I’m Dr. Courtney Nicole Johnson, founder of CourtneyCoffeeChats—a space where leadership, equity, and real conversation come together over coffee. With more than a decade of experience in higher education as a professor, strategist, and student success advocate, I’ve dedicated my career to creating spaces where belonging isn’t an afterthought but a foundation.
In December 2025, I will officially earn my Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Clark Atlanta University. My doctoral research examined how shifts in institutional policies and priorities shaped the experiences of African American students at predominantly white institutions, particularly in the areas of engagement, sense of belonging, and self-efficacy.
CourtneyCoffeeChats is my way of bringing lessons out of academic space and into everyday place—encouraging people to take space in places that may feel unfamiliar, unwelcoming, or intimidating, and to be bold enough to engage in the conversations that matter.
And in the words of Donny Hathaway, know that “I love you in a place where there’s no space or time.”
Dr. Courtney Nicole Johnson
