La Sierra announces provost’s selection after national search

Martin has served as interim provost for nearly a year. She has been integrally involved in carrying out the university’s mission through its strategic planning processes, in academic leadership, in general university operations, and through key initiatives that have resulted in increased enrollment this school year. During her time at La Sierra, she has served as professor of psychology, continuing a teaching role she has held for 30 years, while also continuing graduate teaching at Loma Linda University and UC Riverside.

“Over the months, Dr. Martin has proven her ability to adapt to new challenges and support the university’s goals in this critical role while carrying out her professorial responsibilities. We welcome her as La Sierra’s provost and are confident that her skillset and dedication to our objectives will help us continue our current upward trajectory,” said La Sierra University President Christon Arthur. 

The provost functions as chief academic officer and works alongside the president and chief financial officer in managing university operations while collaborating with associate provosts, deans, and faculty to ensure development and innovation of the university’s programs. 

“It is an honor to be entrusted with this responsibility, and I will work hard as we address the challenges ahead,” Martin said. “I truly love this place and am committed to collaborating with my colleagues and students as we all move forward together.”

Martin earned a B.A. in psychology from Cal State San Bernardino, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in social and personality psychology from UC Riverside. She has co-authored 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, numerous book chapters, and co-authored and edited four books. She has given more than 150 media interviews, primarily related the book published in 2012 titled “The Longevity Project: Surprising Discoveries for Health and Long Life from the Landmark Eight-Decade Study.” She co-authored that work with UC Riverside’s Howard S. Friedman, who served as her doctoral advisor.

In addition to her classes and many community lectures, Martin has also served as a professional lecturer for Merck & Co., Inc. She serves as an ad-hoc reviewer for multiple professional journals including the Patient Education and Counseling, Vaccine, and the British Journal of Health Psychology and is a member of the editorial board for the Journal of Nonverbal Behavior. She has also served for many years as a reviewer of submissions to the Western Psychological Association (WPA) Annual Convention and is a WPA fellow.  Her roster of awards includes those for distinguished teaching (e.g., G. T. Anderson Award, WPA Outstanding Teaching Award), research (La Sierra University’s Distinguished Scholarship Award), and service (e.g., the Anees A. Haddad Faculty Award for Excellence in Advancing the Effectiveness of Faculty Governance at La Sierra).

Her university service roles over the past 30 years include membership on numerous committees and councils, including those involved in key hiring decisions and with university strategic planning. She has also served as chair of the Department of Psychology and of the Faculty Senate. Martin is currently a member of the steering committee for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the university’s regional accrediting body.

The candidate search process began in the spring of 2025 and attracted a field of a dozen qualified applicants. The selection process offered opportunities for input from the campus community.