With more than a century of service behind it, Martha & Mary has long been a cornerstone of care for children, seniors and families across Kitsap County. Today, as demand for accessible, high-quality care continues to grow, the organization is evolving to meet modern challenges while staying rooted in its founding values of compassion and community.
At the helm is CEO Lynette Ladenburg, whose three-decade career in senior living and healthcare has been guided by a deep commitment to mission-driven service. From her early days in finance to her leadership role today, Ladenburg brings both operational expertise and a personal sense of purpose to an organization uniquely focused on supporting people across every stage of life.
In this Executive Q&A, Ladenburg shares insights into her journey, the organization’s intergenerational approach to care, and how Martha & Mary is navigating workforce challenges, funding pressures and growing community needs—while continuing to serve as a trusted resource for families throughout the region.
Can you share a little about your background and what led you to your role as CEO of Martha & Mary?
More than 30 years ago, I entered the senior living field, initially accepting a CFO role without fully realizing how deeply the work would shape my life. It quickly became clear that this was more than a career—it was a calling. Serving individuals and families during some of the most meaningful seasons of their lives has been both humbling and deeply rewarding.
As my passion for healthcare grew, I pursued and earned my Master’s degree in Healthcare and my Nursing Home Administrator’s License. Throughout my career in healthcare and community-based services, primarily within mission-driven organizations, I have been guided by the belief that leadership rooted in care, empathy, and respect creates communities where people truly feel at home.
Martha & Mary drew me in through its rich history, values-based mission, and its unique intergenerational model of care. Supporting both the youngest and oldest members of our community reflects a truly holistic approach to family care and made the opportunity to lead Martha & Mary especially compelling.
For readers who may not be familiar, how would you describe the mission and role of Martha & Mary in Kitsap County?
Martha & Mary is a lifespan organization serving children, seniors, and families throughout Kitsap County. Our programs include quality caregiving for infants and toddlers through Pre-K, as well as safe and engaging before-and-after school care at six local elementary schools. We have two independent senior housing locations and manage an assisted living community in Bremerton. Our health services/nursing home, located in the heart of Poulsbo, has a strong focus on medical and physical rehabilitation services, as well as long-term care for seniors. As one of the only nonprofit providers of senior care in the county, we remain deeply focused on mission, accessibility, and community, serving all people regardless of faith, ethnicity, or economic status.
At our core, Martha & Mary exists to support individuals and families during life’s most vulnerable moments. We walk alongside people with dignity, compassion, and respect, whether nurturing a young child’s growth, supporting a senior to live as independently as possible, or providing care during times of transition.
For generations, Martha & Mary has been woven into the fabric of Kitsap County. Most people here know someone who has been cared for by our organization, either a child, a senior, or someone who has been employed by Martha & Mary. We are proud to be a large employer in the community, providing meaningful, mission-driven work and contributing to the county’s overall well-being.
Martha & Mary is here when our community needs us, offering trusted care across the lifespan.
Martha & Mary has been caring for the community since 1891. How do you balance honoring that legacy while evolving to meet today’s needs?
Our history is one of our greatest strengths. This year, we are honored to celebrate Martha & Mary’s 135th anniversary of serving the community. The values that guided our founders in 1891—service, compassion, and community—continue to shape who we are today.
At the same time, we are deeply committed to evolving to meet the changing needs of those we serve. This means modernizing care models, strengthening operations, and pivoting thoughtfully when needed. A recent example is the development of our new Child Care and Learning Center, which expands our ability to serve more children and support working families. Similarly, we have reduced the size of our nursing home to better align with current market needs, while continuing to focus on high-quality rehabilitation and long-term care services.
Honoring the past does not mean standing still. It means carrying forward our enduring values while making responsible decisions that ensure Martha & Mary remains responsive, sustainable, and impactful for generations to come.
Your organization serves both seniors and children. How do those services work together to support families in the region?
By serving both seniors and children, we support entire family systems, often caring for multiple generations within the same family, from children in our early learning programs to grandparents in our senior communities.
In fact, intergenerational programming is a valued part of our work, connecting preschool and pre-K students with “grandmas and grandpas” through joyful shared experiences such as Easter egg hunts, costume parades, and art and music activities. Bridging these generations together builds meaningful relationships and lasting memories. We also extend this impactful program beyond Martha & Mary by partnering with other senior care providers throughout Silverdale.
At Martha & Mary, those connections often come full circle. Children we once cared for sometimes return to work with us, and we are honored to later care for individuals who have served as employees. It is a life-span approach rooted in relationship, continuity, and community.
