Rice hires government relations director

Rice hires government relations director

BY JESSICA JOHNS POOL
Rice News Staff

Ray Martinez, a veteran of the Clinton White House and the Texas Legislature and national election policy expert, joins Rice’s Public Affairs team as government relations director Oct. 8.

RAY MARTINEZ

“Ray’s mission will be to help identify and prioritize Rice’s legislative objectives and create strategies for achieving them, and to help Rice faculty members identify and realize opportunities for state and federal research grants,” said Linda Thrane, vice president for Public Affairs.  “Ray’s extensive experience in state and federal government will help him hit the ground running for Rice.”

Martinez comes to Rice after years of public service that include being nominated by President George W. Bush and approved by the U.S. Senate as one of the original four commissioners of the new U.S. Election Assistance Commission and serving on two different occasions on former President Bill Clinton’s White House staff.

He also worked with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Texas attorney general and state Rep. Sylvester Turner. Most recently, he operated a public policy and government relations firm, the Martinez Policy Group, in Austin.

“Ray is uniquely qualified to represent our interests since his experience straddles state, federal and private philanthropy,” said Bob Stein, the Lean Gohlman Fox Professor of Political Science. “This hire reflects Rice’s efforts to leap ahead and do things we haven’t done in the past. Now we’ll have Ray in Austin and Washington to help us capture some of the research and teaching funding opportunities available.”

A Texas native and practicing attorney, Martinez holds a law degree from University of Houston and a bachelor’s degree from Southwestern University. He advises the Pew Charitable Trusts on election issues and is an adjunct professor of election law and policy at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. He lives with his wife, Beth, and their two young children — Sofia and Lorenzo — in Austin.

“Ray will be dividing his time between Houston, Austin and Washington learning about Rice, our research and other public policy priorities and developing the plans and relationships needed to achieve them,” Thrane said.

Martinez said he will consult regularly with faculty and other Rice leaders to develop a coordinated government relations strategy and to prioritize the university’s funding and other public policy goals.

“Rice has a great story to tell in conducting research that can improve lives and livelihoods in Houston, in Texas and around the country and world,” Martinez said. “My initial focus will be to cultivate relationships with key elected and appointed officials and make certain that the vision for Rice – pathbreaking research, unsurpassed teaching and contributing to the betterment of our world – translates into enhanced funding and grant opportunities from all possible governmental sources.”

Martinez also will organize a grasstops and grassroots network – people willing to speak out on behalf of the university and its priorities, and to serve as Rice ambassadors in their communities and workplaces, Thrane said. 

Martinez has testified as an election law expert before numerous congressional committees and spoken to national and international audiences on topics including health care and government transparency. He’s appeared on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC as well as published commentaries in the New York Times, Baltimore Sun, Dallas Morning News and Newsday.

“My family and I are proud to join the Rice University community,” said Martinez. “I look forward to working closely with the Public Affairs team, President Leebron and other Rice leaders, and faculty and staff in developing a coordinated strategy that will achieve success for our public policy, legislative and funding priorities.”