Title: 1) Principal; 2) Director of Research Program Development, Contract and Grant Administration; 3) Owner
Company: 1) Cottingham Consulting Group; 2) Auburn University; 3) The Not Enough Project Inc.
Location: Midland, Georgia, United States
Erika N. Cottingham, Principal at Cottingham Consulting Group LLC, Director of Research Program Development, Contract and Grant Administration at Auburn University, and Owner at The Not Enough Project Inc., has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements, and leadership in Consulting, Higher Education and Research Administration.
Ms. Cottingham has established herself as a distinguished leader in consulting, higher education and research administration, with a career spanning 25 years marked by innovation, strategic oversight and a commitment to institutional excellence. Her expertise encompasses the governance and lifecycle management of sponsored research programs, including funding strategy, compliance oversight, contract administration and risk management. This depth of knowledge has positioned Ms. Cottingham as an authority in her field.
As the principal of Cottingham Consulting Group LLC, which she formally established in 2023 after providing consulting services since 2001, Ms. Cottingham’s firm specializes in strategic planning, grant management, operations and restructuring services for organizations seeking to enhance their effectiveness. Her business is based in Georgia.
Since 2024, Ms. Cottingham has also served as the director of research program development, contract and grant administration at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. In this role, she provides institutional leadership for the administration of sponsored research and contractual agreements across federal, state and private funding portfolios. Her responsibilities include guiding projects from concept through implementation and closeout, partnering with faculty and senior stakeholders to advance funding strategies, structuring complex budgets and ensuring alignment with sponsor expectations. Ms. Cottingham also leads contract review and negotiation while safeguarding financial integrity and regulatory compliance. Her leadership has resulted in the establishment of governance frameworks, standard operating procedures and staff training initiatives that have strengthened research operations, accountability and long-term sustainability.
More recently, Ms. Cottingham launched The Not Enough Project in 2026. Through this endeavor, she has focused on empowering women by addressing imposter syndrome and its impact in professional environments. She challenges the pervasive myth of “Not Enough,” providing resources and support to help women recognize their value and potential. Ms. Cottingham also delivers keynote presentations on the subject, with scheduled engagements in Paris at the Euro Global Women Leadership Power Conclave and in Dubai, where she will further explore the topic of imposter syndrome.
Leveraging her prior experience in the nonprofit sector, Ms. Cottingham served from 2021 to 2023 in dual roles as the chief financial officer and chief operating officer at United Way Chattahoochee Valley. There, she oversaw financial operations and organizational strategy for one of the region’s leading charitable organizations.
Ms. Cottingham spent several previous years in educational settings as the director of the office of sponsored programs at Columbus State University from 2020 to 2022 and as a consultant for shared services research at Morehouse School of Medicine between 2019 and 2020. Earlier, she managed research administration services for basic science at Emory University from 2016 to 2019. Before that, she served as an associate director of research services and outreach at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte from 2014 to 2016 after managing pre-award services on campus from 2012 to 2014. Additionally, Ms. Cottingham gained experience as a grant manager at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center for five years, beginning in 2007, after initially working as a grant administrator at the University of Cincinnati between 2001 and 2007.
Ms. Cottingham’s academic achievements have provided a strong foundation for her professional success. She has held a Bachelor of Arts from Mount St. Joseph University since 2004, a Bachelor of Science in middle childhood education from Temple Baptist College since 2011, and a Master of Education in teaching and learning from Liberty University since 2013. Ms. Cottingham’s commitment to continuous learning is further demonstrated by numerous certifications from organizations like LinkedIn, including cybersecurity at work and Smartsheet essential training, as a researcher administrator certified through the Research Administrators Certification Council, and with a level two certification in customization and workflow and a level one artificial intelligence foundations and fundamentals, both from Canvas Credentials (now Parchment Digital Badges).
Among her professional affiliations, Ms. Cottingham is a member of the Association of Nonprofit Accountants and Finance Professionals, the National Grants Management Association and the Grant Professionals Association. She is also heavily engaged with the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) as a member since 2012, an incoming president-elect since 2024, a sponsorship coordinator for NCURA Region III since 2024, and both a chair-elect and a global fellow since 2026. Additionally, Ms. Cottingham has been an active volunteer with NCURA Region III since 2012.
Ms. Cottingham’s civic engagement is equally robust. She serves on the board of Pearls for Life Foundation Inc., the philanthropic arm of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., is a board member for the Georgia Crime Prevention Board, City of Columbus, where she administers grants aimed at combating crime, and is a board member for 429 Connect, supporting rental utility assistance programs. Moreover, Ms. Cottingham is active in her congregation as a youth pastor at Metropolitan Baptist Church of Columbus and a member of the National Council of Negro Women’s Columbus chapter.
Ms. Cottingham’s contributions have been recognized through several honors, including being named the Businesswoman of the Year by the River Valley Black Chamber of Commerce in 2022 and receiving the Sandy Barber Volunteer Award from NCURA Region III in 2025. Eager for future success, she aims to complete her degree. She is presently pursuing a Doctor of Education in higher education with a concentration in higher education administration at Columbus State University. She also intends to complete and publish her book, “The Myth of Not Enough, Breaking Imposter Syndrome in Women Who Lead,” which focuses on her personal experience as an adopted child, explores how internal narratives can sometimes follow women into the workplace and shape their approach to leadership, confidence and decision-making in ways they may not immediately recognize. Furthermore, Ms. Cottingham aims to expand her reach as a motivational speaker and to teach on a global scale through upcoming international engagements.
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