Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine Names New Assistant Dean for Administration

A key administrator in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine has been appointed to a new leadership role. Leslie Martin, who currently serves as director of financial affairs, will become the assistant dean for administration, effective June 1. The newly created position will be responsible for directly overseeing administrative processes, financial management and business operations while managing a team of staff.

The appointment was announced this week by Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Bret Marsh, DVM. “In this new role, Leslie will be a key member of the college’s senior leadership team and will serve as a resource and strategic problem solver within PVM and a proactive partner and connector to a range of stakeholders across Purdue,” Dr. Marsh said.

Martin has been with Purdue since 2012, and served in various capacities before joining the college last year. She says she was attracted to the position of director of financial affairs because of the professional growth opportunities it provided. “Over the past year in this role, I’ve learned a great deal about the College of Veterinary Medicine,” Martin said. “When the assistant dean of administration position was posted, I realized I could continue my commitment to my current role while having a more hands-on impact, both financially and operationally, on the college.”

Martin says she is excited to broaden her knowledge about the college even further in her new position, especially beyond just the financial aspects. “I’m looking forward to collaborating with new colleagues and contributing to PVM’s growth as a top-tier veterinary medical college with an advanced veterinary medical complex consisting of Small Animal, Equine and Farm Animal hospitals and the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory that provides crucial diagnostic testing services.”

Born in Alaska and raised in Carroll County, Martin enrolled as an undergraduate at Purdue after graduating from Delphi Community High School, and later finished her undergraduate studies at the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas. She then began her finance career in the banking industry, working her way up to branch manager before moving back to Indiana.

After a brief stint at the Industrial Federal Credit Union (IFCU), Martin accepted a research administration position at Purdue in Sponsored Programs – Post Award Services, where she managed Department of Energy and NASA grants. Two years later, she transitioned to the business office for Purdue’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, and then was promoted to business manager for the Chemistry Department. In 2018, Martin played a key role in creating and launching the Science/Pharmacy Procurement team. She also continued her education, earning her MBA degree from Purdue Global in 2020.

In addition to her job responsibilities, Martin is concluding the second year of a three-year service commitment to Purdue’s Management and Professional Staff Advisory Committee (MaPSAC) and currently is the chair of compensation and benefits subcommittee and attends faculty compensation and benefits meetings as a MaPSAC representative.

Martin lives in Wolcott, Indiana, where her husband works at a local seed/farm company. They have three children as well as two dogs (Wrigley and Heath) and two cats (Skittles and Mars). In Martin’s “free time,” you can find her involved with such events, activities and sports as volleyball, baseball, soccer, 4-H, school and competition cheer, cross-country racing (on ATVs and dirt bikes), and guitar lessons.