What are some of the most pressing needs you’re seeing among seniors, children, and families in Kitsap County today?
We’re hearing every day from the families and seniors we serve that finding care that is both available and affordable is becoming harder. Whether it’s a family searching for reliable childcare or a senior needing support to remain safe and connected, the options are often limited, and the costs can feel overwhelming.
At the same time, federal and state funding that helps support this care is being drastically reduced, even as the cost of providing it continues to rise. That reality puts added strain on families and on organizations like ours that are committed to serving everyone who comes through our doors, especially those, like us, that are not-for-profit organizations.
That’s why community support matters so deeply. Financial support from the community helps ensure care remains accessible, and just as importantly, public voices help remind elected decision-makers how important it is that they continue funding care for seniors, children, and families. That support allows us to continue showing up for our community when it matters most.
Access to quality care continues to be a challenge in many communities. How is Martha & Mary working to meet that need locally?
We are proud to be one of Washington State’s largest providers of Medicaid long-term care, ensuring seniors receive high-quality care regardless of financial circumstances. We also offer affordable senior housing and assisted living options, serving individuals and families across the economic spectrum. In 2025, Martha & Mary provided more than $750,000 in uncompensated care.
Access also extends to working families. We provide reduced-rate childcare for employees, military families, and local school district staff, and participate in state-subsidized childcare programs to lower childcare costs for lower-income families.
Workforce shortages are affecting many care providers. How is your organization approaching recruitment and retention?
Our workforce is the heart of Martha & Mary, but we are experiencing the same labor challenges seen across the healthcare and childcare sectors. Finding and retaining qualified professionals has become increasingly difficult, even as demand for high-quality care continues to grow.
We address recruitment and retention by prioritizing workplace stability, leadership development, and creating an environment where employees can envision a long-term future at Martha & Mary. We offer competitive pay and comprehensive benefit packages, but we also invest in our employees by offering opportunities for professional growth, including scholarship programs and educational support through our relationship with Olympic College. Just as importantly, we foster a culture in which staff feel respected, supported, and genuinely valued for the essential work they do every day.
Community partnerships are often key in this sector. How does Martha & Mary collaborate with other organizations in Kitsap County?
One of our most significant affiliations is with Olympic College, where we collaborate to support nursing and early childhood education and help build a strong workforce pipeline. Through these partnerships, our childcare staff can access Early Achievers, a grant-funded scholarship program that supports earning early childhood education credits. We also sponsor up to five students per cohort in the Olympic College Nursing Assistant Training Program, providing paid class and training time and a guaranteed position at Martha & Mary upon successful completion. In addition, Martha & Mary serves as a clinical training site for multiple levels of Olympic College nursing programs.
Our partnerships with Central and North Kitsap school districts are also critical. By providing before-and-after school care, we help alleviate childcare challenges for working families while offering children a safe, structured environment to learn and thrive.
In senior services, we partner with the Bremerton Housing Authority to manage and operate Bay Vista Commons Assisted Living & Memory Care, leveraging our senior living expertise. This environment provides quality housing to those dependent on Medicaid services.
Together, these partnerships create meaningful pathways into healthcare and early learning careers, support professional growth for our workforce, and allow us to maximize shared expertise and resources for greater community impact.
What are some initiatives or programs you’re currently working on that you’re particularly excited about?
I am especially excited about the continued strengthening of our senior services and early learning programs, including the recent expansion of our childcare operations. We now care for more than 500 children each month, helping meet a critical need for working families across the county while supporting a strong local workforce.
Alongside this growth, we are focused on improving operational efficiency so we can reinvest directly in care. We are also placing a strong emphasis on staff development, long-term sustainability, and increasing community awareness of our mission. Expanding our fundraising efforts is an important part of that work, as philanthropic support allows us to address state and federal funding gaps so we can continue serving the community with compassion and excellence for generations to come.
Looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of Martha & Mary?
My vision is for Martha & Mary to continue as a trusted, innovative, and compassionate leader in community care. We will remain deeply rooted in our values while adapting to meet future needs. Most of all, I want families in Kitsap County to know that Martha & Mary will be there for them, no matter the season of life.
What motivates you personally as you lead an organization centered on caring for the community?
I am motivated by the people—our residents, families, children, and the dedicated staff who show up every day with heart and commitment. Knowing that our work directly impacts dignity, connection, and quality of life is incredibly meaningful. Leading an organization that truly cares for its community is both a responsibility and a privilege.
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