Dr. Eddie Martin, Jr. serves as CLASP’s deputy executive director for racial equity. In this role, he leads the organization’s racial equity strategy both internally and externally, expanding CLASP’s capacity to effectively center racial equity in every aspect of its work.

Eddie brings an extraordinary background to CLASP that includes deep knowledge, experience, and leadership in racial equity and diversity across the nonprofit, federal government, health care, education, and theological sectors. He has extensive experience guiding transformational change to address institutional and structural inequities; creating strategic partnerships; designing and facilitating equity trainings; and helping to build strong organizational culture.

Before joining CLASP, Eddie served as the senior director of equity and engagement at Health Care for the Homeless in Baltimore, MD, where he conceptualized and led the organization’s racial equity and inclusion (REI) strategy and planning process. In this position, he worked closely with executive leadership, the board of directors, communications, human resources, and REI committees (staff and board) to develop REI plans, goals, and performance indicators across internal and external communications, personnel policies, public policy, and community engagement, while also helping to build social and political capital throughout the Greater Baltimore region.

Eddie is also a chaplain (Major) in the U.S. Army Reserve. Over the course of his career, he has served as director of the U.S. Department of Justice Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, special assistant in the U.S. Department of Education’s Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Center, and interim director of the University of Maryland Positive Schools Center, a nonprofit focused on addressing inequities in education and improving school climate and culture. He has also worked as a grassroots organizer, policy consultant, and community-based activist.

Eddie obtained his Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Eastern University. He is a graduate of Mississippi State University’s international business dual degree program and holds a Master of Divinity and a Master of Theology from Princeton Theological Seminary, as well as a Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. Additionally, he possesses certifications in change management; diversity, equity, and inclusion in Human Resources; and conflict resolution.