Born in Aguascalientes, Mexico, Mr. Martinez moved to Chicago with his family at the age of 5 and credits education with changing the trajectory of his life. The oldest of 12 children, he was the first in his family to graduate from high school and college. He eventually returned to the school system of his youth, serving as Chicago Public Schools’ chief financial officer from 2003 to 2009 and later as its CEO from 2021 to 2025.
Mr. Martinez has spent more than two decades in systems leadership, including 12 years as a superintendent. During his tenure, Chicago Public Schools expanded full-day early childhood classrooms, posted strong post-pandemic reading gains, and set new records in terms of graduation rates, scholarships earned, and college credits obtained in high school.
Prior to being CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Mr. Martinez was superintendent of the San Antonio Independent School District, which the Texas governor and education commissioner recognized for being the fastest improving large district in that state in 2018, 2019, and 2021.
