Courtney joined KPRC in January 2003 after working in Salt Lake City. But, she is no stranger to the Lone Star State. Her first television job took her from her hometown of Chicago to the Midland/Odessa television market. As the saying goes, "I'm not from Texas, but I got here as fast as I could."

"I just love Houston. It's definitely become my home," Courtney said.

She is a graduate of St. Xavier University in Chicago with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in biology.

Her favorite part of the job is getting out in the community and "seeing how people live their lives and their willingness to share it with me."

Courtney is an Emmy nominated journalist in Texas and Utah. She has witnessed a prison execution, covered the Olympics, and her sixth day on the job in Houston, saw debris from Space Shuttle Columbia scattered in parking lots in southeast Texas.

"As a journalist, you just never know how your day will turn out. At any given moment, it can all change," she said.

Courtney loves the spontaneity.

"I'm also proud of a breast cancer story where I researched my own genetic risks. I decided to do the story after nine women in my family had been diagnosed," Courtney said.

Courtney and her husband live in Houston with their pug "Duke."

When they're not walking him at the park, they play tennis, ride bikes and run. Working out is an every day event for Courtney who loves taking "bootcamp" as a great stress reliever.

She is a member of Houston Association of Hispanic Media Professionals and also volunteers her time with various events in Houston supporting breast cancer awareness.

Courtney anchors our Saturday and Sunday morning newscasts from 6 a.m. until 8 a.m.

Would you like to drop Courtney an e-mail? Send it to czavala@click2houston.com.