The 2023 Rising Stars of the Profession: Courtney Hanna

Courtney Hanna is a Registered Nurse and MBA with 10 years of healthcare experience, both in management consulting and the provider space. Her background is in payer strategy, technology optimization, provider operations, sales enablement, quality, and process improvement. Key accomplishments include leading a systemwide multidisciplinary project to standardize workflows through technology optimization, saving ~850 hours of patient care delay per annum and revealing a $4.3 million savings opportunity for a Fortune 25 payer. She is passionate about improving health equity and access to care for vulnerable populations.

What would you say has been the biggest factor in your success so far?

The biggest factor in my success has been having mentors and teammates that support, counsel and provide honest feedback. I am thankful for the opportunity to learn from colleagues who lead with humility and to those who have trusted me to take on responsibilities that have grown and challenged me. At FQA, a small boutique consulting firm, our leadership is highly invested in the development of each employee. They provide honest and helpful feedback, always striving for growth, so we can continue to be the best consultants possible for our clients.

What do you enjoy most about your career in the consulting industry?

I enjoy consulting for many reasons. As someone who started their career with the desire to help others, work with a team, and think critically to solve problems, consulting was a great fit. Meeting new clients with empathy as they face business challenges and helping them solve these difficulties is an honor. Not only that, I get the opportunity to work with a diverse, global team. I am thankful to collaborate with people of different backgrounds, skillsets and expertise to provide well-rounded and thorough recommendations to our clients. My team challenges and humbles me by bringing all perspectives to the table. Additionally, serving various clients with a common goal of improving health care for all is a true privilege.

What is your proudest achievement to date?

When I started my nursing career, I thought I would be in the clinical setting forever. I loved the fast-paced environment, teamwork and patient-family relationships. As I cared for patients clinically, I witnessed the substantial impact the background systems had on their care. Through this, I became passionate about the broader US health care system and dreamed of bringing the patient's voice to health care administrative decisions. I started working with the process improvement department at a Magnet-recognized pediatric hospital and pursuing my MBA. Throughout this journey, I had doubts that frequently surfaced. I never met a nurse who had taken the career path I was embarking on. Also, while finishing the last leg of my degree, I got placed to work on the COVID unit when the pandemic started. As much as I wanted to take a break, I could see the change our system needed. Though I knew I couldn't fix the problem, I wanted to be a part of a team that was trying. In 2021, I finished school and started working at FQA, a health care management consulting firm passionate about making positive changes in the industry. I now get the opportunity to bring a clinical, bedside perspective to decisions made across the health care industry. In a recent project, I had the opportunity to interview providers, bring unknown challenges to light, and set plans for change. I am proud of how I have learned to leverage my nursing skills in consulting to develop unique recommendations for clients.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

At the start of my labor and delivery rotation in nursing school, our professor gave us all the simple yet profound advice to always "Work hard and be kind." Throughout my career and across industries, I have found this phrase to be immensely helpful and true. When life persists to be complicated and presents unexpected turns, it is easy to let go of the foundational values that are core to us both as professionals and people. As I progress in my career, I will always bring diligence to my work product, and treat others with the respect and kindness they deserve.

What does this recognition mean to you?

First, I am humbled and honored to be nominated for this award alone. I am thankful that my path crossed with First Quadrant Advisory, a company that truly invests in each of its employees and celebrates the unique value we bring to the table. And second, this recognition is a true testament to the mentors, cheerleaders, encouragers, and supporters I have been fortunate to have throughout my career.