Business Advisory Services in Lawrence

Mr. Courtney oversees and manages the Park’s operations, including financial and accounting duties, capital structure and partners, and physical plant assets. He also works collaboratively with Park tenant companies in various startup activities, including scaling business operations, writing business and strategic plans, developing sales and marketing strategies, and raising capital. Mr. Courtney previously worked for the Federal Housing Finance Agency. He was named interim CEO in September 2023.

Mr. Sprenger strengthens relationships with business, university, governmental, and affiliated organization relationships for the Park. He manages communication and recruitment for prospective companies. Mr. Sprenger aims to grow KU Innovation Park to a national presence, and he brings 15 years of experience from the University of Colorado System.

Ms. Slater oversees strategic communications for the Park, raising brand awareness to drive business development and expansion while providing support to resident companies. An experienced communications professional with a knack for storytelling, Ms. Slater is excited to highlight the strengths of the Park and its companies through the written word, video and beyond. She most recently was the director of communications and storytelling for the Association of Chamber of Commerce Professionals. 

Mr. Smithyman manages plant operations and construction, handles leasing and related client interface, and works with tenants and prospective tenants to meet various business growth, management, and operational needs. He brings years of experience in the commercial real estate industry to the Park. Additionally, Mr. Smithyman tracks and manages the Park’s economic metrics.

Ms. Johnson manages the Park’s day-to-day operations, including all administrative and front office matters, managing plant activities, handling scheduling, and working with service providers to maintain and improve building efficiency and Park staff productivity.

Ms. Haggard is a junior at the University of Kansas studying chemical engineering with a minor in Spanish and an emphasis on pre-medicine. She is involved with many aspects of the Park, including market and commercialization analysis for startups, managing current tenants’ business needs, and assisting the team with other projects as needed. In addition to her responsibilities as a student and business analyst, Ms. Haggard is an undergraduate researcher, KU Student Senator, and an executive member of the Society of Women Engineers.

Andrew is a 2L at the University of Kansas School of Law. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management and a minor in business. Andrew has experience in entrepreneurship by running a custom t-shirt business, and he recently designed and manufactured custom golf apparel for Ascension Via Christi’s Annual Charity Classic Golf Tournament. During his undergraduate studies, Andrew worked as a student-manager for the Kansas women’s basketball team, and was an Intern for the Kansas Athletics Equipment Room.

Ms. Kiragi is a senior at the University of Kansas studying Finance and Marketing with a specialization in Marketing Analytics. She is involved with many aspects of the Park, including market and commercialization analysis for startups, managing current tenants’ business needs, and assisting the team with other projects as needed. In addition to her responsibilities as a student and business analyst, Ms. Kiragi is the President of Finance Club, a member of Delta Sigma Pi, and the KU Consulting Club. 

Bart Littlejohn is a commissioner for the City of Lawrence who serves as a board member for KU Innovation Park. Commissioner Littlejohn recently served as the president of the Pinckney Neighborhood Association, is currently chair of the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, and serves on the Douglas County Community Health Plan Steering Committee. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a degree in Political Science and works as marketing manager at the research equipment company Pinnacle Technology Inc. Commissioner Littlejohn has been involved with Junior Achievement and St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee; while also leading internal teams in previous employment. 

Derek Kwan serves as the Lawrence Chamber Board Chair and secretary of KU Innovation Park’s Board of Directors. He has served as the Executive Director of the Lied Center of Kansas since January 2014. Mr. Kwan previously worked for Interlochen Center for the Arts as the Executive Director of Interlochen Presents. At the Lincoln Center in New York City, Mr. Kwan served as the Vice President of Concerts and Touring for Jazz and the Associate Director of Programming & Concert Operations for Jazz. A voting member of the Recording Academy, he has production credits on over 60 albums. Mr. Kwan also serves as a board member for the LMH Health Foundation. 

