Rooted in Place. Driven by Purpose.
From the drugstore to the Dean’s office, Craig Martin has always believed in the power of presence, purpose, and doing the right thing — for students, for faculty, and for the future of pharmacy.
INTRODUCING INTERIM DEAN CRAIG MARTIN
Before Craig Martin ever wore a white coat or taught a classroom full of future pharmacists, he stood behind the counter at Grant County Drugs in Dry Ridge, Kentucky, watching Larry Spears work.
Craig, still a teenager at the time, didn’t yet understand the complexities of pharmacology or the shifting currents of healthcare. But he knew one thing: he wanted to be someone like Larry.
Larry wasn’t just the town pharmacist; he was the kind of person people counted on. A trusted advisor, a man of faith and quiet generosity, and someone whose presence brought reassurance long before a prescription was even filled. He knew his patients by name. He listened more than he spoke. He didn’t just dispense medicine; he brought steadiness to his community.
Watching Larry, Craig began to understand what it meant to care for a community. More than that, he began to see a future for himself.
Decades later, Dr. Craig Martin has stepped into the role of Interim Dean at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, the same college that shaped both his and Larry’s professional journeys. It’s a place Larry once invested in with time, energy, and generosity, and where Craig has served for more than 20 years.
Dry Ridge, a small rural town in northern Kentucky, is the kind of place where people wave from front porches and show up for each other. It’s a town shaped by farmland, family names, hard work, and shared purpose.
He saw how those around him showed care not with big gestures but with consistency, integrity, and presence. And he saw in Larry Spears the embodiment of those values: a man whose kindness helped shape a region and, profoundly, one teenager’s life.
Ask Craig to describe his leadership style, and he won’t give you a management theory or a polished elevator pitch. He’ll talk about relationships—deep, enduring ones—and about showing up when it matters.
“I’m a homebody by nature,” he says. “I care deeply about my circle of people and invest all I can in them.”
Craigslist
A few favorites from Interim Dean Craig Martin
Best place you’ve ever visited: Hawaii. Hands down.
Favorite Kentucky restaurant: The Beehive in Augusta, KY. Order the smashburger and fries— you won’t regret it.
Kentucky basketball player who would leave you starstruck: Derek Anderson.
Small luxury you can’t live without: Expensive socks.
“There’s a lot to be said for being in a place where everyone’s looking out for you, because everyone knows who you are. That kind of community teaches you how to show up for people.”
Craig’s father was a schoolteacher who later became a superintendent; his stepmother also taught in public schools. Education wasn’t just encouraged in the Martin household—it was a way of life. Yet alongside the academic structure of his home, he was just as influenced by the agricultural rhythms of the community. He spent summers working on tobacco farms, shoulder-to-shoulder with classmates whose families were farmers.
Amazon Prime Day purchase: A hammock. I regret nothing.
Go-to music for a run: Depends on the day—could be Tyler Childers, could be 90s hip-hop.
Book you recommend most: Atomic Habits by James Clear.
All-time best sports movie: Hoosiers.
How many Diet Cokes do you drink in a year? A thousand. Maybe more. I’m not proud. But I’m honest.
That circle includes students, colleagues, his church community, his neighbors, and above all, his family: Valerie, his wife of 27 years; their three children, Ty, Caleb, and Avery; and their two dogs, Lincoln and Izzy, who faithfully follow him from room to room.
In Craig’s world the most important things often happen offstage. A handwritten note to a colleague. A mid-week coffee with a former student. A grilled steak at the Martins’ weekly family dinner—a standing tradition so valued that his adult children return home for
“The best things come from small, intentional choices. Whether it’s building a habit, deepening a relationship, or guiding a college through change, it’s not about quick wins. It’s about steady movement in the right direction.”
it. These small acts may never appear on a résumé, but they say everything about his values.
That mindset is the framework for how Craig has contributed to the College through years of growth and change. Since graduating in 1999, he’s served as a resident, clinician, educator, advisor, and, most recently, Associate Dean for Operations. He understands the College from the inside out: from the academic pressures students face to the fiscal realities of running a complex institution. His current role touches nearly every facet of the College’s ecosystem, including finance, personnel, facilities, and external partnerships.
