Suzanne Hobson

Suzanne “Sue” Hobson directs Community Health and Partnerships for Cleveland Clinic’s South region which covers eight counties, including Summit, Medina, Portage, and Tuscarawas. The region drives Public Health priorities across the Northeast Ohio footprint with initiatives that focus on improving infant and maternal health, reducing substance use disorders, impacting social and emotional health, and environmental factors. Hobson was thrilled to have written the proposal which recently landed the hospital a $1 million grant from the Summit County Opiate Abatement Advisory Council. The Recovery’s in Reach program is being developed with local partners to help emergency department patients with substance use disorders to obtain access to medication-assisted treatment and connect to local community-based treatment. Hobson’s current work involves greater alignment with clinical care and an increased focus on the impact of social determinants of health to improve health outcomes. She worked closely with the College of Public Health to create a steering team that launched an LGTBTQ+ community health needs assessment for Summit, Stark, and Portage Counties. Hobson is on the board of the Akron Urban League and Downtown Akron Partnership. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass media communications from the University of Akron and a master’s degree in journalism from Ken State. She is currently pursuing her MPH at Kent State University to gain more knowledge in public health to further inform her work and benefit the community.