Douglas Girod, M.D., has been the Chancellor of KU since 2017, where he established a bold vision for the University of Kansas to be a destination for top scholars from across the world, an engine of economic growth for Kansas, and one of the nation’s leading research universities. Chancellor Girod received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of California at Davis and his M.D. from the University of California at San Francisco. He is involved with several other organizations, including as a board member of the AAU, Civic Council of Kansas City, chambers of commerce in Lawrence and Greater Kansas City, and MRI Global. Chancellor Girod was recognized with a Regional Leadership Award from the Mid-America Regional Council in 2016 for his work with KC Rising.

Karen Willey earned her Ph.D. in Geography from KU before starting and operating several successful businesses in Douglas County. Her latest company, FarmTender, LLC, is producing an online application geared toward expanding regenerative farming practices in Kansas. Currently, Dr. Willey leverages her 25 years of nonprofit board experience through her work as a professional consultant and grant writer with Futureful, a local consulting group serving health, housing, and human services nonprofits, mainly in urban Kansas City. In 2022, she was appointed to fulfill an unexpired term on the Douglas County Commission. Additionally, Dr. Willey serves as the President of BRAC, a local housing nonprofit, as a volunteer firefighter with Willow Springs Fire District, as a member of the NAACP Legal Redress Committee, and in many other community roles.

Valentino Stella, Ph.D., serves as a board member for KU Innovation Park. He is a KU Distinguished Professor Emeritus who taught in the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. Professor Stella graduated from Victorian College of Pharmacy in Parkville, Victoria, Australia, with a Bachelor of Pharmacy. He grew up in Australia but went to graduate school in Kansas. Professor Stella received his Ph.D. from KU, where he would later teach. While at KU, Professor Stella received several awards for his excellence in teaching, including the Honor for the Outstanding Progressive Educator (H.O.P.E.), an award designated by the senior class. Professor Stella has extensive experience with inventions and startup companies.

Robert Simari, M.D., the Franklin E. Murphy Professor in Cardiology, has been the Executive Vice Chancellor for the University of Kansas Medical Center since January 2018. He also serves on the board of directors for KU Innovation Park. Dr. Simari earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and his medical degree from the University of Kansas. Before joining KU as the executive vice chancellor, Dr. Simari served as vice chair for the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and co-principal investigator of the Center for Translational Science Activities at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He also served as the executive dean of the KU School of Medicine from 2014 to 2019. Dr. Simari is a member and served as the president of the association of University Cardiologists and continues to practice cardiology at the University of Kansas Health System.

Bonnie Lowe has been the president and chief executive officer of The Chamber of Lawrence since January 2019. In that role, she is responsible for leadership, strategic planning, and management functions. She had earned her Bachelor of Science in Finance from Fort Hays State University. Before her current position, Ms. Lowe was the chief operations officer for the Chamber. For four years before working with the Chamber, Ms. Lowe was a senior civil investigator for the US Attorney’s Office. In Lawrence, from 1998 to 2008, Ms. Lowe worked as the Community Bank President. She also served on the Lawrence City Commission.

Craig Owens began serving as City Manager of Lawrence in July 2019 after serving as City Manager for the City of Clayton, Missouri, for 11 years. Over the past 25 years, he has served similar positions for the cities of Rowlett, Texas, O’Fallon, Illinois, and Hazelwood, Missouri. Mr. Owens holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Kansas. He is a member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Mr. Owens is a former president of the Missouri City/County Management Association and the St. Louis Area City/County Management Association.

Sarah Plinsky was hired as the County Administrator in September 2019 after serving in the interim position for nine months. She is currently a member of the board for KU Innovation Park. Before becoming the administrator, she had served as the Assistant County Administrator since December 2010. Previously, Ms. Plinsky was the Assistant to the County Manager in Johnson County, Kansas. In Johnson County, she also served as the Interim Assistant County Manager for the Community Services Team and Interim Director of Public Health. Ms. Plinsky is a graduate of Leadership ICMA (International City and County Management Association) and the Senior Executive Institute at the University of Virginia. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Kansas.