Previously she was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council where she helped craft United States policy towards Africa.

[2] Courville was raised in Opelousas, Louisiana and served as secretary of her town's NAACP chapter when she was 15 years old.

Her father worked for International Harvester while her mother was a seamstress and cook at Courville's childhood school.

In 2008, Courville received an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Ambassador Courville previously served as Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council from June 2001 through August 2003.