Award–Winning Storyteller & Communications Strategist

I partner with visionary brands and creatives to bring bold ideas to life - blending story-first strategy, cinematic thinking, and global insight to deliver work that resonates, wins awards, and tells the stories mainstream media misses.

Where My Work Has Been Featured

Together with my clients, I’ve helped bring culturally resonant stories to life that have been amplified by platforms that shape the culture.

Hi, I’m Courtney.

I’m an award-winning storyteller and strategic communications expert who leads story-driven projects at the intersection of culture, strategy, and impact. 

Over the past decade, I’ve shaped stories that build trust, shift perspectives, and spark meaningful connections, from nationally aired campaigns to original multimedia series.

I’m also the creator and host of Black Expat Stories, a digital ethnography documenting America’s Next Great Migration, the Blaxit movement.

From story development to strategic execution, I bring a global lens and a deep respect for narrative as a tool for cultural memory, movement, and meaning.

Ways To Work Together

  • Three people having a serious conversation in a cozy living room, sitting on a white sofa with a small table holding books, a glass of water, and a vase with white orchids and green leaves, by large glass windows revealing a lush outdoor area.

    Creative Direction & Story Development

    With a Creative Director’s eye, I shape raw ideas into story systems that connect and carry across platforms.

    So whether it’s a brand strategy, campaign, or film treatment, I build stories designed to move people and the work forward.


    Ideal for: Founders, marketing teams, producers, media orgs, and cultural institutions who want to lead with meaning and message.

    Start With Strategy
  • Two women having an interview outdoors, with one woman sitting at a wooden table and the other woman standing, while a camera on a tripod records the scene. There is a Mexican flag visible in the background.

    Pitch & Production Support

    Your story deserves to be seen, funded, and remembered. I support creative teams from pitch to production by shaping the narrative, aligning the visuals, and guiding the process with clarity and care.

    From nationally aired commercials to branded content series, my work brings stories to life with purpose, polish, and award-winning results.

    Ideal for: Brands, media companies, creative studios, and campaign leads bringing stories to screen or market.

    Bring Your Story To Life
  • A woman with short, curly hair wearing a teal patterned dress, sitting on a cream-colored sofa and holding a booklet with a black and white logo, engaged in conversation with a serious expression.

    Speaking & On-Air Engagements

    As a speaker, moderator, and on-air storyteller, I bring cultural fluency, clarity, and presence to every conversation.

    I’ve been featured on national platforms like NPR and speak on topics including Black diasporic identity, global migration, and media literacy through a decolonized lens.

    Ideal For: Virtual and in-person conferences/summits, panels, podcasts, and brand campaigns that need a voice with depth and direction.

    book courtney

Notable Creative Projects I’ve Written, Strategized, or Produced

Ford | Award-Winning Storytelling for an Iconic American Brand

I shaped the narrative behind Ford’s “Dare to Discover” commercial for the 2025 Explorer — a campaign that celebrated joy, movement, and cultural authenticity.

Directed by B. Monét and produced by Quriosity Productions, the spot aired nationally and received a 2025 Silver Telly Award in the Automotive category.

Watch the latest episode of Black Expat Stories

The Black Expat Stories Watch Party Fundraiser

Black Expat Stories | Documenting America’s Next Great Migration

Black Expat Stories is a digital ethnography I created to explore the emotional, spiritual, and cultural journeys of Black Americans pioneering America’s Next Great Migration movement.

I oversee the series end to end producing virtual and in-person episodes that explore why Black Americans are choosing life beyond the U.S.

The project has been featured on NPR’s 1A and InvestigateTV, and led to my participation as one of 9 leaders on an informal White House advisory committee shaping policy for Americans overseas during the Biden-Harris Administration.

I also hosted a Watch Party and fundraiser that raised nearly $1,000 for a Black woman–owned business in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, blending storytelling with direct community impact.

PROPEL | A New Era of Higher Ed and Workforce Innovation

As a Scriptwriter and Lead Producer for PROPEL Learn, I helped develop digital courses on podcasting, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, and digital storytelling — all designed to prepare HBCU students for the future of work.

Collaborating across academic, creative, and production teams, I also supported the development of Connect Stories, a video series spotlighting high-profile industry leaders.

That work included an on-camera interview I conducted with Adam Blackstone, a Grammy-winning, Emmy-nominated music director known for shaping the sound of today’s biggest artists.

View My Full Portfolio

Explore more campaigns, treatments, and

creative collaborations I’ve helped shape.

Courtney Bowden is wearing sunglasses, hoop earrings, a turquoise halter-top dress, and gold jewelry, standing in front of colorful abstract art sculptures. The text "Welcome to my world." is overlaid on the image.

Peek into the creative process of an award-winning storyteller

Substack is where I share what doesn’t make it into the final cut. It’s part reflection, part real-time process: a space to document what I’m learning as I write my first book and develop a documentary on the Blaxit movement.

Here, you’ll find narrating essays on freedom and belonging, tools for fellow creatives and expats, and The Layover, my behind-the-scenes series on the making of the Black Expat Stories documentary.