaking up the opportunity to learn more from people in the industry.

Courtney has had a passion for camp ministry since she was young, and worked for the Lake Okoboji United Methodist Camp and Retreat Center every summer since graduating from high school. In 2010, she was given the opportunity to intern at the camp as the media specialist. She was in charge of producing multimedia DVDs with for youth and families to take home after every camp experience.

In the summer of 2012, she also created an activity for campers called KCMP News. Campers were able to experience journalism through Courtney’s guidance, creating their own camp news program.

Courtney was then promoted program coordinator at camp. As program coordinator, she assisted the site director in recruiting, hiring and training summer staff members. Once camp was In full swing, it was her job to create the schedules, cabin lists and keep the programmed activities running smoothly. She also helped market the camp’s summer program through videos, print materials, social media, and a podcast.

She was then promoted to Camp Registrar for the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, and from there moved to the Communications Office where she is today.