Dr. Martin Stewart Karp has built his career on the belief that education has the power to change lives when approached with purpose, collaboration, and action. For more than 30 years, he has worked in classrooms, led schools, shaped educational policy, and engaged with his community, always focused on creating opportunities for students to grow and succeed. He earned his Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, along with an M.Ed. and a B.B.A. in Marketing, from the University of Miami. He also completed an M.S./M.B.A. at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications. This academic background, combining educational leadership with business and communication skills, has enabled him to develop effective strategies for both instruction and administration. Martin Karp began his career as a teacher, where he introduced programs that encouraged creativity, inclusion, and collaboration. At Biscayne Elementary, he created a gifted program that brought together students from public and private schools, fostering partnerships across different educational settings. As an Exceptional Student Education (E.S.E.) specialist and department chairperson, he organized events to highlight the talents of students with special needs. In partnership with Lehrman Community Day School, he helped launch one of the district’s first public-private gifted education programs, offering a shared, enriched curriculum to students from multiple systems. His interest in making learning visible led him to produce WKDZ Kids’ World, a weekly television program that showcased student projects and classroom activities. The show aired on Cable TAP and WLRN-TV Channel 17, giving students a platform to share their work with the wider community. In 2004, Dr. Karp was elected to the Miami-Dade County School Board, where he served four consecutive terms until 2020. His time on the board was marked by initiatives aimed at improving student well-being, including later high school start times, healthier school environments, expanded gifted and science education programs, enhanced services for students with disabilities, and vaping prevention measures. All of these efforts were grounded in his commitment to doing what is best for students. In his current role as Chief of Staff to the Head of Schools for a network affiliated with Talmudic University, Dr. Karp manages operations, contracts, and academic strategy across elementary, high school, and post-secondary divisions. At Yeshiva Elementary School, he founded the Success Center, designed for students who benefit from nontraditional learning approaches. The program combines essential academic skills with STEM projects, enrichment activities, and guest speakers, allowing each student to learn in a way that matches their strengths. Beyond his work in schools, Dr. Karp has dedicated decades to community service. Since 1995, he has worked with Miami-Dade Animal Services and the Humane Society through the H.O.P.E. Contest, a program that engages students in promoting animal welfare. He has also been deeply involved with Scouting USA since the 1980s, serving as Assistant Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, and Advancement Chairman, helping young people develop leadership skills and character. He has contributed to public broadcasting for over 16 years as a member of the WLRN Community Advisory Board, reviewing and improving educational content connected to award-winning documentaries. In addition, he has worked with organizations such as The Children’s Trust and the New World School of the Arts, lending his expertise to strengthen community programs. Dr. Karp’s contributions have been honored with many awards, including the Yeshiva Elementary/Middle/Aderes Schools Educational Leadership Award, Cervantes Outstanding Educator Award, Guardian of Youth Philanthropy Award, Miami Beach Senior High School Hall of Fame induction, Helping Hands Award, People, Pets & Vets Award, PTA/PTSA Lifetime Legacy Award, and Teacher of the Year Award. He has also served multiple terms as Vice Chair of the Miami-Dade School Board. He has shared his perspective through op-eds in the Miami Herald, television and radio interviews, and speaking engagements at community and educational events. His topics have ranged from mental health in schools to opioid awareness, sound educational policy, and adapting to change in large school systems. Known for his direct, student-first approach, he keeps his focus on practical solutions rather than politics. For Dr. Martin Karp, the true success of his work lies in the students who have gained new opportunities, the programs that have made a lasting difference, and the communities strengthened through his efforts. Alongside his wife Danielle, he is raising three sons — Herschel, Benjamin, and Samson Raphael — in a home grounded in the same values of education, service, and community that define his career.