North Oaks president to address Southeastern commencement
Wednesday, May 3, 2017 
by: Rene Abadie
HAMMOND – The president and chief executive officer of North Oaks Health System
in Hammond will address Southeastern Louisiana University graduating students at commencement
ceremonies on Saturday, May 13.
Michele Kidd Sutton, a 28-year veteran of North Oaks, will speak at the event
scheduled for 10 a.m. at the University Center. The university will confer approximately
1,100 degrees on students who are graduating with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral
degrees.
Sutton began her career at North Oaks in 1988 as its community resources officer.
In 2006 she was appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer of
the health system. In 2017 she assumed added responsibilities as president and CEO
of its medical system. She played an integral role in the development of the strategic
plan to initiate the health system’s recent $250 million expansion project, as well
as numerous new product and service lines.
An alumna of Southeastern, Sutton earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing with
minors in communication and management, as well as a master of business administration
degree. She continues her university involvement as a life-time member of the Southeastern
Alumni Association and an active member of the FeLIONS support group, having chaired
this year’s annual Champagne Bingo fund-raising event. She has also taught marketing
as an adjunct instructor in the Southeastern College of Business.
A board-certified fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, she
has served as president and vice president of ACHE’s Southeast Louisiana Chapter.
She recently led the merger of the two state chapters into one, now known as the Louisiana
Chapter of Healthcare Executives.
Sutton is a member of the Louisiana Hospital Association and serves on the organization’s
political action committee HOSPPAC. She also belongs to the Northshore Healthcare
Alliance, Northshore Business Council, and the New Orleans Chapter of the Women’s
Healthcare Executive Network. She is active in the Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce,
where she has served previously as chair, vice chair, secretary, and treasurer. She
was a 1999 recipient of the chamber’s Annie Award as the outstanding woman in business.
Other honors Sutton has received include recognition in 2007 as one of 50 Women
of the Year by “New Orleans CityBusiness” and the 2007 Golden Pelican Marketer of
the Year Award from the Louisiana Society for Hospital Public Relations and Marketing.
