Rate My Professor Cortney Norris

Dr. Cortney Norris serves as Assistant Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Oklahoma State University - Oklahoma City. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management from Purdue University in 2006, an MBA from the University of North Carolina in 2019, and a Ph.D. in hospitality administration from the University of Houston in 2022. With over 22 years of professional experience in the hospitality industry, Norris began her career in hourly positions and advanced to Director of Beverage Operations at several prominent Las Vegas Strip casinos. In these roles, she oversaw bars, lounges, clubs, pools, and showrooms, managing large teams. She also held positions with independent food and beverage companies in the Las Vegas region. Norris joined Oklahoma State University as faculty in 2022, teaching a variety of beverage-related courses. In 2024, she was appointed Naifeh and RNDC Director of the Wayne Hirst Center for Beverage Education within the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. In this capacity, she develops curriculum and promotes research on trends in wine, craft beers, fine teas, coffees, and their integration into restaurant and venue business models. She was reappointed to her assistant professor position at the OSU-Oklahoma City campus in 2025.

Norris's research focuses on consumer behavior, alcohol policy, beverage operations, and tipping practices in the hospitality sector. Her publications include "Just the tip: exploring the tipped restaurant employee perspective" (2024, International Hospitality Review), "Hold my beer! Consumer perceptions of innovative and sustainable secondary packaging" (2024, International Journal of Wine Business Research), "Expanding the experiential value scale to predict independent restaurant dining intent" (2023, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights), "Exploring consumer perceptions of no- and low-alcohol craft beers" (2023, Journal of Consumer Marketing), "Do local craft beverages taste better? An investigation into the halo effect" (2023, Journal of Foodservice Business Research), "What is rogue marketing? An exploration of how hard seltzer sparked a social media phenomenon" (2022, International Journal of Wine Business Research), and "Pivot! How the restaurant industry adapted during COVID-19 restrictions" (2021, International Hospitality Review). These works examine critical issues such as tipping dynamics, consumer perceptions of beverages, and industry adaptations.