Cortney Battel
Director, Executive Search & Recruiting
Cortney brings a relationship-first approach to executive search, grounded in 15+ years of experience in talent acquisition across the nonprofit and education sectors. A Northeast native who grew up in Upstate New York, Cortney began her search career in the K-12 education sector in Washington, D.C., where she found her niche helping school leaders identify top talent for high-need positions, specializing in bridging the gap for alt-route certified teachers entering the classroom. Driven by a passion for mission-aligned recruitment, she broadened her experience from K-12 to the wider nonprofit sector, serving with a boutique search firm in the Washington, D.C. area, where she successfully placed leaders at organizations including the Smithsonian Institution, World Wildlife Fund, Howard University, and the American Institute of Architects.
Upon moving to Philadelphia in 2013, Cortney has been a mainstay in the region’s talent landscape. Cortney joined WorkTogether Talent Consulting in 2022, where she partnered with charter schools and education nonprofits across the country – from New York City to New Orleans, Dallas to Spokane – on their hiring and recruitment strategies. During her nearly four-year tenure, she consistently achieved over 50% diversity representation in candidate pools through targeted sourcing and inclusive hiring practices. Beyond traditional search, she also co-launched the firm’s board recruitment practice, helping clients strengthen organizational leadership through strategic, governance-level placements.
Now at Blair Search Partners, Cortney continues to leverage her national experience, taking the time to understand not just what her clients need on paper, but the culture, values, and leadership dynamics that will make a placement successful.
Cortney holds a BS in Applied Psychology with a minor in Marketing from Ithaca College, where she developed a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors. An active member of her community, she frequently volunteers for fundraisers and events within the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District. Outside of work, Cortney can be found rescuing plants from big-box stores, baking, or cheering on her beloved Phillies. She lives in the Philadelphia area with her two children, Patrick (12), and Avery (11), and her rescue dog, Oreo.