Ganesha M. Martin
Ganesha was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on September 24, 1977. She was raised in Dallas, Texas, along with her younger brother Greg, by her parents. Ganesha attended Duncanville High School where was very involved in academia as well as extra-curricular activities. Her many accomplishments during high school included being named Homecoming Queen, Miss Duncanville High School, and Homecoming Duchess/Princess. She was also very active with the student government, was a member of the Honor Society, and was a freshman letterman on a 5A basketball team. Ganesha completed high school in 1996 and graduated with honors.
After high school, Ganesha began her collegiate journey with an exciting and challenging student exchange program in Fukuoka, Japan with the Seinan Gakuin University, where she studied the Japanese language, literature, history, art and business. Following her year of studying abroad, she continued furthering her education at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Her major was Asian Studies/Journalism with an emphasis in the Public Relations, and a minor in Business. While attending Baylor, Ganesha belonged to many prestigious groups, including Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Lambda Delta (National Honor Society), Mortar Board Top 100 Freshman, Phi Beta Gamma (top 15% of class), Vice President of Society of Professional Journalism, and Vice President of Public Relations Student Society of America. Ganesha went on to graduate from Baylor in 2000 with her Bachelor of Arts Degree, Magna Cum Laude.
The next chapter of Ganesha’s life was completed when she graduated in 2004 with her Juris Doctorate Degree from Texas Tech University, where she was a recipient of a full-academic scholarship. In addition, she was the Vice-Chair of Negotiations on the Board of Barristers, First Vice-President of the Student Bar Association, Associate Editor of “Texas Tech Lawyer”, Co-coordinator of RMBLSA Conference Moot Court/Mock Trial Competition, and a representative of the Honor Council. Ganesha was also a participant of the Board of Barristers Mock Trial Competition, and a member of the National Mock Trial Team, and Phi Alpha Delta.
Ganesha is an active member in several courts, including the State Bar of Texas, the State Bar of New Mexico, the Supreme Court of New Mexico, and the US District Court, District of New Mexico. After passing the Texas Bar, Ganesha began working for Fadduol, Cluff & Hardy, P.C. as an associate. Soon thereafter, she studied for and passed the New Mexico State Bar. She moved to Albuquerque where she is currently a managing associate attorney for the Albuquerque and Las Cruces satellite offices.
Ganesha’s interests include politics, volunteering with organizations for domestic violence, basketball, running, weight-lifting, Japanese culture and language, and Nihon Buyon, a traditional Japanese dance. Ganesha also maintains membership with Phi Beta Kappa, NMTLA, SBNM – Committee on Women and the Legal Profession & Bench and Bar Committee, and the American Bar Association. Ganesha was appointed to the Cabinet for Lt. Governor Diane Denish, and is a member of the Lt. Governor’s Women’s Leadership Forum Committee.
On a personal note, family is very important to Ganesha, and the support and love of her family have been the corner stones to everything she has been able to build in her life. Her mother and father in particular (who were taught by their mothers and fathers), taught her several important principals. Her father always emphasized the importance of hard work and pride in what ever task one endeavored to complete. Her mother taught her that integrity and reputation were the most precious assets one could ever own.
In addition to her parents, Ganesha credits her basketball experience with teaching her loyalty, team work and pushing your mind and body beyond potential obstacles to reach goals you initially thought were unattainable.
Lessons from sports often intertwined with lessons from her dad. Though simplistic in its analysis, her father often compares life to sports. Recently, he stated, “nothing you accomplish is a surprise to me, because I know you will crash the boards, contest every shot and you will play FAIR and HARD NOSE defense. I know you will do that for your clients and the firm.”
He is absolutely right, and Ganesha enjoys doing it every day of her life!