Executive Director
University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives
Courtney Berner joined the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives in 2011 and served as a cooperative development specialist until assuming the role of executive director in January 2018. Courtney develops research, outreach and education programs on cooperatives and provides support to new and established cooperatives in a wide range of industries. Her areas of expertise include cooperative education, business development, cooperative finance and governance and innovative uses of the cooperative model.
Courtney also teaches a course on cooperatives at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and loves challenging students to think critically about why co-ops emerge, how they differ from other forms of enterprise, and how the model can be used to address current social and economic issues. Prior to joining the center, Courtney worked at the Worldwatch Institute, a Washington, DC-based research institute devoted to global environmental concerns. Courtney holds a master’s degree in agroecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a bachelor’s degree from Pacific Lutheran University.