Martin, Lynn, 1939-

Lynn Morley Martin was born Lynn Morley, in Chicago, Illinois, December 26, 1939. She received a B.A. in education from the University of Illinois in 1960, and taught high school economics, government and English. She was elected to the Winnebago county school board in 1972, the Illinois House of Representatives in 1976, and Illinois Senate in 1978. She served in the U.S. House of Representatives from January 3, 1981 to January 3, 1991. She became the first woman elected to a congressional leadership post when she was chosen vice chair of the House Republican Conference. Martin served as Secretary of Labor from February 22, 1991 to January 20, 1993. While serving as Secretary, she developed programs to promote a highly skilled, well-paid workforce, which included improvements in the delivery of employment and training services and a nationwide effort to implement the recommendations of the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills. She also established a Glass Ceiling Commission and encouraged corporations and labor organizations to promote women and minorities to top managerial levels. She initiated a model workplace program at the Department to provide leadership for the nation's employers. Following government services, she served on the faculty of Northwestern University from 1993 to 2000. She has appeared as a panelist on the television talk program, To the Contrary.

From the description of Martin, Lynn, 1939- (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10573489