Carina Oltmann is an award-winning palliative social worker with over twenty years of experience working at the intersection of palliative care, geriatrics and oncology. Affiliated with the Emory Palliative Care Center Division of Research, Ms. Oltmann is dedicated to bridging clinical practice with rigorous investigation with a focus on increasing equitable access to high-quality palliative care. She speaks nationally and internationally on topics such as optimizing support for surrogate decision-makers, increasing palliative care access and education for the Latinx community, and addressing the unique needs of those living with co-morbid serious persistent mental illness and life-threatening physical illness. Carina is widely published in palliative textbooks and peer-reviewed journals. She is the co-founder of the World Hospice and Palliative Care Social Work Network and she is deeply dedicated to the education and training of medical school students, social work students, residents, and fellows in serious illness communication skills. Ms. Oltmann is a graduate of the Columbia University School of Social Work and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Palliative Care at Lancaster University in the UK.
