This prestigious award is presented annually by the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses (ABOHN) to the individual who achieved the highest score on the previous year’s Case Management (CM) certification examination. 

This award was established in January 2000 to honor Ada Mayo Stewart.   In 1895, Ms. Stewart was one of the first industrial health nurses in the United States.  Her practice at the Vermont Marble Company involved many facets of occupational health case management.  She worked in the clinic, provided health education for employees and their families and made home visits.  She was the first case manager in occupational health nursing as we know it today.

The 2025 Ada Mayo Stewart Excellence in Occupational Health Case Management Award is presented to:

                                 Suzanne Marion, RN, BSN, COHN-S/CM

Suzanne Marion’s journey into nursing began long before she stepped onto a college campus. When she was seven, her mother suffered a workplace injury that left her on worker's compensation for months; her first memory of a hospital was visiting her the night of her surgery. In a powerful full-circle moment, Suzanne returned to that exact same hospital 35 years later—not as a worried daughter, but as their Director of Occupational Medicine.

Suzanne’s 25 year nursing career has been defined by a love for helping people right where they are. A graduate of Wytheville Community College (AAS, 2001) and Old Dominion University (BSN, 2011), she spent her early career navigating the unpredictable worlds of Med/Surg, Labor & Delivery, and School Nursing.

In 2004, seeking a better balance for her family and her then two-year-old son, she transitioned into Occupational Health at a carpet weaving factory. That move sparked a lifelong passion for workplace wellness. Over the years, she’s had the privilege of providing care for employees at the U.S. Department of Justice and Macy’s Logistics, as well as working with numerous employer’s worksite clinics and occupational health programs through Carilion Clinic and Cone Health.

While Suzanne enjoyed management roles, her heart has always been with the employees. Today, she is thrilled to be back in a direct care role as an Occupational Health Nurse with OmniSource (a Steel Dynamics, Inc. Company). Suzanne’s commitment to growth remains a priority, having maintained my COHN-S and CAOHC Course Director credentials, and most recently obtaining my ABOHN Case Management certification in 2025.

Home is in Oak Ridge, NC, where she lives with her husband and their blue merle Bernedoodle puppy, Vesper. When she’s not in the clinic or traveling between her 7 worksites, you’ll find her doing machine embroidery, crocheting or watching YouTube how-to videos to perfect her next sewing project. Her greatest joys are their three children and two grandchildren—and these days, She’s spending every spare moment cheering for her niece as she follows in her footsteps and begins nursing school this fall. 

Congratulations Suzanne!