Children’s Mercy Kansas City Announces Key Leadership Promotions

Children’s Mercy Kansas City is excited to announce several key leadership promotions that underscore its dedication to delivering outstanding clinical care, advancing research initiatives and expanding its regional presence.

Stephanie Meyer, MS-FNP, RN, NEA-BC has been promoted to Executive Vice President/Chief Nursing Executive and Chief Operating Officer for Inpatient Operations. Stephanie’s journey at Children’s Mercy spans 26 years and she has served in a variety of leadership roles, including Vice President of Patient Care Operations, Associate Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and most recently CNO.

Stephanie is known for her authenticity, her effectiveness, and has a remarkable talent for driving improvement while fostering collaboration. In her new role, she will oversee the daily operations of inpatient care, align services with organizational goals and foster a collaborative environment among health care teams.

Steven Leeder, PharmD, PhD has been promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer. With 28 years of service, Dr. Leeder is a renowned leader in Pediatric Precision Therapeutics and has been a cornerstone of the Children’s Mercy research enterprise, developing programs like GOLDILOKS. During his time as interim leader of the Children's Mercy Research Institute, he and the team saw significant growth in extramural funding while continuing to ensure research transforms care in ways that deeply impact our children and families.

In his new role, Dr. Leeder will continue to drive innovation and excellence in scientific research, furthering the organization’s mission to improve patient care through cutting-edge discoveries.

Amy Fallon, PhD has been promoted to President of Regional Operations. Dr. Fallon has a proven track record of success in health care management and has served as the Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas the past year.

She has been instrumental in expanding Children’s Mercy’s presence in Kansas and overseeing the success of the Kansas campus, ensuring more families across the region have access to exceptional care. Her strategic vision and commitment are a driving force behind the organization’s growth. In her new role, she will oversee operations throughout the region.

Tomi Pastinen, MD, PhD, has been promoted to Vice President and Associate Chief Medical Officer for Clinical and Research Integration. Dr. Pastinen has served as the Division Director of Genomic Medicine for the past seven years where he has made significant contributions to the field of pediatric genomics.

Through the Genomic Answers for Kids initiative, a first-of-its-kind pediatric data repository to facilitate the search for answers and novel treatments for pediatric genetic conditions, Dr. Pastinen has transformed care for children with rare diseases and placed Children’s Mercy at the forefront of global innovation. Under his leadership, Children’s Mercy became the first health care system in the U.S. to use 5-base HiFi sequencing, the world’s most-advanced genomic sequencing technology, in both research and the clinical setting. In this new role, Dr. Pastinen will spearhead translational research to bridge the gap between the bedside and the bench to help improve patient care and outcomes.  

“These promotions reflect the remarkable talent within Children’s Mercy and our shared vision for the future,” said Alejandro Quiroga, MD, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer, Children’s Mercy Kansas City. “Their leadership, expertise and dedication will undoubtedly continue to strengthen our organization and enhance our ability to provide the best possible care to the children and families in our community.”