Bio

Alexa Courtney helps leaders build organizations that adapt, perform and scale in a rapidly changing world. For more than two decades, she has challenged the status quo, rebuilt cultures that unleash talent, and designed bold, human-centered systems. She integrates strategy, innovation, and responsible AI to strengthen performance in high-stakes environments.

As Founder and CEO of Frontier Design, a firm focused on strengthening organizational performance and responsible AI adoption, Alexa leads interdisciplinary teams of strategists, engineers, designers, facilitators, and red-teamers serving U.S. government agencies, global nonprofits, Fortune 500 companies, foundations, and leading AI organizations. Under her leadership, Frontier has grown from a single founder working out of a basement into a globally operating firm trusted by senior leaders across government, philanthropy, and industry. Her work spans organizational transformation, large-scale impact strategy, AI evaluation and safety, and leadership development.

Earlier in her career, Alexa lived and worked in conflict-affected regions across South Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. She designed real-time research networks in active conflict zones, led large-scale evaluations to assess stability and resilience, and drove organizational strategy and systems design in complex settings. That experience continues to inform her work today, strengthening institutional judgment and ensuring organizations can adapt, perform, and learn in environments defined by uncertainty.

Alexa holds a BA from Yale University and an MSc from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies in the Political Economy of Violence, Conflict, and Development. She is a Fulbright Scholar, Aspen Ideas Scholar, and former Council on Foreign Relations Term Member.