PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Grantee Spotlight: Marty Olberding, Registered Nurse, Certified Case Manager, Good Samaritan Hospital Perinatal Programs
At bi3, we are committed to advancing health equity by investing in people and ideas that have the power to transform health. We are fortunate to collaborate with visionary partners who work every day to improve our community’s health. Their passion, creativity, and leadership bring to life bi3’s belief that when we invest in people closest to the problem, we unlock the most powerful solutions.
Through its ongoing investments in maternal health, bi3 supports innovative care models at Good Samaritan Hospital that connect expectant mothers with nurse case managers, social services, and community resources to ensure women receive the support they need for healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.
For nearly four decades, nurse Marty Olberding has helped guide women through pregnancy and into parenthood. As a nurse case manager at the OB Center at Good Samaritan Hospital, she serves as a trusted resource for expectant mothers, helping them navigate everything from medical questions to transportation, food access, and other challenges that can affect a healthy pregnancy.
At the heart of Marty’s work is a simple belief: Every mother deserves someone in her corner.
What led you to your current role?
My career in nursing spans nearly 38 years, and early on, I found myself working in obstetrics. I didn’t necessarily set out to specialize in obstetrics. It was something I fell into, but I quickly realized I loved being part of a woman’s journey into parenthood.
About 10 to 12 years ago, I transitioned into my current role as a nurse case manager at the Good Samaritan OB Center. That role allows me to walk alongside moms throughout their pregnancy and help them navigate questions or challenges that come up along the way.
Many of the women I work with are first-time moms or relatively young parents. Sometimes pregnancy brings excitement, but sometimes, it also brings worry, with women wondering if they’re ready or how they’re going to manage everything that comes with a baby.
Parenthood doesn’t come with a manual, so part of my role is helping moms feel prepared and confident as they move into that new chapter of their lives.
What drives your passion?
What drives me most is helping women feel supported and empowered during pregnancy.
A lot of the work I do involves helping moms identify the resources around them that can make pregnancy healthier and less stressful. Sometimes the biggest barriers to care aren’t medical at all. It might be transportation to appointments, understanding insurance coverage, accessing healthy food, or navigating housing challenges.
In our clinic, we’re fortunate to have a whole team that can help address those needs, including financial counselors, social workers, dietitians, mental health professionals, and community health workers who connect moms to resources outside the hospital. My role is often helping bring those pieces together so moms can access the support they need.
I’m also really passionate about making sure all women, regardless of race, income, education level, or background, receive high-quality care and feel valued in the healthcare system.
But beyond the resources, the most important aspect of my role is the relationship. When I meet a mom for the first time, I explain that I’m going to be her nurse case manager and that she can call or text me anytime with questions related to her pregnancy, big or small. If I don’t know the answer, I know who to ask.
Sometimes people leave a doctor’s appointment and later realize they have questions they didn’t think to ask in the moment. I can help clarify things and make sure they feel comfortable and confident about what’s happening.
What impact have you seen through your work?
One of the most meaningful parts of the job is seeing how moms grow in confidence throughout their pregnancy.
I also see the value of simply having one consistent person in their corner. In a large practice, patients may see several different providers during their prenatal visits. Having a nurse case manager gives them a familiar face and someone who can advocate for them and help connect the dots across their care.
When women come back for their postpartum visits, I often see someone who has truly embraced being a mom. They’re proud of what they’ve done, proud of their baby, and looking forward to the future. That transformation is incredibly rewarding to witness.
Aaliyah’s Story
When Aaliyah went to the Emergency Department for another illness, she didn’t expect to leave with life-changing news that she was pregnant.
It was her first pregnancy, and while she was thrilled, the experience brought a roller coaster of emotions. Aaliyah had struggled with her mental health in the past and knew pregnancy would bring both joy and challenges.
From the beginning, she was determined to stay healthy and make every medical appointment.
That’s where nurse case manager “Miss Marty” came in.
Throughout her pregnancy, Marty helped Aaliyah navigate the many ups and downs, including losing her job and finding a new one. She made sure Aaliyah could get to her appointments, helping coordinate transportation when needed, and was always available to answer questions, provide reassurance, and connect her to resources.
Although Aaliyah had supportive friends and family, she says Marty became the person she could rely on most throughout the journey.
Today, Aaliyah is the proud mom of a healthy baby girl, Za-Lani, and is grateful for the guidance that helped her feel supported every step of the way.
Our Partnership
At bi3, we believe that our community can be a place where every mother and young child has access to the care and resources they need to thrive, from pregnancy to early childhood.
To fuel our priority of improving maternal and infant health, we awarded $3.7 million to support TriHealth’s Good Samaritan OB-GYN Center in fundamentally changing how care is delivered to patients who disproportionately suffer from poor birth and health outcomes. Building from the success of StartStrong, the OB-GYN Center adopted a patient-centered, team-based approach that connects patients to a consistent care team and community resources to achieve better health outcomes.