But to Craig, numbers and policies are never the point. They’re tools. His aim is always to ensure that students can thrive, faculty can innovate, and staff feel seen and valued in their work.
He’s known at the College for his calm approach, his dry humor, and his ability to make space for others to shine.
“He doesn’t try to be the loudest voice in the room,” one colleague said. “But when he speaks, people know it’s worth listening.”
Craig’s impact as an educator runs deep. Originally trained as an infectious disease specialist, he has taught and mentored hundreds of pharmacists. Whether helping a student discover a new interest or challenging them to think more critically about patient care, he invests fully in their growth.
He treasures those turning points—the lightbulb moments, the unexpected questions, the follow-up emails that say, “I didn’t expect to love this, but now I do.”
He often recalls a piece of advice from his maternal grandfather: “Everyone you meet is better than you at something. And your task is to remember that.” This advice has shaped how he treats others, how he carries responsibility, and how he leads.
With pharmacy at a crossroads, Craig understands the profession is reckoning with outdated financial models, shifting healthcare systems, and a need to fully realize the pharmacist’s role in the modern era. But for him, the
“When a student tells me they found something they didn’t expect to love because of my class—that’s the moment I feel proudest.”
Interim Dean Craig Martin with his family – from left: Caleb, Craig, Ty, Valerie, and Avery.
path forward starts the way most things do: with small, deliberate steps.
One of his top priorities is maintaining the College’s strong financial footing through thoughtful, long-term planning, particularly as higher education faces the headwinds of unpredictable funding.
“It may not be visible to everyone,” he says, “but if we want to grow and evolve, we have to protect our foundation.”
When Craig walks through the College’s doors today, he brings with him the lessons of Dry Ridge. The steadiness of Larry Spears. The resolve of his family. And a profound understanding that leadership is not about being in front—it’s about carrying others forward.
This is part 1 of a 2-part series on Interim Dean Martin. Look for the next installment in the annual impact report to learn more about his professional background and vision for the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy.
Career Highlights
Academic Appointment
Clinical Professor. 2018-present.
Associate Clinical Professor. 2012-2018.
Administrative Appointments
Associate Dean for Operations, UK College of Pharmacy. 2019-present.
Kentucky Board of Pharmacy. 2015-2019. President, 2019. Vice President, 2018.
Director of Practice and Residency Advancement, UK College of Pharmacy and UK HealthCare Pharmacy Services. 2012-2018.
Interim Assistant Dean for Enrollment Management, UK College of Pharmacy. 2015-2016.
Pharmacy Education and Scholarship Coordinator, UK HealthCare Pharmacy Services. 2008-2012.
Clinical Experience
Infectious Diseases Pharmacist Specialist. UK HealthCare, 2002-2012.
Education & Training
University of Kentucky, Master of Science in Finance (in progress). Anticipated Graduation 2027.
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, Academic Leadership Fellows Program. Program completion: July 2017.
Master of Business Administration, Morehead State University. Graduation: August 2015.
ASHP Pharmacy Leadership Academy. Program completion: December 2009.
UK HealthCare Executive Leadership and Management Program. Program completion: December 2009.
Infectious Diseases Pharmacotherapy Residency (R284), University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center, Lexington. Program Director: Robert Rapp, Pharm.D., FCCP. Program completion: June 2002.
Doctor of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Lexington. Graduation: May 1999.
Awards
PY1 Outstanding Professor Award. University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. 2022 & 2023.
Distinguished Alumni Award, Grant County Schools. Williamstown, KY. 2021.
Kentucky Society of Health-System Pharmacists “Pharmacist of the Year”. October 2010.
Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists “Infectious Diseases Pharmacotherapy Residency Grant” (Program Director, $40,000). 2007-2008.
Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists
“Outstanding Clinical Practice in Infectious Diseases Pharmacotherapy Award.” December 2005.
Martin C, Rapp R, Armitstead J, Evans M, Hoven A. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Best Practice Award for 2004. “Improving Antimicrobial Use at a University Hospital: Results of the First Five Years of a Multidisciplinary Antimicrobial Management Program.”December 2004.