Tammy Martin named director of MSU at Ashland
A two-time Morehead State University graduate and MSU instructor in education is now leading one of the University's regional campuses.
Dr. Tammy Martin (Class of 1988, 2025), a former senior instructor in teacher education at MSU in Prestonsburg, is now the director of MSU at Ashland.
Martin initially attended Berea College to study nursing before she left to start a family. The combination of parenthood, sparking an interest in education, and a desire to provide a better life for her family led her to re-enroll at Berea College.
"It was just one of those eye-opening moments," Martin said. "I mean, you could have gotten by, but then whenever you get a kid in the picture, and you're thinking about the future, and you're just like...what kind of future can we provide in our current situation versus trying to improve it?"
After earning a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Berea College, Martin taught 12 years in her hometown in Greenup County. Her passion for instructional excellence and student growth led her to school leadership, where she enrolled at Morehead State University, earning a Master of Arts in Elementary Education in 1988. She also obtained further certifications as an instructional supervisor, elementary principal, and superintendent of schools.
Martin then served as assistant principal at Louisa Elementary for one year, principal at Summit Elementary for 16 years, and assistant superintendent of Boyd County Schools for two years. She said regardless of the position she was in, she found herself relating to students in a way that helped them excel.
"I just think there are some people that are just naturally wired to understand how kids think and to think about what's the puzzle behind how they're approaching their learning and how can I help them learn in that way?" she said. "That kind of stuff was kind of easier for me."
During Martin's three decades of experience in education and leadership, she also served in the Kentucky Department of Education as an Education Recovery Leader, supporting schools in their continuous improvement efforts. She has also been involved in advancing literacy and professional learning, serving as a trainer for the National Reading Styles Institute, a district team member for SACSCOC accreditation, and co-director of the Read to Achieve component of the Kentucky Reading Project. She has presented at numerous state and national conferences and remains an active member of the Kentucky Reading Association and the Kentucky Retired Teachers Association.
As Martin made plans to retire from teaching, she got a call from Dr. April Miller, former dean of the Volgenau College of Education at MSU.
"She was like...'You have anybody that retired that could teach college classes?' And before I even thought, I was like, 'I could,'" Martin said. "So, I nominated myself."
She began a few fall teacher education classes at regional campuses in Ashland and Prestonsburg as an adjunct instructor before becoming a full-time instructor in 2018 and earning a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Instructional Leadership (K–12) from MSU in 2025 thanks to the encouragement of MSU colleagues.
Now, in her new role as director of MSU at Ashland (and part-time instructor, admitting she couldn't entirely leave teaching behind), Martin said she plans to use her experience in and out of the classroom to bring more awareness to what MSU at Ashland has to offer and help every student get the relevant knowledge and real-world experience they need to secure a job in their field. In particular, Martin said she enjoys being able to help nontraditional students like herself write the next and occasionally unexpected chapters of their lives.
"I think all of us as just human beings want to leave this world knowing that you've had some kind of an impact on it," she said. "I'm excited to start getting into area high schools and talk to some of these seniors that are getting ready to go into college...we need to make sure parents and students know we have this wonderful opportunity right here locally that so many people don't realize."
Martin is replacing retiring former director Dr. Nancy Preston (Class of 1977). Preston began working at MSU at Ashland as an instructor and social work coordinator in 2005 before taking on the role of director in 2010, a position she held for 16 years.
Dr. Tammy Martin can be reached at ashland@moreheadstate.edu or 606-327-1777.
To learn more about MSU at Ashland, contact ashland@moreheadstate.edu or 606-327-1777.
