Sutton to Serve as Chair-Elect of the Louisiana Hospital Association

The Louisiana Hospital Association (LHA) announced its 2024-2025 Board of Trustee officers and newly-elected board members during its annual membership meeting on July 22.

Michele Kidd Sutton, FACHE, president and CEO of North Oaks Health System in Hammond, will serve as the LHA Board of Trustees chair-elect. In this role, she begins the first part of a three-year term followed by serving as chair and immediate past chair. 

Rene J. Ragas, FACHE, president and CEO of Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, will serve as chair, with MaryEllen Pratt, FACHE, CEO of St. James Parish Hospital in Lutcher, as immediate past chair, and Edgardo J. Tenreiro, FACHE, president and CEO of Baton Rouge General, as treasurer.

In addition to the officers, the LHA Board of Trustees added new at-large trustees. E.J. Kuiper, FACHE, president & CEO of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System in Baton Rouge, Sean Wendell, CPA, CEO of Beacon Behavioral Partners in Baton Rouge, and Kemp Wright, vice president of hospital operations at Priority Hospital Group in Bossier City, were elected as at-large trustees for a two-year term. Jaf Fielder, president & CEO of Willis Knighton Health in Shreveport, was reelected to serve a second term as an at-large trustee.

The following individuals were newly elected to serve a two-year term as district trustees:

• Central District: Monte A. Wilson, regional market president and CEO for CHRISTUS Health Central Louisiana;
• Northwest District: Scott Prouty, chief operating officer of Allegiance Health Management in Bossier City; and
• Southeast District: Lee J. Chastant III, CEO of West Feliciana Hospital in St. Francisville.

Joan M. Coffman, FACHE, president and CEO of St. Tammany Health System in Covington, was reelected to serve a second three-year term as the Northshore district trustee.

“The LHA thanks our new and returning board members for offering their valuable time and expertise to improve Louisiana’s healthcare delivery system,” said LHA President and CEO Paul A. Salles. “We appreciate their proactive solutions to complex challenges, dedication to excellent patient care, and service to the people of our state.”

Sutton is in her eighth year as president and CEO of North Oaks Health System and has spent 37 years with the organization.

She has been an active member of the LHA since 1988. She is a former chair of HOSPPAC, LHA’s political action committee, and a member of the LHA Trust Funds Board of Directors. She has also served on various committees for the American Hospital Association and the Louisiana Department of Health.

In addition to her LHA service, Sutton is chair-elect of the American College of Healthcare Executives, which promotes excellence in healthcare leadership among its 50,000 members. She is board certified as a fellow in healthcare management through ACHE and has served as a past Louisiana regent and member of the Board of Governors.

Sutton is also a prominent figure in Louisiana’s business community, serving on the Committee of 100 for Economic Development, Inc., and she was appointed by former Gov. John Bel Edwards to the Louisiana Emergency Response Network State Commission.

She is involved in several organizations, including the Northshore Business Council, the New Orleans Chapter of the Women’s Healthcare Executive Network, and the Rotary Club of Hammond, where she is a past president. Additionally, she is a lifetime member and past board member of Southeastern’s Alumni Association, is a board member and past president of the Lions Athletic Association, and has held various roles, including board chairman, with the Tangipahoa Chamber since 1985.

Established in 1926, the Louisiana Hospital Association is a non-profit organization representing hospitals and healthcare systems across the state. The mission of the LHA is to support its members through advocacy, education and services.