About Martin Karp
Dr. Martin Stewart Karp has always believed you must get in the game to effect positive change. He is a lifelong practitioner, having spent more than 30 years working in the trenches of education — teaching, helping to lead schools and school systems, and shaping policy focused on what students need.
Dr. Karp earned his academic degrees at the University of Miami, where he holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and an M.Ed. and a B.B.A. specializing in Marketing. He also completed a master’s program at Syracuse University, earning a degree from the Newhouse School of Public Communications in an M.S./M.B.A. program.
A teacher, principal, school board member, and currently Chief of Staff to a network of independent schools, Dr. Karp has a deep commitment to young people. He knows the power of good schools and how education can change lives. Such convictions have informed everything from his development in the classroom to his support for student well-being, special needs assistance, and access to gifted programs.
He has also worked in media and publishing, as Business Manager for Southern Playbill Publishing and Circulation Director for Miami Beach Magazine.
Years in Classroom, Decades of Leadership
Martin Karp was a dedicated classroom teacher before rising to a leadership role in school operations and strategy. At Biscayne Elementary, he created a unique gifted program that discharged students from both public and private schools—an early harbinger of his capacity to bridge divides and reimagine old norms.
Dr. Martin Karp has also designed longitudinal broadcast TV programming and served as an Exceptional Student Education (E.S.E.) specialist. He was also the Department Chairperson and created student fairs to spotlight special education. He developed a public-private gifted education model with Lehrman Community Day School that was one of the first in the district to provide programming for students from both sectors together in one enriched learning experience.
On several occasions, he was asked to demonstrate his hands-on learning techniques, particularly in science, geography, and language arts. He also produced WKDZ Kids’ World, a weekly educational TV show aired on Cable TAP and WLRN-TV Channel 17. It was designed to showcase students and classroom activities.
Dr. Karp served four consecutive terms from 2004 to 2020 as a Miami-Dade County School Board member. His years on the board were characterized by forward-looking policies and a long list of initiatives that addressed real student needs.
He pushed for healthier school environments, implemented later start times for high schools, provided vaping education, increased services for students with disabilities, and expanded science and gifted education programs.
Focused on Every Child’s Growth
Dr. Martin Karp is Chief of Staff to the Head of Schools for a consortium affiliated with Talmudic University. His responsibilities are diverse daily; managing contracts, leading meetings, developing strategy, and overseeing dozens of academic divisions across K-8, high school, and post-secondary.
However, by far, the most distinctive aspect of his leadership is his emphasis on student growth. At Yeshiva Elementary School, Dr. Karp founded the Success Center, a course of study for students who flourish in nontraditional classroom arrangements.
It combines basic reading, writing, and math skills with weekly STEM projects and enrichment activities such as guest speakers. The mission is straightforward: to help every child learn and thrive.
He also introduced new assessments to monitor students’ progress more closely and developed custom education plans based on children’s interests and strengths. Dr. Karp is the type of leader who understands how to take action with an eye on data, without losing sight of the young person.
Service That Goes Beyond Schools
Dr. Martin Karp’s work doesn’t end when the school day does. He has dedicated decades to volunteering and serving on local boards, particularly in the causes of children, education, and animals.
He has worked with Miami-Dade Animal Services and the Humane Society since 1995 with the H.O.P.E. Contest (Help Our Pets Everyday/Help Overcome Pet Euthanasia), a competition for students that promotes awareness for animal welfare. He has also been active in Scouting USA since the 1980s, serving as Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 36 and Cubmaster and Advancement Chairman.
Dr. Karp has been involved in public broadcasting as well. For more than 16 years, he has served as a WLRN Community Advisory Board member, where he has more recently reviewed and edited lesson plans for award-winning documentaries. His participation has helped promote local media that informs and builds community.
Starting with The Children’s Trust, the New World School of the Arts, and countless civic organizations, Martin Karp has made it his business to show up for his community by donating his time and expertise to others.
Key Recognitions
Dr. Martin Karp has been an exceptional contributor in every facet of the community. He has won many awards, including:
- Yeshiva Elementary/Middle/Aderes Schools Educational Leadership Award
- Cervantes Outstanding Educator Award (Nova Southeastern University)
- Guardian of Youth Philanthropy Award (SHAPE)
- Hall of Fame Induction (Miami Beach Senior High School)
- Helping Hands Award (Jewish Community Services of South Florida)
- People, Pets & Vets Award (South Florida Veterinary Foundation)
- PTA/PTSA Lifetime Legacy Award (Miami-Dade County)
- Teacher of the Year Award (Biscayne Elementary School)
- Vice Chair, Miami-Dade School Board (2006–07, 2012–13, 2017–18, 2018–19)
These awards emphasize what colleagues, students, and families have known for quite some time: Dr. Karp puts his whole heart and soul into everything he does.
A Voice in the Conversation
Dr. Karp has leveraged media throughout his career to inform the public about critical education topics. He’s spoken on local TV and radio and penned op-eds for the Miami Herald that speak to his common-sense, student-centric approach.
A refreshing, honest, and direct communicator, he is not political and has been guided by what is best for students.
He has also been a popular guest speaker at forums, community events, and educational summits. He addresses mental health in schools, good school policies, opioid awareness, and how to manage change in big educational systems.
Why His Work Matters
Dr. Martin Karp’s impact can’t be measured in titles or awards — it’s in the classrooms he has shaped, the students he has helped, and the policies he has advanced. His career has always been about putting kids first, meeting them where they are, and building better systems around their needs.
His devotion to family matches his lifelong dedication to students. Dr. Karp and his wife Danielle are raising three sons—Herschel, Benjamin, and Samson Raphael—who’ve grown up surrounded by the same values of education, service, and community that define his career.
