Three North Oaks Health Leaders Named 2026 Healthcare Heroes

North Oaks Health leaders Dr. Marquinn D. Duke, Dr. Casey Steen and Michele Kidd Sutton, FACHE,have been recognized among the 2026 New Orleans CityBusiness Healthcare Heroes, which honors medical professionals who make significant contributions to healthcare in the Greater New Orleans region.

Established in 2007, the Healthcare Heroes program celebrates professionals whose achievements and community involvement have made a lasting impact across the region. Honorees were recognized in six categories: animal care, first responders, nursing, physicians, professionals and volunteers.

Recognized in the physician category, Dr. Marquinn D. Duke is a board-certified trauma and critical care surgeon who joined the North Oaks Health medical staff in 2014. As Trauma Program Medical Director, he oversees the continued advancement of North Oaks Medical Center's Level II Trauma Center, helping ensure patients with life-threatening injuries can receive specialized care close to home when minutes matter most. His leadership has expanded access to trauma services, strengthened emergency preparedness and improved coordination of care for critically injured patients across the Northshore and beyond.

Dr. Duke is also regarded as a leading advocate for trauma care and injury prevention across Louisiana. Through leadership roles with the Louisiana Chapter of the American College of Surgeons and the Louisiana Emergency Response Network, he collaborates with healthcare leaders to strengthen trauma systems and improve patient outcomes statewide. He has championed the expansion of Stop the Bleed training in schools and communities, equipping citizens with lifesaving skills and advancing public safety through education, advocacy and clinical leadership.

Also recognized in the physician category, Dr. Casey Steen is a board-certified internist who joined the North Oaks Health medical staff in 2018. As Medical Director of the North Oaks Hospital Medicine Program, he leads a team focused on delivering high-quality care for hospitalized patients while advancing initiatives that improve safety, quality and clinical outcomes. He also serves as a core Faculty Member of the North Oaks Graduate Medical Education Internal Medicine Residency Program, helping shape future physicians through mentorship, education and patient-centered training.

Beyond his clinical responsibilities, Dr. Steen has emerged as a respected physician leader dedicated to advancing quality care and strengthening the healthcare workforce. In 2026, he was named Louisiana's Favorite Doctor by LHA Trust Funds and was honored as North Oaks Health's 2025 Physician of the Year. Through his leadership in hospital medicine, commitment to patient safety and dedication to medical education, he continues to improve patient outcomes while helping prepare the next generation of physicians.

Honored in the professional category, Michele Kidd Sutton, FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer of North Oaks Health, has spent nearly four decades with the health system advancing healthcare access and quality across Southeast Louisiana. Under her tutelage, North Oaks Health has achieved a four-level bond rating upgrade to A+, positioning the organization to support a $307 million capital improvement strategy over the next seven years. During the past year, the organization also became Louisiana's first Purple Heart Hospital and earned designation as an Age-Friendly Health System, as well as certification as a Chest Pain Center and Primary Stroke Center-E.

Sutton's influence extends well beyond Louisiana. She simultaneously served as 2025-26 Chair of the American College of Healthcare Executives, representing more than 53,000 healthcare leaders worldwide, and Chair of the Louisiana Hospital Association Board of Trustees, while also serving as Vice Chair of the Louisiana Emergency Response Network state commission. A strong advocate for workforce development and physician training, she has championed the continued expansion of North Oaks' Graduate Medical Education Program, which is projected to train 80 resident physicians annually by 2030, while her expertise continues to be sought by healthcare organizations, policymakers and government leaders working to advance healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.