LAURA KOTTKAMP 

As the executive director of three foundations at Virginia Commonwealth University, Laura Kottkamp considers herself to be a steward of both the city of Richmond and the commonwealth. Her work encompasses the university’s foundation, as well as those for the engineering college and the business school — managing and investing $250 million in assets, plus fundraising and forging partnerships between the university and corporate entities and individuals, as well as directing the university’s Center for Corporate Education.

Her favorite part of the job, however, is the opportunity to be “a human flashlight” — shedding light on how much VCU’s community contributes to society.   

“Higher education is under a critical eye right now, and a lot of explanation is needed,” Kottkamp says. At the same time, “Richmond is evolving, and VCU has to be willing to take some chances. We have to be cognizant of where we came from, but we can do something different.” 

Before transitioning to academia, Kottkamp spent four years with Dominion Energy Inc., expanding its diversity in suppliers and developing marketing strategies. She’s also president-elect of the Association of Corporate Growth’s Richmond chapter and is a member-at-large of the Richmond Forum’s executive committee.

She credits her natural curiosity for her success in corporate and academic spheres: “Asking questions is an asset. It’s a signal to people that you are willing to take on more. I’m not afraid to lean into a leadership vacuum.” 

Read more about the 2023 class of Virginia Business Women in Leadership Award winners.