Courtney Rosenthal resides in Portland, OR. She has been developing systems and services based on open source software and Internet protocols for over 45 years. Her professional career was a software engineer in the commercial data communications sector and civic technology sector.
Previously, she lived in Austin, TX for over 25 years. Courtney was a leader of the community technology and civic technology movements in Texas.
In 2005, she helped create SaveMuniWireless.Org, which defeated legislation to ban community wireless networks in Texas. In 2010, she co-founded Big Gig Austin, the community effort to bring gigabit fiber broadband to Austin.
From 2002 through 2014, Courtney served on the Austin Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission, a citizen board appointed by the Austin Mayor and City Council to advise them on digital opportunity and technology issues. She contributed to the city’s first open data policy and the creation of the city’s office of civic innovation. She received the Distinguished Service Award from the Mayor and City Council for this work.
From 2013 through 2015 she was chair of Open Austin – a volunteer community group that advocates for open government, open data, and civic technology. She was responsible for forming the first Code for America brigade in Austin. She rejoined Open Austin as a director in 2023, and continues working with the group in emerita status.
She has been a panelist, session leader, and advisory board member for SXSW. She was nominated for the Dewey Winburne Community Service Award at SXSW 2005.
From 2021 through 2024, she served on the City of Austin Public Library Commission.
She has received the Best of Austin critics’ choice award three times for various online projects she’s helped organize.
She continues community service as a member of the Multnomah County Library Bond Oversight Committee.