Courtney Mitchell

Founder and Principal

Service Member's Branch - Army

Service Member's Status - Retiree - 21 years

What has been your military spouse career/entrepreneur journey so far?

My career started as an Investigator for Child Protective Services in North Georgia, a role that instilled a deep commitment to public service. This calling led me to become a New York City Teaching Fellow, where I earned a Master's in Special Education from Pace University while teaching high school students facing emotional and physical trauma. After 3 1/2 years in Brooklyn, I moved to Philadelphia to marry my husband, an active duty Army officer.

I left teaching and started my nonprofit management journey. I went back to school earning a Nonprofit Management graduate certificate from the University of Pennsylvania's Fels School of Government. I started working for a small VSO at the time leading their development efforts. As the organization grew, so did my position. Eventually I was named the Chief Development Officer of the Travis Manion Foundation where I stayed for 12 years. We moved 5 times during this career stint and endured multiple TDYs and an individual deployment during COVID. I left that position 18 months ago and started my own consulting business that is thriving.

Tell us about yourself.

My name is Courtney. I live in the Hudson Valley near West Point. I love to cook and to feed people. I have three boys and a Great Dane. I've been a military spouse for 15 years. I like to find humor in any situation.

Tell us about a "typical" day in your professional life.

As a consultant I have several 'standing meetings' on my calendar each week as I meet with each client at least once. A few days a week tend to be back to back in meetings but there's always some flexibility. I work from home and rarely travel anymore unless it is to lead a workshop or board meeting. I work with multiple teams and funders each week which makes for interesting conversations and problem sets.

If you've been stationed overseas, how did this affect your career and or business?

We chose not to go overseas so I could keep my career.

What has been your biggest military spouse career struggle and how did you overcome it?

Feeling like I could've impacted and done so much more but the already existing constraints and added responsibilities of military service did not allow me to.

What role did mentors and sponsors play in your journey?

I didn't meet many that kept their careers through their partners' military service. In our duty stations I was a rare breed. It is more common now but not then.

How does your career path differ from what you imagined for yourself?

It certainly wasn't linear. I thought I would stay in education longer. I was offered to take the administration track which I had to turn down. I'm thankful for all of the experiences, but I know I could've been more influential in the places we lived and in local government had I had the chance.

How did military life (PCSing, deployments, trainings, etc) factor into your career decisions?

I hesitated to ask for raises because they were so flexible with my schedule at times. I should've left my last position earlier but felt I wouldn't have another one present itself in enough time. Many things felt 'on hold' for certain periods.

Have you ever had to geo-bach due to your career/entrepreneurship?

We have not geo-bached but we did go through an individual deployment during COVID and chose less ideal positions so I could keep working.

What resources have you found to be useful in your career/entrepreneur journey?

Never stop honing your craft and never stop learning. Reach out and ask for advice from those in your field. Be overt about where you want to be in your career path.

If you and/or your spouse have transitioned from active duty to your current status, what resource or tool did you find to be the most helpful?

I attended IVMF's V-Wise program last fall and was impressed. My husband went through The Commit Foundation's coaching program which was helpful for him. He just retired May 1, 2025.

Final word: what are your top tips for other military spouses about navigating a career within the military lifestyle?

Do it anyway was always my go to. Make time for your brain to be used outside the home and outside the needs of the military. Talk about it. Empower those around you, it will additionally lift you up.

Listen to an interview with Courtney
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