Kortney received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Oklahoma located in Norman, OK. She then earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center located in Memphis, TN where she graduated with honors. Kortney is board certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She is also a member of several professional organizations including the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and the Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society.