Courtney Brown, Ph.D., is vice president of impact and planning for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. She serves as the foundation’s chief data and research officer and leads Lumina’s strategic planning, research, evaluation, data, and learning efforts, ensuring the organization’s work is grounded in evidence, continuous learning, and measurable progress toward increased educational attainment. She also oversees Lumina’s international engagement, working with global partners to share insights that strengthen postsecondary education systems.
With more than 25 years of experience in leadership, strategic planning, and research, Brown has dedicated her career to using data to improve education and workforce outcomes. She works across the foundation to integrate research, evaluation, and strategic insight into Lumina’s strategy and operations, helping the organization learn from its work and adapt approaches to drive lasting system change. Under her leadership, Lumina’s research and data initiatives have helped shape national conversations on post-high school education and informed policies and practices that expand opportunity and improve student outcomes.
Brown is a recognized thought leader and frequent speaker on student experience, student success, and system performance. She is the author of A Stronger Nation, Lumina’s online data tool that tracks progress toward attainment and serves as a widely used resource for policymakers, educators, employers, and advocates. Her work has been published extensively and continues to influence how data and evidence are used to advance equity and strengthen postsecondary systems.
She also oversees Lumina’s international engagement efforts, collaborating with global partners to share lessons learned and apply insights that support postsecondary attainment and workforce success.
In addition to her role at Lumina, Brown serves on several boards and advisory groups, including the board of NAFSA Association of International Educators, the board of directors for the School of Education and Human Development at the University of Virginia, the board of visitors for the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, and the Institute for the Future of Education International Advisory Board.
Brown holds a bachelor’s degree from James Madison University and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Virginia.
