Carmel Martin

Carmel Martin is General Counsel and Chief Education Advisor to Senator Kennedy for the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Prior to joining Senator Kennedy's HELP Committee staff, she worked as the associate director for domestic policy at the Center for American Progress. She previously worked in the Senate as chief counsel and senior policy advisor to Senator Jeff Bingaman and special counsel to Senator Tom Daschle.

Through her years working in Congress, Martin has worked on legislation related to education, welfare, and other issues important to children and families. Earlier, she practiced as a trial attorney for the Civil Rights Division, Educational Opportunities Section at the Department of Justice as well as in the private sector as a member of the Education Practice of Hogan & Hartson. There she counseled and represented school districts and Institutions of Higher Education from all over the country. She graduated with a J.D. and Masters in Public Policy from the University of Texas School of Law and the LBJ School of Public Affairs. After graduate school, Ms. Martin was a law clerk to the Honorable Thomas Reavley, United States Judge for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.