William & Mary Chief of Staff Jeremy P. Martin Ph.D.’12, M.B.A. ’17, has been selected as the university’s vice president for strategy & innovation, President Katherine A. Rowe announced today.
In that position, Martin will have coordinating responsibility for the university’s admission, marketing and communications offices and will drive the university’s enterprise development strategy and management.
Martin has been fulfilling those duties in an interim role since the departure of Henry R. Broaddus, vice president for strategic initiatives and public affairs, in May 2022. He has also served as the interim special assistant for military and veterans affairs from April to October of this year. Martin’s new appointment is effective immediately, and he will continue serving the president as needed in the chief of staff role until a replacement is named.
“Dr. Martin brings years of experience in higher education leadership, financial expertise, and strategic awareness to this important role,” Rowe said. “William & Mary has seen him in action at the helm of several units on campus, where his versatility, creative and critical thinking have earned him widespread respect and trust. A two-time alumnus, he brings a deep appreciation of the university’s core values. With these qualities, he will bring innovative and data-informed approaches to aligning our enrollment, marketing and communications efforts.
“I am excited to work with him in this new role, to advance the university’s strategic goals through Vision 2026 and beyond.”
As vice president for strategy & innovation, Martin will be responsible (in coordination with Dean of Admission Tim A. Wolfe ’95, M.Ed. ’01) for guiding enrollment strategy and the operation of the undergraduate admission and financial aid offices. He will also be charged (in coordination with Vice President for University Advancement Matthew T. Lambert ’99, Chief Marketing Officer Heather E. Golden and Chief Communications Officer Brian W. Whitson) with advancing the university’s marketing and communication strategy, with an emphasis on attracting applicants, encouraging engagement and philanthropy and strengthening the university’s overall visibility in line with its mission.
According to the position description, Martin’s main responsibilities will include optimizing current enrollment revenues and creating innovative new ones; aligning enrollment, marketing and communications strategies with the university’s mission; elevating W&M’s national reputation; cultivating new institutional partnerships and revenue pathways; and building trusted relationships with constituencies across campus.
“Since I first stepped on campus, William & Mary has been a defining experience for me. So many people – faculty, staff and students – have invested themselves in my growth as a person and professional,” Martin said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the university in this new role as we fulfill William & Mary’s mission to convene ‘great hearts and minds’ in this community that fosters such deep human connection.”
Martin began his work at William & Mary in 2008 with a series of graduate assistantships in the School of Education, W&M Athletics, the Provost’s Office, the President’s Office and the Office of the Dean of Students. In 2012, he became assistant to the president and provost and served in that role for five years before becoming associate provost and assistant to the president. In 2019, he became chief of staff. As such, he is responsible for facilitating executive decision-making and communication between the president and university leaders. He is a facilitating member of the Executive Leadership Team and a directing member of the president’s cabinet.
In 2020, Martin was named interim director of athletics where he provided strong leadership during a time of transition. While in the role, he increased stability for all 23 varsity sports and launched a gender equity review and planning process. During his time in the position, Martin helped to improve the department’s financial foundation, overseeing significant increases in donors and funds received. He was also instrumental in developing and launching the All In $55 million fundraising campaign for athletics, and he helped the department navigate the unique health and fiscal challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout his time at W&M, Martin has taught classes on higher education, finance and data in W&M’s School of Education and served on multiple committees, including the Strategic Planning Steering committee. As co-chair of that group at the outset of its work, Martin helped facilitate drafting the mission, vision and values statements of the university. He also led the process that produced a comprehensive action plan for the university and refined the four key initiatives of Vision 2026, tracking the progress of unit-level and university efforts and reporting that progress to key stakeholders.
Martin has been instrumental in a number of university-wide diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, including working with Chief Diversity Officer Chon Glover and Chief Data Officer Barbara Forth on the development and launch of the university’s first DEI dashboard. In his interim role at the helm of strategic initiatives and public affairs, Martin oversaw the development of a commitment by the university to guarantee scholarship aid to cover at least the cost of tuition and fees for all in-state, undergraduate Pell Grant eligible students. The new program will apply to all in-state undergraduate students enrolled at W&M in fall 2023, including new, returning, first-year and transfer students. In 2021, the university recognized Martin’s work with the Shirley Aceto Award, which honors excellence in service to the campus community.
“Many of us on the search committee already knew about Jeremy’s long list of leadership contributions and his clear commitment to William & Mary’s present and future,” said Michael Luchs, Shook Term Distinguished Professor of Business and chair of the search committee. “What impressed me most during the search process was his broad yet deep understanding of William & Mary as an institution combined with a genuine focus on the experience of current and future students. Along with his superb relationship-building skills, I know that Jeremy will make an immediate impact in this critical, re-envisioned cabinet position.”
Martin received his undergraduate degree in business administration and communication from Houghton College (now university) before pursuing a Master of Science degree from Georgia State University. He earned a doctorate in educational policy, planning and leadership from William & Mary in 2012 and a Master of Business Administration degree from the university in 2017.
Martin is an active member of the community and currently serves on the Williamsburg-James City County Schools Foundation.
Erin Jay, Senior Associate Director of University News