Impact Stories
Marlene's Story
Meet Marlene Ontiveros, a Nurse Supervisor at AltaMed's PACE program, whose grandmother's caregiving inspired her lifelong journey into nursing.
Marlene Ontiveros grew up in a household with her extended family. Watching her grandmother care for her mother and brother planted the seeds of a nursing career that would span decades.
Those early experiences of witnessing compassionate caregiving within her own family became the foundation for everything that followed — a deep commitment to caring for others that would eventually lead her to AltaMed.
I grew up in a household with my extended family. Growing up, watching my grandmother caring for her mother and brother inspired me... Those experiences really inspired me to get into nursing.”
Marlene Ontiveros, RN
Finding Her Purpose at PACE
Today, Marlene serves as a Nurse Supervisor at AltaMed’s PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly), a senior care program that provides comprehensive medical and social services to help elderly individuals remain in their communities.
At PACE, Marlene discovered more than just a job — she found a calling. The program’s focus on holistic, relationship-centered care resonated deeply with the values her grandmother had modeled for her.
My grinchy heart grew once I came to work at PACE... The bonds you form with your patients! You cry with these people, you get to know them and their families, and you become part of their family.”
Marlene Ontiveros, RN
Nurse Supervisor at AltaMed's PACE
Building the Next Generation
Marlene’s story reflects the broader mission of the AltaMed Nursing School Collaborative — to develop compassionate, community-oriented nurses who understand the unique needs of the populations they serve.
Through the Collaborative, AltaMed is investing $20 million to graduate 250 registered and licensed vocational nurses within five years, providing affordable nursing education with clinical training in community health settings in East Los Angeles.
Nurses like Marlene embody the impact of this investment — proving that when you nurture talent from within the community, the care that comes back is deeply personal, culturally aware, and transformative.
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