The leadership team at the Stowers Institute is dedicated to fulfilling the mission of our founders by making a significant contribution to human health through world-class research.
Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
Stowers Resource Management
B.S., Accounting, University of Kansas
B.S., Business Administration, University of Kansas
MAIS, Masters in Accounting and Information Systems
Kristin Bechard is Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research where she provides strategic leadership to ensure the Institute’s financial strength and resiliency, sustainability, and long-term success. She serves as the primary liaison to American Century Investments and BioMed Valley Discoveries and oversees financial operations for the Stowers Graduate School. Bechard also serves as a Director for the Stowers Institute for Medical Research Board and the Stowers Resource Management Board.
Before joining Stowers, Bechard served as Chief Financial Officer at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, providing strategic financial leadership for an organization with a $150 million annual budget and a $3 billion endowment. She played a central role in long-term strategic and budgetary planning and led the Finance & Grants Administration, Technology, and Facilities teams.
Her earlier experience includes financial roles at American Century Investments and Arthur Andersen LLP.
Bechard was named CFO of the Year in 2016 by the Kansas City Business Journal in the nonprofit category. In 2024, she joined the board of the Blue Valley Education Foundation and currently serves as a board member.
Previously, she served as treasurer and a board member of the Ewing Marion Kauffman School and held treasurer roles with other nonprofits affiliated with the Kauffman Foundation.
Bechard holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration and a master’s degree in accounting and information systems from the University of Kansas. She is a licensed CPA and CGMA and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Missouri Society of CPAs.
Chief Legal Officer
Stowers Resource Management
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Missouri
J.D., University of Missouri School of Law
Dan Devers joined the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in 2026 as Chief Legal Officer for the Stowers Group of Companies. He serves as a Director for the Stowers Institute for Medical Research Board, Stowers Resource Management Board, and the Biomed Valley Discoveries Board. In his roles, Devers leads legal strategy and governance across the Institute and its affiliated entities, supporting foundational research through strategic and collaborative legal stewardship.
Prior to joining the Institute, he served as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at Cerner Corporation, where he was responsible for the company’s legal, regulatory, compliance, and contract management efforts. He also negotiated and managed the $28.3 billion sale of Cerner to Oracle.
In previous positions at Cerner, Devers played a central role in developing the company’s industry-leading patent portfolio and was responsible for leading its modernization and migration to the public cloud.
Prior to Cerner, Devers was an equity partner at Shook, Hardy and Bacon L.L.P, specializing in intellectual property and serving clients in the healthcare, life sciences, and information technology sectors.
Devers earned a B.S. with honors in mechanical engineering and a J.D., cum laude, from the University of Missouri. He serves on the Health Affairs Committee at the University of Missouri, overseeing healthcare operations at MU Health and the coordination of health system operations with the teaching, research, and clinical missions of the University.
Devers is a member and past chair of the NKC Health Philanthropy Advisory Council and a director of First Hand Foundation, a public charity providing medical assistance to children in need.
Former Executive Vice President for Administration, Stowers Resource Management
Stowers Resource Management
Abby Freeman is the former Executive Vice President of Administration for Stowers Resource Management.
President, BioMed Valley Discoveries, Inc.
Ph.D., Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania
Brent L. Kreider serves as President of BioMed Valley Discoveries.
President, Chief Scientific Officer, and Investigator
Stowers Institute for Medical Research
Development and Regeneration, Genetics and Genomics, Evolutionary Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology
Cell Biology; Evolution and Model Systems; Laboratory Rotation; Thesis Laboratory
Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph.D., is the President and Chief Scientific Officer of the Stowers Institute. Alejandro joined the Institute in 2011, was named its Scientific Director in 2019, and named Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer in 2021. In 2023 he was named President and Chief Scientific Director.
EVP, Chief People Officer
Stowers Resource Management
B.A., Business Administration and Political Science, Westminster College
MLA, Philosophy, Baker University
George Satterlee joined the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in 2016 after serving in positions at two Kansas City area companies, Missouri Bank and Hallmark Cards, Inc. While at Missouri Bank, Satterlee served as Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer and was responsible for the company’s human resource, organizational development, culture, strategic planning, and marketing efforts. Prior to his 17 years at Missouri Bank, Satterlee spent 15 years at Hallmark Cards, where he held a number of significant human resource positions within the manufacturing, corporate staffing, and field sales divisions.
Satterlee received a B.A. in business administration and political science from Westminster College and an MLA degree in philosophy from Baker University. He attended the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia where he completed a three-year program in the Stonier Graduate School of Banking and the Wharton School Executive Leadership Program. Some of his civic activities include serving on committees for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the Shawnee Mission Education Foundation, serving as an advisor to the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired, and serving as a mayoral appointee on the Kansas City and Vicinity Workforce Investment Board of the Full Employment Council.
Scientific Director
Stowers Institute for Medical Research
Molecular and Cell Biology, Neuroscience, Systems Biology
Neuroscience; Laboratory Rotation; Thesis Laboratory
Kausik Si, Ph.D., a developmental neuroscientist, is the Scientific Director for the Stowers Institute. Si joined the Institute in 2005, was appointed Associate Scientific Director in 2019 and Scientific Director in 2021.
Chair, Board of Directors
Stowers Institute for Medical Research
Jonathan Thomas is the President and CEO of American Century Investments. He serves as Chair, Board of Directors of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research; Chair, CEO and President of Stowers Resource Management, Inc; Chair of BioMed Valley Discoveries, Inc.; and Chair of American Century Investments.
Former General Counsel, Stowers Resource Management
Stowers Group of Companies