About Ed Martin

    Ed Martin is currently a  public policy columnist for the Venice Gondolier Sun and writer and editor of this website.  Martin has a Ph.D. in speech pathology and psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. 

    In Venice he is active or holds offices in church, interfaith, neighborhood, foundation and charitable organizations.

   Martin was the nation's first Assistant Secretary of Education for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 1979-81 and had earlier headed the federal Bureau of Education for the Handicapped under two Democratic and two Republican Presidents. Earlier, he was Director of the Subcommittee on the Handicapped of the House of Representative, beginning his career in building public policy for people with disabilities.

    His federal leadership led to his being invited to teach graduate seminars at Harvard University, where from 1979-81 he was Lecturer in Education and taught about federal public policy.  He continued teaching that subject at Teachers College, Columbia University as adjunct Professor of Education from 1982-90.

    From 1981-94 he was president and CEO of the National Center for Disability Services in New York, a complex of education, rehabilitation, research and employment organizations which became a national leader in employment of people with disabilities, helping more than 4000 people a year into employment.

   Three corporations: Pall Corporation, the world's leading filtration and separation company, (NYSE), the New York Community Bank (Roslyn Division), (Nasdaq), a $24 billion dollar bankcorp; and the Interboro Mutual Indemnity Insurance Company of New York,  tapped Martin to be on their Board of Directors.

    His honors include:  three honorary doctorates; numerous awards from organizations serving persons with disabilities and listing in Who's Who in America, (2007  and earlier editions), Who's Who in Government, Who's Who in Education and Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.