Amanda Ferguson

Amanda helps academic medical centers, universities, and healthcare systems strengthen compliance and research administration programs, balancing regulatory rigor with operational efficiency.

Effective compliance programs reduce risk while enabling growth and operational sustainability.”

About Amanda

Amanda provides regulatory compliance and research administration expertise to healthcare organizations, universities, and research institutions. She works with leadership teams to assess compliance program effectiveness, strengthen research security controls, and modernize research administration operations in alignment with institutional risk tolerance and growth objectives.

Her experience spans compliance program reviews, regulatory investigations, research security and export control program development, conflict of interest and commitment oversight, and research administration transformation. Amanda supports institutions in preparing for federal scrutiny, external audits, and rapid portfolio expansion by designing governance frameworks, improving cross-functional coordination, and streamlining operations.

Throughout her career, Amanda has:

• Conducted comprehensive compliance program effectiveness assessments aligned to Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) elements, Department of Justice compliance guidance, and United States Federal Sentencing Guidelines, helping institutions strengthen governance and oversight structures.
• Directed large-scale transformation of central research administration offices, including post-award and shared service functions, implementing updated organizational structures, metrics-based operations management, and improved policy frameworks.
• Evaluated and enhanced institutionwide conflict of interest and outside activity programs, advising executives and boards on high-risk conflict management strategies and monitoring compliance across research, clinical, and other regulatory-required disclosures.
• Assessed and supported implementation of export control and research security programs in response to evolving federal guidance on foreign influence and research oversight, strengthening onboarding, training, monitoring, and reporting processes.
• Managed external audits, including Single Audits and other compliance and financial investigations, including sponsored project charging and cash management concerns.
• Led research and innovation strategic growth planning efforts, conducting data-driven market scans to identify areas for targeted growth and building financial models to support investment planning.

Prior to joining Huron, Amanda worked in the Office of Institutional Compliance at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSCH), where she conducted internal investigations, facilitated enterprise risk assessments, and supported the conflict of interest program. She also worked with UTHSCH Sponsored Programs Administration, negotiating sponsored research agreements and developing institutional contract guidance.

Amanda earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law and a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Amanda is a member of the State Bar of Texas.

A frequent speaker on research security, export controls, and conflicts of interest, Amanda has presented at national conferences such as the Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI), the American Health Law Association (AHLA), the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA), the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE), and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Amanda volunteers with The Night Ministry’s associate board.