An Asherton Texas native, Dr. Martinez has dedicated himself to education, and been a strong role model for Latinos in academia. When he was 14 his family joined the migrant farm worker stream, but his parents’ commitment to education paid off. He received a PhD from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Dr. Martinez shares about his childhood, his adversities, persistence and the importance of goal setting. He is a retired president of three community colleges in Chicago, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Dr. Ted Martinez, Jr. serves as Executive Director of the National Community College Latino Leadership Fellows Program. His commitment to excellence in education has been recognized by several honors including the 2016 Alfredo G. De Los Santos Jr. Distinguished Leadership in Higher Education Award.