Member Spotlight: Courtney Benfield

This member spotlight was written by Gabrielle Jean-Louis, a student at Salem Academy and intern with REACH Women's Network. This blog post was part of her project to conduct information interviews with REACH members.

Courtney Benfield works as the Triad Market Executive for Bank of America. Her major areas of responsibility include business development, community engagement, and community empowerment. Through Bank of America, Courtney works to provide economic mobility, workforce development and education, as well as stable and affordable housing to those within the Triad. This role requires extensive networking with community organizations such as REACH, along with building the Bank of America brand through local sponsorships. Courtney’s role also works to empower the local community by targeting inequities such as healthcare access, food insecurity, and financial literacy. Additionally, Courtney donates at least two hours of her time each week to volunteering at local organizations. 

One highlight of Courtney’s career thus far is the satisfaction that her employees feel with their work and their contributions to their community. She says that employees should be able to bring their whole selves to work, including their diversity of thought, ethnicity, and gender. Bank of America has eleven employee networks, including the Lead for Women Group, the Black Professional Group, the Native American Group, the LGBTQ+ Group, and more. Courtney takes great pride in the fact that Bank of America is recognized as one of the best places to work and that her role within the company directly contributes to this accolade. Courtney ensures that all employees have the space to bring their identities and individual views on their communities to work. 

Courtney was first exposed to REACH through the founders of the organization and Bank of America, a longtime sponsor of REACH. When she first heard founder Julia Townsend’s vision for REACH, it gave her chills, and she continues to be amazed at how this vision has come to life. Courtney says that REACH is beautifully diverse in every way and has opportunities for everyone to be successful. She loves to see women lifting women.