Satcher, whose brother is Dr. David Satcher, former United States Surgeon General, has held various positions at Saint Paul's, including interim president, professor of chemistry, physics and physical science, vice president of academic affairs and provost.

He received his undergraduate degree from Alabama State University, Masters Degree from Arizona State University, and Ph.D. from Oregon State University. The results of his dissertation research on the Radiation and Photochemistry of Thymine (a DNA molecule) was presented at the International Conference on Photobiology, in Bochum, Germany.

Satcher and his wife, Marian, have four children.