Hey There!

As President and CEO of North Oaks Health System, Michele Kidd Sutton, FACHE, has dedicated the past 36 years to expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare to the Northshore region of Louisiana, forging impactful relationships with government and civic organizations to build stronger, more vibrant communities, and investing in North Oaks’ workforce with educational opportunities to advance its frontline workers. Ms. Sutton began her career in banking but quickly pivoted to healthcare, serving as North Oaks’ Community Resources Officer from 1988 to 2006. She was then elevated to the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from 2006 to 2016, and then as President and CEO.

Board certified in healthcare management as a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), Ms. Sutton served as an ACHE Regent for Louisiana from 2015 to 2018, on the Board of Governors from 2020 to 2023, and March 2024 will serve as Chair-Elect of ACHE.

In addition to her service to ACHE, Ms. Sutton has been a member of the Louisiana Hospital Association (LHA) since 1988 and is Treasurer of its Board of Trustees and immediate past Chair of its political action committee, HOSPPAC. She also is a member of the LHA Trust Funds Board of Directors and has participated on a number of committees for the American Hospital Association and the Louisiana Department of Health. Furthermore, former Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards appointed Ms. Sutton to serve on the Louisiana Emergency Response Network (LERN) State Commission, representing hospital service districts.

In 2021, North Oaks was named as one of the Top 10 Best Performing Health Systems by Modern Healthcare, and through her stewardship, North Oaks achieved a four-level upgrade in its bond rating. Ms. Sutton has overseen numerous multimillion expansion projects, developed, and implemented North Oaks as one of nine trauma centers in Louisiana, and most recently championed the launch of a Graduate Medical Education (GME) program.

Under her guidance, North Oaks partnered with community agencies in leading the nation in bolstering COVID-19 vaccination compliance, and the medical center was recognized as one of only 13 U.S. hospitals for its pandemic response by the International Hospital Federation through its COVID-19 Beyond the Call of Duty program.

Ms. Sutton is the recipient of numerous awards and commendations. She received the ACHE Distinguished Service Award (2018 and 2022), the American Hospital Association Grassroots Champion Award (2022), the AHA PAC Most Valuable Player Award (2019 and 2021), Alumna of the Year Award presented by the Southeastern Louisiana University Alumni Association (2019), the Chancellor’s Award for College Advancement from Northshore Technical and Community College (2020) and most recently the college’s Distinguished Alumni Award (2023).

Ms. Sutton earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master of business administration degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana, where she later served as an adjunct professor for eight years.