Courtney Bengtson

Chief Strategy Officer, Wichita Foundation

Bengston was a speaker on the panel “Press Forward: A half-billion-dollar philanthropic initiative to revitalize U.S. local news” at the 25^th ISOJ. Watch the presentation here.

With over a decade in philanthropy, Courtney Bengtson excels in funder, community, and media relations, grantmaking, and market research. As chief strategy officer at Wichita Foundation since October 2021, she guides the organization’s vision, manages a $1M+ grant portfolio, and oversees a $5M impact investment fund. In her prior role as Director of Strategic Initiatives (Jan 2016 – Sept 2021), Courtney integrated strategy, funding, and initiatives, managing Wichita Foundation’s largest grant to-date. She holds an MA in Communication and a BA in Journalism from Wichita State University. Committed to professional development, she participated in the CFLeads Executive Leadership Institute and serves on the Council on Foundations CF Advisory Committee. Courtney was named one of “20 to Watch in the 2020s” by the Wichita Business Journal in 2020 and earned a spot on the “40 Under 40” list in 2016. Currently, she serves on various boards and committees, including the Greater Wichita Partnership, Leadership Wichita, The Garages Retail Incubator, and the Wichita State University Public Policy & Management Center.