Laura Martinez named AVP for Government Relations and Community Engagement

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Laura Martinez as Clark’s Associate Vice President for Government Relations and Community Engagement, effective September 23, 2026. 

Laura joins Clark from WPI, where she recently served as Director of Government & Community Relations, advising executive leadership on public policy, government relations, community engagement, and external affairs affecting institutional priorities. Laura developed WPI’s first Community Investment Framework, a strategic process that helped align community investments with institutional priorities and measurable outcomes, and directed the Academic Civic Collaborative with the City of Worcester, strengthening collaboration between city government and the Institute, and expanding opportunities for faculty engagement and student experiential learning. 

As a member of the Clark senior leadership team, Laura will oversee all government and community engagement, amplifying Clark’s prominence as a vocal leader within the national higher education landscape and deepening our outward engagement at the local, state, and federal levels. As a key ambassador in Worcester, she will be responsible for sustaining the University’s active partnerships with government officials, civic and business organizations, and with the residents in our Main South neighborhood, with whom we will continue to collaborate closely and share resources to improve the quality of life for all who live and work here.   

Laura’s ties to Worcester run deep. She is a native of the city and has served on the Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester, the Mayor’s Food Security Task Force, and as co-founder of the Worcester Trauma, Resiliency & Racial Equity Institute. She is the founder of Mart Consulting LLC, a Worcester-based public health consulting firm that partners with health, education, and human services agencies to develop and implement health equity strategies.

Laura received her undergraduate degree in business administration from Worcester State University and her master’s in project management from Georgetown University.

I’m excited about what we’ll be able to accomplish under her leadership. Please join me in welcoming Laura to Clark.

Sincerely,

David Fithian
President