Courtney C. Thornton is the Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Business Development, for Hudson. She is responsible for strategic development and growth of the company’s portfolio in North America and oversees strategic planning, joint venture partnerships and public affairs. She assumes this role after leading Hudson’s Partner Relations & Business Diversity team, an integral part of the Business Development department, since 2014. Courtney is known for her passion and advocacy on behalf of women and minority owned businesses and has developed a broad and deep respect nationally within the airport industry for creating winning partnerships.

She is a key leader on Hudson’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, a permanent advisory committee. She completed a three-year term on Airport Council International – North America (‘ACI-NA”) Business Diversity Committee’s Steering Group; and previously served as the Southwest Regional Director-At-Large Board Member for the industry Airport Minority Advisory Council (“AMAC”). In 2019, she led the effort with Hudson’s business partners to raise money for the AMAC Foundation’s scholarship program and received the 2019 Inclusive Leader Award. In 2015, she served as AMAC’s National Conference Chairperson in Fort Lauderdale and received the 2016 AMAC Catalyst Chairman’s Award. Last year, she received the 2021 AMAC Advocate of the Year Award.

Prior to joining Hudson, she served as In House Legal Counsel and Deputy Director of Legal Affairs to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport for sixteen (16) years. In this capacity, she gained considerable experience in aviation.

Thornton is a graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana and studied abroad in Moscow, Russia before obtaining a Juris Doctorate Law Degree from Loyola University College of Law. She is a graduate of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute (NORLI) and a member of The Links Incorporated, New Orleans Chapter.

Professional associations include the Louisiana State Bar Association and airport industry organizations. She regularly moderates panels and participates in industry workshops. She is married to Dr. Roderick Thornton and together they have three (3) children.