Also her father was a famous driver and owned a speedway....
http://www.courtneyhansen.com/images/bio-dad.jpg
Courtney grew up in Orono, Minnesota, the daughter of famed SCCA racecar driver Jerry Hansen who owned Brainerd International Raceway in MN. _ Having watched her dad entertain crowds of thousands, almost always carrying the checkered flag, it's no wonder she learned to love the thrill of an audience and the joy of leading.
When Courtney was ten she began pursuing a modeling career, about the time her family moved to Florida. A year later she attended an international talent competition where she took home several awards and was offered a contract in NYC with one of the largest theatrical agencies. Although she wasn't ready to forego her education, this was not the last time the entertainment industry would come knocking.
During high school Courtney was active in student government, philanthropic activities and sports. She also landed a job as the spokeswoman for Dodge in Florida, doing 22 of their TV commercials and honing her on-camera craft.
Courtney attended Florida State University, where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and used it to go to work as the sole marketing specialist for an international investment firm. _ Though she doesn't regret the experience she gained from the corporate world, her creative energy made her restless there.
Just weeks after leaving her marketing position, she was hosting for a media company called Zoom Culture, before an entertainment career in Miami and later, Chicago presented itself. She worked with the Travel Channel and landed a role as the spunky host of a comedic TV pilot called "Killer Golf," for which she wrote most of her own dialogue on-the-spot in front of a live Universal Studios audience. _ After completion of the pilot, Courtney decided to commit to a full-time career in Los Angeles.
Her charitable endeavors will always be a big part of her life. She worked on the board for the March of Dimes, is currently a member of the WNBA Mind, Body & Spirit Team and has volunteered with the Special Olympics, the NBA's Read to Achieve Program, the Ronald McDonald House and other charities. She explains, "One of the most rewarding experiences for me was the opportunity to join a small team who participated in mission work in Asia, devising marketing plans and providing counsel for an underprivileged society."
Courtney is tenacious and has a strong mid-western work ethic. It's been said she often works sixteen hours days without complaint, always giving her best. When she moved to LA, initially focusing in the hosting arena, she made a pact with herself to do at least one thing for her career each day. Within two weeks she had agents and had enrolled in classes with some of the industry's best. She waited tables to earn money, landed roles in short films, worked as a corporate narrator and became a spokesperson for Rolls-Royce Motor Car, Ltd.
Much of Courtney's time is currently devoted to hosting TLC's hit car customization reality show, Overhaulin', now gearing up for its third season. She was also recently featured in two other TLC programs: a special called Million Dollar Rides and the series Rides. The speed column she is writing for FHM Magazine, titled "Garage Girl" launches in the February issue.
Her latest project is a challenging lead role in an independent filmtitled Mercy & Grace. This story of redemption takes her pregnant character through a series of emotional lows that ends in an intense labor. _ Though her real life personality is similar to her TV energy, this film proves her range as an actress.
Courtney is confident, yet clearly doesn't take herself too seriously — the anti-Hollywood. Her love of people, work and life is very apparent. Equally obvious if the fact that wherever the road may lead from here, Courtney is in the driver's seat — and nothing is going to slow her down.
