Martina Ballen On Being A Trailblazer And Seeing The Possibilities

Posted Feb 12, 2026
"I'm Martina Ballen. And I am a Tar Heel." It's how she introduces herself — plainly, confidently, without flourish. For Ballen, that identity has never needed explanation. UNC has been home for most of her life, and the work she has done here has always felt less like a career and more like a responsibility. "I have been at UNC for 38-and-a-half years." (GoHeels.com)

Related: Business & Administration

Bubba Cunningham Exclusive Part 2: Working on Campus Projects While Facing New Era of College Sports
Bubba Cunningham on how he sees his Senior Advisory Role taking shape and what projects he will be working on: "I’m really looking forward to...
Tue Jun 16, 2026

Bubba Cunningham Exclusive Part 1: Reminiscing on 15 Years as UNC Athletics Director
Bubba Cunningham: "It’s been another great year. I think every school year is different. Our teams are different, our coaches are different. And this time...
Mon Jun 15, 2026

Video: Carolina Insider - Interview With Steve Newmark
Steve Newmark joins Jones Angell and Adam Lucas on the Carolina Insider podcast to discuss his deep-rooted ties to the Tar Heels and his strategic...
Wed Jun 3, 2026

Lucas: UNC Incoming AD Steve Newmark Looking Forward To The Future
Like many young Tar Heel fans of the 1980s, Steve Newmark grew up with two posters on the wall of his room. One was a...
Tue Jun 2, 2026